Voices are briefs and interviews that highlight “bright spots” in the CSU and examples of middle leadership across the system and within Network activities.
Championing Equity at Chico State: Ellie Clifford Ertle’s Impact Through the Years at the Middle Leadership Academy
August 2024
As an introduction to a comprehensive case study on Chico State’s involvement in the Network’s Middle Leadership Academy (Academy), we spoke with Ellie Clifford Ertle, Ed.D., the Director of the Academy and Associate Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education and Academic Success at Chico State. As Chico State continues to prioritize student success, an upcoming Network series will delve deeper into a comprehensive case study on their campus efforts, showcasing their initiatives and strategic projects designed to amplify student success and advance equity. Stay tuned for an in-depth look at these transformative efforts.
Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Round: The Fight for African American Educational Freedom and Success in the CSU
June 2024
On April 23, 2024 the Network held a convening reflecting on the 70th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas 1954 Supreme Court decision to end school segregation. In that convening, we learned from the San José State University Ethnic Studies program that the fight for educational justice and equity in California began well before Brown, going back to 1885 with the Tape v. Hurley case challenging anti-Asian American student segregation.
Paving the Way for LGBTQIA2S+ Student Success: Highlights from the 2024 CSU Student Success Symposium
June 2024
After months of planning, the CSU Student Success Network (Network) hosted the CSU LGBTQIA2S+ Student Success Symposium from March 7-8, 2024, in Sacramento, CA. Over 130 staff, students, and faculty from all 23 campuses across the CSU and Chancellor’s Office, as well as faculty and staff from the California Community College system, joined together to make connections across roles and learn how to improve equitable success for LGBTQIA2S+ students in the CSU. Unlike the more traditional annual conference, the Symposium sought to facilitate action-oriented conversations and community-building with the goal of launching Communities of Practice (ComPs) that will work across the system to explore, understand, and propose action that advances equity related to LGBTQIA2S+ student success.
Campus Infrastructure and Teaching to Support Students with Low Income: Implications for Middle Leaders
May 2024
Many students face challenges in navigating higher education’s administrative processes, program requirements, course and service availability, and learning expectations. First-generation college students and those from families with low income are particularly vulnerable to these and related challenges at the heart of the campus enterprise.
Providing Students with Holistic Basic Needs Supports: Implications for Middle Leaders in Designing Campuses for Students With Low Income
April 2024
The CSU has made substantial progress in expanding its basic needs infrastructure over the past few years, and faculty and staff can serve key roles in helping students learn about and access emergency services to help address their housing, food, and other needs. These services are particularly important given the difficulties students are facing in paying their bills while staying enrolled in the university.
Myths and Facts about the Value of a CSU Degree: Implications for Middle Leaders in Designing Campuses for Students who are Low-Income
March 2024
For many low-income CSU students, stopping out of college to accept a full-time job can appear appealing. Many of these students are taking on debt for the first time, working odd hours in a part-time job, studying when they can, and worrying about paying for food, rent, books, and other necessities. Stopping out to accept a full-time job can bring these students a bigger paycheck than their part-time job provides, with the potential of supporting family members, paying off debts, and being able to pay for basic living expenses. With a job market that’s booming now, why should these students stay in college for multiple years and risk graduating at a time when the economy may be heading downward?
Jeanine Cunningham, New Research Manager of the Network, Uses Research-Informed Strategies to Tackle Equity Challenges
March 2024
Jeanine Cunningham, Research Manager at EdInsights and the Network, discusses her professional trajectory and dedication to educational research shaped by her sociology background. Her journey, beginning as a graduate student passionate about social research, has evolved into a role where she leverages her expertise to address equity and access in higher education. Through her role, Jeanine aims to empower educational leaders and institutions with the tools necessary for meaningful change, reflecting a deep understanding of the interplay between education, policy, and societal dynamics.
A Warm Welcome: Dr. Shonda Goward Appointed as Network Director!
March 2024
The Network announces Dr. Shonda Goward, Associate Vice Provost of Undergraduate Advising and Success at San José State University, as its new Director. In this role, Dr. Goward will lead vision and strategy for the Network, in conjunction with her existing duties as the Network’s Advisory Board Chair, a position she was elected to in 2023.
Rising Costs in California: Implications for Middle Leaders in Designing Campuses for Students Who Are Low-Income
February 2024
Nearly half of all California State University (CSU) students are from low-income families. With the rising costs of living, these students face a dilemma each semester: whether to continue to pay the costs of college or stop out and pursue a full-time job. This blog provides an introduction to a series that identifies actions that faculty and staff can take to encourage their programs and campuses to address the needs of low-income students and support them in finishing their degree. Look for the next blog in the March newsletter followed by additional blogs in subsequent months.
Building Community for First-Generation Students and their Families
December 2023
To conclude the Knowledge Center blog series on supporting first-generation college students within the California State University (CSU) system, we sat down with two members of the CSU Student Success Network (Network) Advisory Board, Susanna Jones, Ph.D., M.S.W., at San Francisco State and Nadine Kelley, Ed.D, at Sacramento State, to discuss their experiences in working with first-generation students and approaches to fostering student success.