LET ME BEGIN BY WELCOMING
EVERYONE TO THE SENATE COMMITTEE
ON STUDENT SUCCESS, OUR SPECIAL
HEARING HERE AT CAL STATE
UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON. IT'S SO
NICE TO BE HERE. I'M JOINED BY
THE ESTEEMED SENATOR JOSH
NEWMAN, WHO IS CHAIR OF OUR
EDUCATION COMMITTEE IN THE
SENATE. SENATOR NEWMAN, THANK
YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS
HEARING TODAY. YOU'VE BEEN A
GREAT CHAMPION OF OUR HIGHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AS WELL
AS EDUCATION, DURING YOUR TIME
IN THE SENATE, WE APPRECIATE
YOUR GREAT LEADERSHIP. I HAD A
COUPLE OPENING REMARKS. WE'RE
GOING TO HEAR FROM SENATOR
NEWMAN, AND WE'LL BEGIN GOING
THROUGH THE HEARING PROCESS.
CERTAINLY WITH A NICE WELCOME
FROM OUR PRESIDENT HERE AT THE
CAMPUS, BUT LET ME JUST SAY FOR
ME, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME BACK
AT THIS UNIVERSITY IN ABOUT 40,
MAYBE 42 YEARS, I WAS LAST HERE
WHEN I WAS STUDENT BODY
PRESIDENT AT SAN DIEGO STATE.
AND, THE, ALSO CHAIRMAN OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE STUDENT
ASSOCIATION. AND FOR THOSE IN
THE ROOM WHO KNOW AND MAYBE
THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING, WHO ARE
AWARE, THE STUDENTS WOULD GET
TOGETHER EVERY MONTH AT A
CAMPUS, SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA
TO ORGANIZE THEIR BUSINESS. AND
SO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME
TO THIS CAMPUS MANY TIMES. AND
SO THIS IS MY FIRST TIME BACK IN
A WHILE. BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL,
BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS, AND IT USED TO
BE THAT SAN DIEGO STATE HAD THE
LARGEST ENROLLMENT IN THE STATE
AT THE STATE UNIVERSITIES. AND
NOW FULLERTON IS ON TOP. I THINK
MORE THAN 40 PLUS THOUSAND,
STUDENTS HERE. SO, A GREAT
INSTITUTION, AND A GREAT PLACE
TO ADVANCE THEIR, THEIR LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES, LET ME MENTION
THAT, IN 2017, WE FIRST FORMED
THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
STUDENT SUCCESS, AND THE GOAL
THEN IS IT REMAINS THE GOAL
TODAY, WHICH WAS TO ADVANCE
EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, FOR
OUR STUDENTS TO EXAMINE HOW
CHALLENGES IN AND OUT OF THE
CLASSROOM ARE AFFECTING
GRADUATION AND DROPOUT RATES,
THE ISSUE OF ON TIME, GRADUATION
HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT TO
THIS COMMITTEE, WE KNOW THAT
STUDENTS SUCCESS. THIS, IS A
DRIVER TO OUR ECONOMY. WE KNOW
THAT THAT THAT ACHIEVEMENT FOR
THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS MANY,
RAMIFICATIONS FOR THEM, FOR
THEIR FAMILY. AND FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES, AND EVEN IN
ADDITION TO THE FOUR YEAR
GRADUATION RATE GOALS THAT WE'RE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, WE
ALSO KNOW THAT STUDENTS STILL
STRUGGLE, TO COMPLETE DEGREES,
BECAUSE OF ISSUES THAT ARE
OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. FOOD
INSECURITY, HOUSING INSECURITY,
HEALTH CARE, IN 2016, I AUTHORED
A SENATE BILL 412, WHICH CREATED
THE CALIFORNIA PROMISE PROGRAM
WITH THE GOAL TO ASSIST LOW
INCOME, UNDERREPRESENTED
TRANSFER AND FIRST GENERATION
STUDENTS WITH FINISHING THEIR
BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN FOUR YEARS,
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE FOUR
YEAR GOAL, WE ALSO KNOW THAT
IT'S ABOUT SAVING STUDENTS AND
THEIR FAMILY A LOT OF MONEY,
ENTERING THE WORKFORCE SOONER,
AND WHAT DOESN'T GET TALKED
ABOUT A LOT, BUT INSPIRING THEIR
SIBLINGS THAT MAY BE COMING
BEHIND TO DO THE SAME. IT'S A
REAL IMPACT TO SEE THAT EXAMPLE
BEING SET BY FIRST IN THEIR
FAMILY TO GRADUATE. AND WHEN THE
PRESIDENT SPEAKS, SHE MAY SPEAK
ABOUT THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY
TO GRADUATE HERE AT FULLERTON. I
KNOW IT'S A IT'S A POINT OF
PRIDE, SYSTEMWIDE. AND NOW WHAT?
WE'RE GOING TO TALK AND FOCUS ON
THE FOUR YEAR GRADUATION RATE
HERE. THERE'S SOME REALLY GREAT
SUCCESSES, HERE AT FULLERTON, IN
2015, THE FOUR YEAR GRADUATION
RATE WAS ABOUT 22.6, TODAY, IT'S
AROUND 44. THAT'S A FANTASTIC
ACHIEVEMENT. I KNOW IT IT
DOESN'T COME EASY. IT REQUIRES
GREAT LEADERSHIP HERE ON THE
CAMPUS. IT REQUIRES THE FACULTY
AND STAFF, EVERYONE WORKING
TOGETHER TO HAVE THAT RATE GROW
IN SUCH A SIGNIFICANT WAY. IT'S
20 POINTS IN ABOUT EIGHT, NINE
YEARS, AND THAT'S HAVING A BIG
IMPACT ON ON SO MANY. I, I WANT
TO NOTE, THOUGH, THAT ONE OF THE
PROGRAMS HERE AT FULLERTON THAT,
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT,
THE FOUR YEAR PROGRAM HERE IS
THAT AS THE TESTIMONY PROVIDES,
BUT LET ME JUST SAY THAT WE'RE
FOCUSED VERY MUCH ON THIS
GRADUATION, GOAL, CERTAINLY FOR
UNDERREPRESENTED, I, I NOTE THAT
WHEN, EIGHT, NINE YEARS AGO, IT,
WHEN FRESHMEN CAME HERE TO
FULLERTON, THAT 90% OF THAT
INCOMING CLASS WAS TAKING 15
UNITS OR MORE. AND TO THE MOST
RECENT NUMBERS FROM THIS PAST
YEAR IS THAT 91% ARE STILL DOING
THAT. THAT MEANS THEY'RE GETTING
OFF TO A RIGHT TO A GOOD START
HERE. BUT SOMEHOW, AS THEY HAVE
MOVED THROUGH THE SYSTEM, THINGS
GET A LITTLE OFF KILTER, WHETHER
THAT'S, ISSUES IN THEIR LIFE, IT
COULD BE NOT THEIR INABILITY TO
GET CLASSES. THEY NEED
PREREQUISITES THAT THEY NEED.
BUT I HOPE TO HEAR IN THIS
HEARING A LITTLE MORE DETAIL AS
TO WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHY. SO
WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT. WELL
BUT FINALLY, IN MY REMARKS, LET
ME JUST SAY THAT THE BIG PROBLEM
THAT WE SEE HERE AT FULLERTON
AND SYSTEM WIDE, IS THAT
UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS, THAT
GAP, HAS GROWN NOT SHRUNK IN
THESE LAST NINE YEARS THAT WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT THE SUCCESS AND HOW
WELL THE CAMPUS HAS DONE. BUT
SYSTEM WIDE, THE FOCUS OF OUR
WORK SEEMS TO HAVE NOT BE
SUCCESSFUL IN TERMS OF
UNDERREPRESENT IT. AND SO I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE TESTIMONY ON THAT
AS WE AS WE CONTINUE WITH OUR
PROGRAM. BUT WITH THAT, LET ME
JUST TURN TO MY COLLEAGUE IN THE
SENATE, SENATOR NEWMAN, THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP. AND WELCOME YOUR
OPENING COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, SENATOR GLAZER, FOR
COMING TO FULLERTON, I AM GLAD
TO BE A PART OF THIS HEARING,
I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT THIS
AREA. I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD TO
REPRESENT THIS CAMPUS, AND I'M
ALSO PROUD TO SERVE AS THE CHAIR
OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
EDUCATION, WHICH, UNLIKE OUR
COUNTERPART ON THE OTHER SIDE,
HAS JURISDICTION OVER ALL THREE
SEGMENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN
CALIFORNIA. AND I WANT TO THANK
SENATOR GLAZER FOR HIS CONTINUED
LEADERSHIP, START FROM IT. BUT
CERTAINLY SINCE 2014 AND THE
CALIFORNIA PROMISE PROGRAM, AND
I AGREE WITH THE GOALS OF THE
PROGRAM AND WITH HIS GOALS
GENERALLY, I THINK WE SHARE, THE
SAME SORT OF, EMPHASIS ON THE
URGENT NEED TO HELP STUDENTS
MAKE THEIR WAY, AS QUICKLY BUT
ALSO AS PRODUCTIVELY AS POSSIBLE
THROUGH, THE BACCALAUREATE
PROCESS, AND THAT IS
COMPLICATED, AS SENATOR GLAZER
NOTED, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL OF THE
OTHER ISSUES THAT STUDENTS FACE,
TRANSPORTATION, CLASS OFFERINGS,
MENTOR MENTORING, OTHER SUPPORT
AND HOUSING, ESPECIALLY, AND
ESPECIALLY WHICH IS ESPECIALLY
TRUE HERE, FOR CAL STATE
FULLERTON. AND THIS IS
ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR FIRST
GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS, FOR
OTHER UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS,
AND AS SENATOR GLAZER NOTES. CAL
STATE FULLERTON SHOULD BE AND IS
JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF ITS ROLE IN
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT,
ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE GROUPS THAT
THIS PROGRAM HAS ENDEAVORED TO
ASSIST. AND WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
FROM PRESIDENT ALVO. BUT I KNOW
HOW PROUD YOU ARE AND YOU SHOULD
BE FOR BEING A HISPANIC SERVING
INSTITUTION, BUT ALSO FOR ALL OF
THE OTHER GOOD WORK THAT HAS
BEEN DONE RECENTLY, WHICH IS
CONSISTENT, I WAS SURPRISED NOT
TO HEAR IT WITH SENATOR GLAZER'S
NEW, MOTTO FOR THE PROGRAM TO
FINISH IN FOUR AS IT RELATES TO,
COMMUNITY COLLEGES THROUGH AND
TWO, AND SO GLAD TO BE HERE.
GLAD TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH
THE SENATOR, BUT VERY MUCH
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM
PRESIDENT ALVA. OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS, AND WE WILL TAKE
BACK YOUR INPUT. AND THAT WILL
INFORM OUR WORK IN EDUCATION
MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
SENATOR NEWMAN. AND WITHOUT
FURTHER ADO, DOCTOR ALVA,
PRESIDENT HERE AT FULLERTON.
THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING US TO
YOUR CAMPUS. I KNOW THAT WHILE
YOU COME HERE FROM THE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE AS THE
EXECUTIVE VICE CHANCELLOR OF
ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS,
THAT IN SOME WAYS, IT'S A
HOMECOMING FOR YOU COMING BACK
TO A CAMPUS WHERE YOU WERE A
PROFESSOR, IN EARLIER YEARS. BUT
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
HAVING US. AND WE TURN THE
MICROPHONE OVER TO YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. AND GOOD MORNING,
CHAIR GLAZER AND MEMBERS OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON STUDENT
SUCCESS. I AM DOCTOR SILVIA
ALVA, AND I HAVE THE HONOR AND
THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS
PRESIDENT AT CAL STATE
FULLERTON. I WANT TO START BY
THANKING SENATOR GLAZER FOR
AUTHORING A BOND LEGISLATION
THAT INCLUDES HIGHER EDUCATION.
YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE
CSU'S STRONGEST ADVOCATES. WE
APPRECIATE THAT, AND YOU
UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT SUCH A
BOND WILL HAVE ON INSTITUTIONS
LIKE CAL STATE FULLERTON. AND
THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE COMMITTEE
FOR PROVIDING US THE OPPORTUNITY
TO HOST THIS HEARING TODAY ON
OUR CAMPUS. WE SEE TODAY'S
HEARING AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SHARE OUR VISION, AS WELL AS THE
TRANSFORMATIONAL INITIATIVES AND
PROGRAMS THAT MAKE AN IMPACT ON
THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS AND
THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. I LOOK
FORWARD TO SHARING HOW WE'RE
MOVING FULLERTON FORWARD IN OUR
FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN. AS WE
LOOK TO BE EVEN MORE STRATEGIC
AND MORE DATA INFORMED IN OUR
WORK AND HOW WE SEE
COLLABORATION. AND AS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF THE RESPONSE
TO THE EMERGING NEEDS OF OUR
STUDENTS. CAL STATE FULLERTON
SERVES 41,000 STUDENTS AND WE
ARE THE ONLY CSU IN ORANGE
COUNTY. WE RECEIVE ABOUT 80,000
APPLICATIONS ANNUALLY FOR
ROUGHLY 8000 INCOMING STUDENT
SLOTS. WE GRADUATED
APPROXIMATELY 12,000 STUDENTS
ANNUALLY, OF WHICH NEARLY 60% OF
OUR STUDENTS ARE FIRST
GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS AND
MORE THAN 60% ARE FROM
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. HALF
50% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE PELL
ELIGIBLE, WHICH MEANS THAT A
LARGE PART OF OUR STUDENT
POPULATION COME FROM FAMILIES
WHO EARN LESS THAN $50,000 A
YEAR. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CAL
STATE FULLERTON'S REGIONAL
FOOTPRINT, I'LL NOTE THAT NEARLY
80% OF OUR UNDERGRADUATES STAY.
PARDON ME, OUR GRADUATES STAY
WITHIN A 50 MILE RADIUS OF THE
UNIVERSITY. CAL STATE FULLERTON
PRODUCES THE MAJORITY OF ORANGE
COUNTY'S TEACHERS, NURSES AND
ACCOUNTANTS. TITANS ARE THE
REGION'S WORKFORCE. THE CAMPUS
RECENTLY RELEASED ITS FIVE YEAR
STRATEGIC PLAN. THE STRATEGIC
PLANNING PROCESS PROVIDED US AN
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WHERE
WE'RE AT AND RECOGNIZE THE
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL
AS THE BARRIERS THAT CONTINUE TO
IMPACT AND CHALLENGE OUR
STUDENTS AS THEY PURSUE THEIR
COLLEGE EDUCATION. IT DRIVES US
TO LOOK AT CURRENT AND FUTURE
LANDSCAPE OF THE REGION. WHAT
ARE THE TOP IN-DEMAND SKILLS
THAT WILL BE SOUGHT BY EMPLOYERS
? HOW CAN WE BETTER INFORM AND
PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR THE
STATUS AND OUTLOOK OF THESE
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ONCE
THEY GRADUATE, AND WHAT PATHWAYS
ARE WE CREATING TO ENSURE THAT
OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED AND
EMPLOYED ONCE THEY GRADUATE? WE
NOT ONLY HAVE LOOKED AT THE
MAKEUP OF OUR CURRENT STUDENT
POPULATION, BUT WE'RE ALSO
LOOKING AHEAD INTO THE FUTURE OF
WHAT OUR POPULATION IS VERY
LIKELY TO LOOK LIKE. ONE OF THE
AREAS THAT WE ARE PUTTING A
GREATER FOCUS ON IS HOW DO WE
ADAPT THE UNIVERSITY AND PIVOT,
GIVEN THE ANTICIPATED DECLINE IN
TRADITIONAL COLLEGE AGE
POPULATIONS, HOW DO WE INCREASE
DEMAND FOR COLLEGE HIGHER
EDUCATION AS PART OF OUR
WORKFORCE RESPONSIBILITY? AND
WHAT ARE THE NEEDS AND THE
OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTRACT THAT
NONTRADITIONAL AND ADULT
LEARNERS TO CAL STATE FULLERTON?
AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC
PLANNING, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT
HOW WE CAN FURTHER SERVE AND
MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR
NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS AND
POSITION OURSELVES TO SUPPORT
THE INCREASINGLY DIVERSE
POPULATION IN IN OUR SERVICE
AREA. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE
COLLEGE EDUCATED? WHAT IS THE
VALUE OF A COLLEGE DEGREE? THESE
ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT HIGHER ED
AND CAL STATE FULLERTON, IN
SPECIFIC, ARE GRAPPLING WITH. A
RECENT SURVEY SHOWED THAT ALUMNI
WHO DEVELOPED SKILLS DURING
COLLEGE EARN $8,700 MORE IN
THEIR FIRST YEAR OF WORK,
COMPARED TO THEIR COUNTERPART. A
COLLEGE DEGREE CAN COMPLETELY
CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY AND OF AN
INDIVIDUAL'S AND THEIR FAMILIES
LIVES. WE STRIVE TO DO ALL THAT
WE CAN TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE
ACCESS TO A QUALITY COLLEGE
EDUCATION. AS TUITION IS
SCHEDULED TO INCREASE ACROSS THE
CSU, CAL STATE FULLERTON IN HAS
A NEW SEVEN STEP PLEDGE THAT WE
HAVE COMMITTED TO ENSURE THAT
THE TRANSFORMATIONAL PROMISE OF
A COLLEGE EDUCATION REMAINS
POSSIBLE FROM GRANTS AND
SCHOLARSHIPS TO TECHNOLOGY TOOLS
AND A FOOD PANTRY STOCKED WITH
HEALTHY CHOICES, THE UNIVERSITY
OFFERS RESOURCES TO FINANCIALLY
ASSIST STUDENTS NAVIGATING THE
MYRIAD OF RESOURCES ON CAMPUS
AND IN THE COMMUNITY CAN BE
COMPLICATED, AND CAN EVEN FEEL
LIKE A BARRIER ITSELF. WE'RE
COMMITTED TO PLEDGING TO OUR
STUDENTS AND FUTURE STUDENTS
THAT WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE
THESE FINANCIAL BARRIERS AND
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTIVE
RESOURCES SO THAT THEY CAN
SUCCESSFULLY THRIVE AND COMPLETE
THEIR DEGREE WITH LITTLE OR NO
FINANCIAL DEBT. APPROXIMATELY
68% OF CAL STATE FULLERTON
STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH NO
COLLEGE DEBT. THE CSUF PLEDGE IS
AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THE
NUMBER OF STUDENTS GRADUATING
DEBT FREE INCREASES, EVEN AS
COSTS GO UP. AS I CLOSE,
CHAIRMAN GLAZER AND MEMBERS OF
THE SELECT COMMITTEE, I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR
BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS AND GIVING US
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOU THE
TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPACT THAT A
TITAN EDUCATION HAS ON OUR
STUDENTS AND ON THE COMMUNITY
TODAY WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
YOU TO HEAR ABOUT OUR SUCCESSES,
BUT ALSO THE CHALLENGES, THE
CHALLENGING AREAS THAT THE
CAMPUS IS FACING. AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND
THE COMMITTEE TO TOGETHER
CONTINUING TO SERVE FUTURE
GENERATIONS OF CALIFORNIANS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING THE
TIME TO BE AT CAL STATE
FULLERTON. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT
ALVA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP HERE ON THE CAMPUS
AND MORE SO YOUR YOUR LONG TERM
LEADERSHIP IN THE SYSTEM. REALLY
APPRECIATE IT. LOVED HEARING
ABOUT THE MISSION STATEMENTS.
AND OF COURSE, YOU REFLECTED THE
POINT THAT I MADE EARLIER ABOUT
FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO
GRADUATE THOSE NUMBERS ARE
STUNNING AND IMPRESSIVE, WITHIN
WHAT, 12,000 GRADUATES THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ANOINTING
HERE IN A MATTER OF WEEKS. SO
CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT. CSU
FULLERTON IS CERTAINLY A POINT
OF PRIDE FOR THIS COMMUNITY, FOR
ORANGE COUNTY AND FOR OUR STATE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY SO
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO OUR FIRST
PANEL, LET ME INVITE UP, DOCTOR
MATTHEW JARVIS, WHO IS THE CHAIR
OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE HERE AT
FULLERTON, DOCTOR JARVIS, I KNOW
THAT YOU ARE A PROFESSOR OF
POLITICS, ADMINISTRATION AND
JUSTICE HERE, BUT I ALSO KNOW
THAT YOU HAVE SOME ROOTS IN THE
BAY AREA AS A BERKELEY GRADUATE,
BACK IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS,
EARLY IN YOUR CAREER. SO WE
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR
TESTIMONY AS WELL AS YOUR
PERSPECTIVE ABOUT, THE SUCCESSES
AND THE CHALLENGES OF GETTING
STUDENTS TO, 2 DEGREES HERE AT
THE CAMPUS. SO WELCOME, DOCTOR
JARVIS. THANK YOU, CHAIR GLAZER
AND SENATOR NEWMAN, I'M
PROFESSOR MATT JARVIS. I'M CHAIR
OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE AT CAL
STATE FULLERTON, THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOUR
COMMITTEE TODAY REGARDING THE
PRIORITIES AND CONCERNS OF THE
ACADEMIC SENATE, PARTICULARLY
CONCERNING STUDENT SUCCESS.
WHILE STUDENT SUCCESS IS
TYPICALLY DEFINED BY LEGISLATIVE
AND CSU STANDARDS AS THE RATE AT
WHICH STUDENTS GRADUATE, I
BELIEVE IT'S CRUCIAL TO EXPAND
THIS DEFINITION. WHILE TIMELY
GRADUATION IS IMPORTANT FOR
ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND ALIGNS
WITH THE CSU'S MISSION, IT'S NOT
THE SOLE MEASURE OF SUCCESS. CAL
STATE FULLERTON NURTURES DIVERSE
TALENTS, INCLUDING MANY WHO MAY
NOT FOLLOW TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC
PATHS. MY COLLEAGUES IN THE ARTS
COUNT MANY PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS
AMONG THEIR SUCCESSES. THOSE
ARTISTS DEVELOP THEIR TALENTS
HERE AT CSUF, BUT MANY OF THEM
BEGAN THEIR CAREERS WITHOUT
GRADUATING. I HAVE TO CONSIDER
MATT CHAPMAN, JUSTIN TURNER,
KURT SUZUKI, RICKY ROMERO AND
PHIL NEVIN TO BE TITANS
SUCCESSES. MOREOVER, THE
EMPHASIS ON TIMELY GRADUATION
OVERLOOKS THE CHALLENGES FACED
BY OUR WORKING STUDENTS WHEN WE
DEFINE SUCCESS IN A WAY THAT
EXCLUDES THESE STUDENTS, IT'S
BOTH DEMORALIZING TO THEM. FOR
THE OPPOSITE OF SUCCESS IS
FAILURE, AND IT RISKS BLINDING
US TO WHAT WE CAN DO TO ENSURE
THEIR SUCCESS. I KNOW THAT YOU
HAVE HEARD ABOUT TOUGHIES BASIC
NEEDS AND MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELING AND OTHER RELATED
PROGRAMS TODAY, OR YOU WILL
LATER, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO
THINK ABOUT MEETING ALL OUR
STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE. SOME
NEED SUPPORT TO GRADUATE IN FOUR
YEARS, BUT A LOT NEEDS SUPPORT
FOR GRADUATING ON THEIR
TIMELINE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I
CALL A STUDENT WHO GRADUATES IN
SEVEN OR EVEN TEN YEARS? I CALL
THEM AN ALUMNUS, THE SAME AS
THOSE WHO DID SO IN FOUR. I
COMMEND THE COMMITTEE'S EFFORTS
TO ADDRESS BOTTLENECKS AND
IMPROVE GRADUATION RATES AND I'M
VERY PROUD OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS
WE HAVE MADE IN THIS AREA. AT
CAL STATE FULLERTON. BUT WE MUST
ANALYZE WHY CERTAIN PROGRAMS OR
COLLEGES EXCEED GRADUATION
TARGETS WHILE OTHERS FALL SHORT,
PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING
PERSISTENT DISPARITIES AMONG
UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY
STUDENTS. THE PART OF GRADUATION
INITIATIVE 2025 THAT I THINK
THERE IS NEAR UNIVERSAL SUPPORT
FOR ON CAMPUS IS NARROWING AND
REMOVING GAPS BETWEEN STUDENTS
TIED TO RACE OR CLASS. BUT WE
WOULD ALSO ADD GENDER OR AND
OTHER WAYS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED TO THE
LIST. INDEED, ONE OF MY PROUDEST
MOMENTS AS CHAIR OF THE DIVISION
OF POLITICS, ADMINISTRATION AND
JUSTICE, MY PREVIOUS JOB BEFORE
I WAS CHAIR OF THE ACADEMIC
SENATE WAS WHEN WE FOUND THAT WE
HAD ELIMINATED OUR GAPS BEFORE
COVID BROUGHT THEM BACK. BEFORE
SETTING NEW GOALS, WE MUST
UNDERSTAND THE UNDERLYING
FACTORS DRIVING THESE
DISPARITIES AND SUCCESSES. BY
DOING SO, WE CAN BETTER ADDRESS
THE ROOT CAUSES AND ENSURE
EQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR ALL
STUDENTS. FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE
TO ADDRESS WHAT I SEE AS
ACADEMIC SENATE PRIORITIES.
FIRST IS FUNDING. I REALIZE THAT
THE STATE IS LOOKING AT A ROUGH
BUDGETARY FUTURE IN THE NEAR AND
MEDIUM TERM. IN LIGHT OF THIS, I
CAN ONLY ADVOCATE THAT THE STATE
RECOGNIZE THAT SOME BILLS END UP
GETTING PAID. REGARDLESS, THE
RECENT QUAY BRIDGE ACCIDENT IN
MARYLAND REMINDS US THAT AN
OUNCE OF PREVENTION CAN
SOMETIMES SAVE BILLIONS. PLENTY
OF RESEARCH SHOWS THAT HIGHER
EDUCATION IS A SMART INVESTMENT,
DRIVING DOWN FUTURE COSTS FOR
PRISONS AND THE SOCIAL SAFETY
NET, AND EVEN GROWING THE
ECONOMY ITSELF. WHEN OUR STATE
ALLOCATION DOESN'T MEET OUR
NEEDS, CSU NEEDS TO RAISE
TUITION. AND THAT HURTS NOT ONLY
OUR STUDENTS, BUT WHATEVER
BUSINESSES THEY WOULD PATRONIZE
FOR THE YEARS IT TAKES TO PAY
OFF THOSE LOANS. BUT ANOTHER
PIECE OF THIS IS OUR DEFERRED
MAINTENANCE BILL. OUR BUILDINGS
ARE FALLING APART. AS ONE
EXAMPLE, CSUF NEEDS ABOUT $2
MILLION JUST TO COVER DAMAGE
FROM RECENT STORMS, AND WE NEED
ANOTHER 10 MILLION TO PREPARE
ROOFS FOR FUTURE STORMS. WHEN
THOSE FAIL, WE WILL INCUR MUCH
HIGHER COSTS FOR EMERGENCY
REPAIRS, NOT TO MENTION ALL THE
LOST INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AND RISK
TO LIFE. EVENTUALLY, ALL THIS
COMES OUT OF THE SAME BUDGET AS
INSTRUCTION AND ALL THE GOALS WE
HAVE SET FOR US WON'T MATTER IF
WE HAVE TO CANCEL DOZENS OF
SECTIONS TO PAY TO FIX A LEAK.
AND WHILE I DON'T MEAN TO CAST
ASPERSIONS TOWARD OTHER CSU
CAMPUSES, CAL STATE FULLERTON
HASN'T BEEN EITHER NUMBER 22 OR
23 IN PER STUDENT FUNDING FOR
DECADES NOW. THIS ISN'T JUST AN
ECONOMY OF SCALE ISSUE. IT WOULD
TAKE MANY MILLIONS TO BRING US
TO THE LEVEL OF THE OTHER LARGE
CAL STATES. THIS CHRONIC
UNDERFUNDING HAS LONG TERM
IMPLICATIONS. YOU CAN ONLY ASK
PEOPLE TO DO MORE WITH LESS FOR
SO LONG. EVENTUALLY, WE WILL
PIVOT TO DOING LESS WITH LESS.
SECOND, THE ACADEMIC SENATE,
BOTH OURS AND THOSE THROUGHOUT
THE SYSTEM, HAVE GROWN VERY
CONCERNED WITH THE INCREASED
TENDENCY FOR CURRICULAR CHANGES
TO BE IMPOSED UPON US FROM
ABOVE. THE PACKAGE HAS NOW BEEN
CHANGED FROM THE OUTSIDE THREE
TIMES IN SEVEN YEARS. THE PACE
OF THESE CHANGES HAS INCREASED
AND THE CONSULTATION WITH
FACULTY HAS DECREASED. MANY OF
THESE CHANGES HAVE LAUDABLE
GOALS, MUCH LIKE THE PUSH FOR
STUDENT SUCCESS, BUT I'D BE A
POOR ACADEMIC IF I DIDN'T POINT
OUT THAT THE DEVIL IS USUALLY IN
THE DETAILS AND THOSE DETAILS
ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE FROM THE
TOP. WE'VE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN
A CONSULTATIVE PROCESS ON THESE
CHANGES. WE'VE HAD CHANGES
DICTATED TO US. ALLOW ME TO
SHARE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM
THE CHEAP SEATS. CURRICULAR
CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE WITHOUT
REAL FACULTY CONSULTATION BY
BOTH THE LEGISLATURE AND OUR
SYSTEM. YET OUR COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS NEED NOT
ONLY OUR SYSTEM TO AGREE TO
THEM, BUT THE STATE TO FUND
THEM. AFTER THAT, FACULTY GOT
REDUCED RAISES BECAUSE OF THIS
LOOPHOLE A FEW YEARS AGO AND
AREN'T RISK OF THAT SAME TWO
STEP THIS NEXT YEAR. GOVERNOR
BROWN ONCE SPOKE OF A PSYCHIC
INCOME FACULTY GET FOR TEACHING.
WHEN FACULTY ARE NOT PART OF
SHARED GOVERNANCE, THAT INCOME
IS NEGATIVE IN IN TIME. OUR VIEW
WON'T BE FROM THE CHEAP SEATS,
IT WILL BE IN THE REAR VIEW
MIRROR. WE'LL LEAVE FOR
INSTITUTIONS THAT VALUE LESS
MONETARILY, INTELLECTUALLY, OR
BOTH. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR JARVIS,
FOR COMING IN AND SHARING YOUR
THOUGHTS. YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH
YOU THAT, EVERY STUDENT THAT
COMES HERE HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE
CIRCUMSTANCES IN GETTING A
DEGREE MAY NOT MATTER, BUT
CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW THAT FOR
MANY, IT IS A CRITICAL POINT IN,
IN THEIR, IN THEIR FUTURE. SO
AND IT'S ALWAYS DANGEROUS TO
GENERALIZE. BUT YOU KNOW, EVERY
YEAR HERE AT FULLERTON, THERE
ARE NOT JUST A FEW, THERE ARE
THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS THAT
AREN'T ABLE TO GET TO
GRADUATION, DO YOU HAVE ANY? AND
AS YOU HAVE NOTED, AND I HAVE AS
WELL, THIS EQUITY GAP IS
PERSISTENT ISN'T JUST BECAUSE OF
COVID. IT GOES BACK A DECADE OR
MORE, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE KEY
BOTTLENECK HERE AT THE CAMPUS
THAT YOU HAVE SOME CONTROL OVER
THAT THE FACULTY CAN HELP WITH?
SO IN RESPONSE TO JAI 2025, THE
CAMPUS HAS TAKEN A VERY
MULTIFACETED APPROACH, IT'S A
BIG CHALLENGE, RIGHT? TO TAKE
YOUR GRADUATION RATES AND
EFFECTIVELY DOUBLE THEM, SO THAT
HAS LOOKED LIKE A RESPONSE FROM
ALL CORNERS. WE SEEN CHANGES IN
ADVISING. WE SEE CHANGES IN THE
CURRICULUM. WE'VE SEEN CHANGES
IN HOW WE SCHEDULE CLASSES.
WE'VE CREATED TOUGHIES BASIC
NEEDS. THESE THINGS DIDN'T EXIST
WHEN I CAME. SO THERE'S A NUMBER
OF CHANGES WE'VE DONE PART OF
THE PROBLEM I HAVE AS A SOCIAL
SCIENTIST IS FIGURING OUT WHICH
OF THESE CHANGES HAD THE
EFFECTS. SO I KNOW WE'VE HAD
WE'VE MADE PROGRESS. I CAN'T
NECESSARILY TELL YOU WHY,
BECAUSE WE'VE THROWN A LOT OF
STUFF AT THIS. WE TOOK THIS
CHALLENGE VERY SERIOUSLY THAT WE
HAD TO INCREASE OUR GRADUATION
RATES. AND WE DID. BUT I CAN'T
TELL YOU NECESSARILY WHY IT
WORKED BECAUSE WE THREW
EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE
KITCHEN SINK AT IT AND ALL THESE
, AS A SOCIAL SCIENTIST, WE HAVE
ALL THESE SIMULTANEOUS CAUSES.
IT'S VERY HARD TO TEASE OUT
CAUSATION. SO I WOULD I WOULD
SAY WHAT WE NEED IS, IS A
PERIOD. WE NEED DEFINITELY DO A
DEEP DIVE CONTINUED STUDY. WE
HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHICH OF
THESE THINGS WE DID WORKED AND
WHICH OF THESE THINGS LOOKS LIKE
IT WORKED, BUT IT REALLY WAS
WINDOW DRESSING. SO THAT WE CAN
THEN REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS ON THE
PRODUCTIVE STEPS. I WOULD SAY
RIGHT NOW WE'VE TAKEN A LOT OF
STEPS AND ON PAPER THEY ALL LOOK
GREAT. BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU
WHICH ONE OF THEM IS THE THING
THAT WORKED. RIGHT? SO THEN
ANSWERING THE QUESTION OF WHAT
YOU CAN DO MORE IS A HARD ONE TO
ANSWER. YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD
SAY WHAT WE NEED IS, IS MORE
STUDY. YOUR YOUR COMMITTEE IS
DOING GREAT WORK IN THIS AREA BY
TRYING TO GET TO OKAY, WHAT'S
THE NEXT THING. AND I WOULD SAY
JUST BEFORE WE, WE SORT OF SET
NEW GOALS WOULD BE KIND OF TO
FIGURE OUT WHERE DID WE GET IN
THE LAST SORT OF, SHALL WE SAY,
ABOUT A DOZEN YEARS THAT WE'VE
BEEN WORKING ON THIS. RIGHT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE TO
LOOK TO PLACES TO GIVE YOU THE
DATA TO FIGURE THAT QUESTION
OUT, THERE COULD BE NO BETTER
PLACE THAN HERE AT CAL STATE
FULLERTON. YEAH. AND AS A SOCIAL
SCIENTIST, YOU KNOW THAT YOU
WANT TO SEE DATA AND FACTS,
RIGHT, AND I GUESS THAT WOULD BE
MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU AND YOUR
COLLEAGUES IS THAT YOU HAVE THE
INTELLIGENCE AND ABILITY AND
RESOURCES TO, EVEN AS A CLASS
PROJECT, WHEN YOU HAVE THOUSANDS
OF KIDS DROPPING OUT. I USE THE
EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE A BUSINESS
AND YOU LOST, YOU KNOW, 10,000
OF YOUR CUSTOMERS A YEAR,
WOULDN'T YOU SPEND SOME TIME
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY? SO WE
HAVE, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER
OF EFFORTS. THESE AREN'T REALLY
UNDER THE ACADEMIC SENATE, BUT
I'M AWARE OF THEM, WHERE WE'VE
TRIED TO CONTACT THE STUDENTS
WHO'VE DROPPED OUT AND FIGURE
OUT WHAT HAPPENED, SO I LIKE I
HARKEN BACK TO A STORY I LEARNED
EARLY IN STATISTICS, SO THEY
WERE SENDING A WHOLE BUNCH OF
PLANES OVER, IN WORLD WAR TWO,
AND THEY'RE SENDING THE PLANES
OVER AND THEY LOOKED AT THE
PLANES COMING. THEY WERE LOSING
A LOT OF PLANES, A LOT OF
BOMBERS GETTING SHOT DOWN BY THE
GERMAN AIR FORCE AND LOOKED AT
THE PLANES THAT CAME BACK AND
THEY SAW ALL THESE, ALL THIS
DAMAGE, AND THEY PUT THE ARMOR
WHERE THEY HAD THE MOST DAMAGE,
AND THEY SENT THEM OUT AGAIN.
AND THE LOSSES DOUBLED. AND THEY
SAID, WHAT HAPPENED? AND THE
ANSWER IS, WELL, YOU KNOW, THE
ARMOR SLOWS THE PLAY DOWN. AND
THEY PUT IT ON THE PLANES THAT
CAME BACK. THEY LOOKED AT THE
WRONG DATA. THE DATA IS THE
PLANES THAT WERE IN THE FIELDS
IN IN FRANCE AND GERMANY. SO
THAT SORT OF HARKENS TO THE
PROBLEM. WE HAVE THE CURRENT
STUDENTS AND WE CAN SURVEY THEM.
WE HAVE FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT
TO CONNECT WITH THE STUDENTS WHO
HAVE DISCONNECTED FROM US, I
KNOW OUR SURVEY, RESPONSE RATES
WHEN WE TRIED TO CONTACT THEM
HAVE BEEN VERY LOW. SO THIS HAS
BEEN A KEY PROBLEM FOR US IS
FIGURING OUT WHY A STUDENT HAS
LEFT AFTER THEY'VE LEFT IT.
WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE
INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE OF TRYING
TO PUT OURSELVES IN THE STUDENTS
SHOES, AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING THE
STUDENTS WHO ARE AT DANGER OF
LEAVING, WHY, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE
YOUR WHAT ARE YOUR PROBLEMS? WE
HAVE SOME INDICATIONS. THEY'RE
THE MOST COMMON ANSWER. WE HEAR
IS ECONOMIC PRESSURES. THE MOST
COMMON ANSWER WE'VE HEARD FROM
STUDENTS IS, I HAD TO LEAVE
BECAUSE I HAD TO TAKE AN EXTRA
SHIFT AT TARGET. I HAD TO LEAVE
BECAUSE I HAD TO, GO FROM PART
TIME WORK TO FULL TIME WORK TO
HELP MY PARENTS. AS WE'VE NOTED,
MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE PELL
ELIGIBLE. A LOT OF THOSE
STUDENTS ARE SUPPORTING THEIR
FAMILIES. AND THE PROBLEM IS
THEY'RE BEING FORCED INTO AN
IMMEDIATE CHOICE OF, I NEED TO
HELP MY FAMILY PAY RENT NEXT
MONTH. I CAN PUT OFF FOR A YEAR
OR TWO WHEN I GET THE BENEFITS
BECAUSE I NEED THAT MONEY NOW
FOR MY FAMILY. SO THAT'S THAT'S
BEEN. BUT TO BE PERFECTLY
HONEST, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN
FROM TALKING TO OUR STUDENTS.
NOW, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE
SAME AS TALKING TO THE STUDENTS
WHO'VE LEFT. WE'VE TRIED, BUT I
WOULD SAY OUR EFFORTS IN THAT
REALLY COULD USE SOME MORE,
EFFORT AND HELP AND DATA. AND IF
YOU DO HAVE STUDIES GOING
FORWARD IN THAT SPACE, I
CERTAINLY WOULD WELCOME THAT,
COMING BACK TO US, YOU KNOW,
WHEN I TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT
IT, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER ONE
ANSWER IS THEY COULDN'T GET THE
CLASSES THEY NEEDED AT THE
TIMES. THEY NEEDED. IF YOU LOOK
AT THE FRESHMAN REGISTRATION
NUMBERS AT 15 UNITS, IT'S VERY
IMPRESSIVE. AT SOME POINT,
GETTING THOSE CLASSES CAN BE A
LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING,
SENATOR NEWMAN, I KNOW YOU HAVE
A FOLLOW UP QUESTION. JUST
BRIEFLY, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR
YOUR INPUT HERE, BUT THE THING
I'M ALWAYS STRUCK BY IS, IS THE
NEED FOR URGENCY, RIGHT? SO, YOU
KNOW, IF WE SOLVE A PROBLEM IN
TEN YEARS, THAT'S TEN GRADUATING
CLASSES, RIGHT? THAT HAVE NOT
BENEFIT FROM BENEFITED FROM THE
SOLUTION. SO I DO APPRECIATE HOW
HARD IT IS TO KIND OF TEASE OUT
ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FACTORS.
AND THEN BALANCE THEM. BUT WHAT
I'D ASK IN SORT OF BUILDING ON
THIS INTUITIVELY, WE DO KNOW
SOME THINGS ARE NECESSARY AND
USEFUL. SO, YOU KNOW, GIVE US
YOUR TOP THREE THINGS, THEY
DON'T HAVE TO BE STATISTICALLY
PROVEN, THAT YOU WOULD URGE US
TO LOOK AT, IRRESPECTIVE OF
FINANCES, THAT CAN FRAME OUR
THINKING AS WE MOVE FORWARD BY
WAY OF IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT. OKAY, I WOULD SAY
THE FIRST WOULD LIKELY BE,
ADVISING, WE HEAR IT FROM THE
STUDENTS, WE HAVE OUR STUDENT
LEADERS ARE HERE IN THE
AUDIENCE. AND I REMEMBER, THE
ASI PRESIDENT, TALKING ABOUT
ADVISING JUST EARLIER THIS
SEMESTER WHEN WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT A CHANGE WE WERE THINKING
OF DOING, AND THE CRY FROM THE
STUDENTS WAS, GET US THE
ADVISING FIRST AND THEN FIX THE
RULES, AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT
ALSO SPEAKS TO SENATOR GLASER'S
POINT. A LOT OF THE STUDENTS ARE
NOT NECESSARILY ARE SOMETIMES A
LOT OF THEM GRADUATE WITH MORE
THAN 120 UNITS. AND THAT'S A
LITTLE BIT PART OF THEY TOOK A
CLASS THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY
NEEDED. I KNOW WHEN I'VE DONE
GRADUATION CHECKS, WE CATCH A
DECENT NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO
SOMEHOW MADE IT THROUGH FOUR
YEARS AND THEY THEY DIDN'T QUITE
HAVE THAT GRADUATION
REQUIREMENT. QUITE RIGHT, AND SO
WE END UP MAYBE DELAYING THEM
FOR A SEMESTER. HOPEFULLY WE
CATCH THEM IN TIME, BUT
SOMETIMES IT'S YOU NEED MORE
THAN YOU THINK YOU NEED, SO
ADVISING I WOULD SAY IS A KEY
COMPONENT OF IT. IT ALSO HELPS
SOLVE THE CLASS PROBLEM DONE
RIGHT. AND WE HAVE A PILOT
PROGRAM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
IMPLEMENTING, NEXT YEAR. AND
HOPEFULLY REALLY COMING INTO
FULL FORCE, THE YEAR AFTER BEING
DRIVEN BY OUR PROVOST IS GOING
TO BE THE ABILITY TO COMBINE
THAT ADVISING WITH A LITTLE BIT
OF FUTURE CLASS SELECTION. AND
THAT GETS A LITTLE BIT, TO
SENATOR GLASER'S, POINT ABOUT
HAVING THE CLASSES AVAILABLE.
PART OF THAT IS KNOWING WHEN WE
HAVE A SURGE COMING FOR
PSYCHOLOGY 382 OR WHATEVER, THAT
WE CAN THEN PLAN FOR THAT IN
ADVANCE, WE HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL
PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO BUILD THE
SCHEDULE SO FAR IN ADVANCE. WE
BUILD IT BEFORE WE KNOW HOW MANY
FRESHMEN ARE COMING, WE BUILD IT
BEFORE WE KNOW HOW MANY
TRANSFERS ARE COMING, AND THAT
LEAVES US SCRAMBLING A BIT FOR
THAT, SO ADVISING IS PART OF IT.
A SECOND PART OF IT IS WE DO
NEED SOME PROCESS MODERNIZATION,
WE'VE IMPROVED IN THIS IN THIS
REGARD, BUT WE'VE HAD DEFINITE
PROBLEMS IN YEARS PAST WITH
TRANSFER STUDENTS COMING IN WITH
INCOMPLETE TRANSCRIPTS. AND THAT
IS ABSOLUTE BRUTAL AND A STIFF
ARM. I DON'T BLAME THAT STUDENT
FOR DROPPING OUT, BECAUSE THEY
CAME IN AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO
REGISTER FOR THE CLASSES THEY
NEEDED BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE
COMPUTER, THERE ARE FRESHMEN.
THEY HAVEN'T HAD MATH, THEY
HAVEN'T HAD ENGLISH, THEY HAVE.
BUT THE COMPUTER DOESN'T KNOW
IT. AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF
PREREQUISITES DEPENDS ON THIS
STUFF. SO THE CURRICULUM WAS
DESIGNED INTELLIGENTLY AND
PLANNED, BUT THE SYSTEM ISN'T
WORKING WELL WITH THAT. SO WE
ARE CONSTANTLY, HELPING STUDENTS
WITH INDIVIDUAL PERMITS HERE AND
THERE. BUT THAT IS ONLY HELPING
THE SQUEAKY WHEEL. THE STUDENT
WHO SAYS, I CAN'T GET IN AND
THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY CAN
ASK FOR A PERMIT, THOSE ARE THE
STUDENTS I WORRY ABOUT, BECAUSE
THOSE ARE THE STUDENTS MOST
LIKELY TO NOT HAVE THAT NETWORK
THAT CONNECTS THEM. AND THAT, I
THINK, CONNECTS ME TO THE THIRD
THING I THINK, WHICH IS BUILDING
COMMUNITY AMONG THE STUDENTS,
BUILDING A NETWORK AMONG THE
STUDENTS, THAT HELPS WITH THE
FIRST TWO THINGS. AS WELL. IF
THE STUDENTS HAVE THAT COMMUNITY
OF KNOWLEDGE WHERE THEY CAN RELY
ON EACH OTHER TO HELP THEM, THEY
CAN SELF NOT INDIVIDUALLY, BUT
THEY CAN ADVISE THEIR FELLOW
STUDENTS. WHEN JIMMY TELLS SUZY
THAT HE'S ENROLLED IN PSYCHOLOGY
582 AND SUZY GOES, YEAH, YOU
SHOULDN'T BE ENROLLED IN THAT
ONE, THAT I THOUGHT THAT TOO.
AND I WAS WRONG. I HAD TO
ACTUALLY TAKE 581 FIRST. THAT
CAN HELP. AND WE HAVE A MORE,
ATOMIZED STUDENT BODY THAN SOME
OF THE OTHER, CAL STATES. WE
DEFINITELY HAVE MORE ATOMIZED
BODY THAN THAN THE UCS HAVE, BUT
THERE ARE STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO
CREATE THOSE CONNECTIONS. SO ONE
OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING,
IN MY DIVISION, IS CREATING
THESE COHORT CLASSES AND A
NUMBER OF PROGRAMS IN MY COLLEGE
HAVE BEEN DOING THIS TO HELP THE
STUDENTS MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS,
BECAUSE WE DRAW STUDENTS FROM A
VERY WIDE AREA AND A VERY WIDE,
SET OF BACKGROUNDS. AND THEY
DON'T NECESSARILY MAKE THOSE
CONNECTIONS WITH EACH OTHER. BUT
IF WE PUT THEM IN THE SAME CLASS
WITH THEIR FELLOW MAJORS, THEY
CAN THEN BUILD THOSE
CONNECTIONS. GOING FORWARD. SO
WE'RE I THINK IF WE CAN DO THOSE
THREE THINGS AND THOSE THREE
THINGS AREN'T NECESSARILY NICE
AND CONCRETE, THEY'RE ALL A
LITTLE AMORPHOUS, I THINK THAT
COULD REALLY HELP OUR STUDENTS
FIND THE CLASSES THEY NEED IN
THE TIMES THEY NEED, AND SO IT'S
GROWING ADVISING. THAT'S A HUGE
PART OF IT, THE STUDENTS NEED
ADVISING, WHEN WE EVEN TALKED
ABOUT HIRING ENOUGH ADVISORS TO
HAVE A 300 TO 1 STUDENT ADVISOR
TO STUDENT RATIO, WHICH IS
APPARENTLY THE GOLD STANDARD,
OUT THERE, I RAISED A
FUNDAMENTAL LOGISTICAL PROBLEM
WITH THAT AT A CAMPUS OF OUR
SIZE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN 130
ADVISORS EVERY DAY, STAFF
ADVISORS. WE DON'T HAVE PARKING
SPOTS FOR 130 MORE STAFF. WE
SIMPLY DON'T. THERE IS NO PLACE
TO PARK THEM. IF THEY IF WE PARK
THEM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE
CLASSES BECAUSE THE FACULTY WHO
GET HERE AFTER 8:00 WON'T HAVE
PARKING SPOTS. AND THE FACULTY
WILL THEN TAKE UP STUDENT SPOTS,
AND THE STUDENTS WILL NOT GO TO
CLASS BECAUSE IT'S FILLED. SO WE
DO RUN INTO PHYSICAL,
INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS IN
BUILDING SOME OF THIS STUFF. WE
MAY HAVE TO THINK A LOT MORE
CREATIVELY ABOUT ONLINE ADVISING
ABOUT OTHER MODELS, TO DO IT
BECAUSE WE ARE RUNNING INTO THE
PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS OF OUR
UNIVERSITY MASS TRANSIT TO GET
PEOPLE HERE WITHOUT GREAT
SENATOR, I JUST TO CLOSE, I
APPRECIATE THAT AND I SUPPOSE A
COMMON THREAD HERE TO ME IS
ABOUT HOUSING, RIGHT? I MEAN,
YOU KNOW, ALL MOST OF THESE
CHALLENGES, CORRELATE DIRECTLY
WITH THE FACT THAT CAL STATE
FULLERTON PROBABLY HAS THE
LOWEST SHARE OF BEDS RELATIVE TO
ITS TOTAL STUDENT POPULATION AND
TO YOUR POINT, I COULDN'T AGREE
MORE. I THINK THAT THAT NOTION
OF SORT OF COLLECTIVE SHARED
EXPERIENCE LIKE IMMERSIVE
EXPERIENCE, REALLY CHALLENGING
IF YOU'RE ALWAYS HAVING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET FROM HERE
TO PART FROM HOME TO PARKING,
YOU KNOW, IT BECOMES KIND OF
SPATIAL. AND WHEN STUDENTS DON'T
HAVE YOU KNOW, THAT BASIS FOR
INTERACTION THAT YOU WOULD
OTHERWISE HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU
LOSE THAT AND IT COMPOUNDS. SO I
AND I'M SURE WE'LL HEAR MORE
ABOUT THAT FROM OTHER PANELS. SO
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
COULDN'T AGREE MORE. DOCTOR
JARVIS THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOUR
CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS AND
RESPONSE TO SENATOR NEWMAN'S
QUESTION, I WOULD NOTE THAT WE
TALK ABOUT DROPOUTS AND DATA
THAT WE'RE LACKING TO UNDERSTAND
EXACTLY WHY WE DO HAVE DATA ON
THOSE WHO GRADUATE. AND I DON'T
KNOW THE NUMBERS HERE AT
FULLERTON. YOUR PROVOST MAY
KNOW. AND WHEN THEY COME UP TO
SHARE THEIR TESTIMONY, BUT
SYSTEM WIDE, I BELIEVE THAT THE
TYPICAL UNITS, THAT A GRADUATE
HAS IN THE SYSTEM AT 120 IS THE
YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S TYPICALLY
REQUIRED FOR MOST 95% OF THE
DEGREES I THINK THE UNIT COUNT
WAS OVER 130. SO THAT'S 3 OR 4
EXTRA CLASSES. THEY DIDN'T NEED
TO TAKE. NOW, IF THEY WANTED
THEM FOR THEIR OWN INTERESTS OR
THEIR OWN GROWTH, THOSE ARE
WONDERFUL THINGS. BUT IF IT
BECAUSE THEY TOOK THE WRONG
CLASS, THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.
SO AND THERE'S ALSO A LITTLE BIT
THAT COULD BE CONTRIBUTING TO
THAT, WHICH IS, WHAT I CALL THE
DONUT HOLE, A STUDENT IS A PART
TIME STUDENT UP TO SIX UNITS A
STUDENT IS A FULL TIME STUDENT
AFTER THAT, HOWEVER, THEY ARE
NOT A FULL TIME STUDENT
ACCORDING TO FINANCIAL AID,
UNTIL THEY HIT 12 UNITS. SO
THERE'S A DONUT HOLE FROM 7 TO
11 UNITS WHERE IT IS SIMPLY VERY
COST AND EFFECTIVE FOR A STUDENT
TO TAKE NINE UNITS. BUT THAT
MIGHT BE THE LOAD THAT WORKS
WITH THEIR WORK SCHEDULE, AND SO
WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO I
BELIEVE ARE TUITION STRUCTURE IS
REALLY HURTING THEM BECAUSE IT
IS ACTUALLY CHEAPER FOR THAT
STUDENT TO TAKE SIX, SIX AND SIX
IN THE SUMMER. BUT WE HAVE VERY
FEW OFFERINGS IN THE SUMMER THAN
IT IS TO TAKE NINE AND NINE. GOT
IT, AND SO THAT STUDENT WHO'S ON
THAT THREE YEAR PATH AS A
TRANSFER, IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO
THAT THREE YEAR PATH AS A
TRANSFER WITH OUR TUITION
STRUCTURE, WHICH WHICH IS DRIVEN
BY A FEDERAL POLICY. RIGHT. IT'S
A COMBINATION OF FEDERAL POLICY
AND OUR TUITION POLICY. I KNOW
WE COULD TALK A LOT MORE BECAUSE
WE APPRECIATE THIS ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE OTHER FOLKS TO COME AND
TESTIFY. BUT DOCTOR JARVIS,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THE CAMPUS AND FOR PARTICIPATING
IN OUR HEARING TODAY. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR
ASKING TO HEAR FROM US. THANK
YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT I WANT TO
INVITE UP THE STUDENT BODY
PRESIDENT HERE AT FULLERTON,
MASON AWADALLAH. IF I'M
PRONOUNCING YOUR NAME RIGHT, I
DON'T KNOW. BUT COME ON UP HERE.
WE WELCOME YOU. WE THANK YOU FOR
, PARTICIPATING. I, OF COURSE,
CAN CLOSE MY EYES AND REMEMBER
WHEN I WAS A PEER OF YOURS HERE
IN THE STUDENT BODY, I WANT TO
POINT OUT THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE
BEATEN YOU HANDILY IN THAT
ELECTION. JUST. I WASN'T RUNNING
ONE ON ONE. I WASN'T RUNNING
HERE IN FULLERTON. BUT, YOU MAY
BE RIGHT. AND IN ANY CASE, WE
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
HERE ON THE CAMPUS. WE WELCOME
YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY. GOOD
MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING ME, GOOD MORNING, SENATOR
NEWMAN AND SENATOR GLASER. MY
NAME IS MASON AWADALLAH, AND I
AM THE CURRENT STUDENT BODY
PRESIDENT AT CALIFORNIA STATE
UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON. I'M
GRADUATING IN MAY, AND I WILL BE
AND I'M MAJORING IN
COMMUNICATIONS WITH AN EMPHASIS
IN BROADCAST JOURNALISM AND A
MINOR IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS.
I HAVE HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING
ON THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS
INCORPORATED ORGANIZATION ON
THIS CAMPUS FOR THREE YEARS IN
VARIOUS CAPACITIES THROUGH MY
ROLES, I HAVE LEARNED HOW TO
ORGANIZE AND LEAD TEAMS, WRITE
RESOLUTIONS TO IMPACT AND ASSIST
OUR STUDENTS, AND CHAMPION
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
IN OUR CAMPUS SPACES. I JOINED
ASI IN THE HOPES OF CHANGING OUR
CAMPUS CULTURE FOR THE BETTER,
AND HAVE BEEN A PART OF VARIOUS
INITIATIVES TO HELP IMPROVE THE
TITAN EXPERIENCE AND CENTER OUR
STUDENTS AS A WHOLE. IN MY FOUR
YEARS AT CSUF, I HAVE
EXPERIENCED SEVERAL CHALLENGES
ALONGSIDE MY FELLOW STUDENTS,
INCLUDING DISTANCE LEARNING,
FOOD INSECURITY, FINANCIAL
HARDSHIPS, AND MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES. I'M HONORED TO BE IN
FRONT OF YOU ALL TODAY TO
EXPRESS THESE CONCERNS FROM THE
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, WHILE
PROVIDING THE IMPACT THAT THE
STUDENTS HAVE ON THIS
UNIVERSITY. AS WE ARE THE
LARGEST CSU IN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM
AND THE ONLY CSU IN ORANGE
COUNTY, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR
ELECTED OFFICIALS, SUCH AS
YOURSELVES TO HEAR ABOUT THE
NECESSITY OF INVESTING IN OUR
STUDENTS. MANY OF THE STUDENTS
ON THIS CAMPUS COME FROM LOW
INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. OUR FIRST
GENERATION STUDENTS, AND FACE
NUMEROUS CHALLENGES WHEN
ENTERING AN EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTION. WHILE THERE ARE
PROGRAMS TO ASSIST THEM AND TO
ASSIST THEM, INCLUDING OUR
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
PROGRAM, OR EOP, THESE PROGRAMS
NEED CONSISTENT FUNDING IN ORDER
TO ACCEPT AND ASSIST MORE
STUDENTS. BY ADDRESSING THESE
ISSUES, WE AIM TO ENSURE THE
SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS WHO
PARTAKE IN THESE ESSENTIAL
PROGRAMS. AS CSUF ALSO HOUSES
THE DIVERSE POPULATION OF
STUDENTS WHO RELY ON RESOURCES
WITHIN OUR DIVERSITY AND
DIVERSITY INITIATIVES. RESOURCE
CENTERS. BETTER KNOWN AS DIRK,
WHICH HAS ALSO JUST EXPANDED,
ADDING OUR NATIVE AMERICAN
RESOURCE CENTER, OUR WOMEN'S
RESOURCE CENTER, AND THE FIRST
SOUTHWEST ASIAN, NORTH AFRICAN
OR SWANER RESOURCE CENTER IN THE
ENTIRE CSU SYSTEM. DIRK IS PROUD
TO REPRESENT THESE STUDENTS AND
PROVIDE A SPACE FOR THEM, WHICH
IS WHY IT IS PARAMOUNT TO
PROPERLY FUND AND GIVE RESOURCES
TO THESE CENTERS TO ENSURE THAT
STUDENTS ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS
WHEN THEY ENTER THESE SPACES.
STUDENTS HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED
MANY CHALLENGES WITH FOOD
INSECURITY AND ASI HAS COMBATED
THIS THROUGH THE FOUNDING AND
THE EXPANSION OF OUR FOOD
PANTRY. WE ARE PROUD TO PARTNER
WITH LOCAL DONORS, AS WELL AS
GROCERY STORES AND OUR SCHOOL'S
ARBORETUM TO REACH OUR GOALS TO
ASSIST STUDENTS. HOWEVER, AS THE
COST OF LIVING CONTINUES TO RISE
IN ORANGE COUNTY AND DEMAND
GROWS LARGER AND MORE
INVESTMENTS INTO RESOURCES AND
THE DEMAND GROWS LARGER FOR MORE
INVESTMENTS INTO RESOURCES,
INCLUDING FOOD PANTRIES AND
BASIC NEEDS. RESOURCE CENTERS.
THESE ARE NECESSARY TO FURTHER
OUR WORK IN ENSURING THAT OUR
STUDENTS CARE OF, SO THAT THEY
MAY REMAIN SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR
OWN ENDEAVORS. MENTAL HEALTH IS
ALSO VITAL TO STUDENT SUCCESS
AND COMING BACK FROM THE
PANDEMIC, AS WELL AS THE CURRENT
EVENTS, HAVE DRAWN STUDENTS TO
SEEK OUT MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
MORE OFTEN. CURRENTLY, WITHIN
OUR COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL
SERVICES DEPARTMENT, KNOWN AS
CAPS, STUDENTS ARE PLACED ON A
WAITING LIST FOR 2 TO 4 WEEKS.
THIS ADDS A HARDSHIP TO STUDENTS
EXPERIENCE, AS THEIR MENTAL
HEALTH IS PARAMOUNT WHEN
ENSURING THAT STUDENTS HAVE
SUCCESS IN THEIR ACADEMICS AND
THEIR INVOLVEMENT ON CAMPUS.
WHILE OTHER RESOURCES HAVE BEEN
PROVIDED TO THESE STUDENTS. WE
MUST STRIVE TO FURTHER THE
RESOURCES THAT CAPS RECEIVES. IT
IS NECESSARY FOR OUR MENTAL
HEALTH RESOURCES ON CAMPUS TO
HAVE THE FUNDS AND THE AND
EVERYTHING NEEDED TO PROVIDE
STUDENTS WITH AMPLE ASSISTANCE
IN THEIR PATH TO ACHIEVING
WELLNESS IN THE FALL SEMESTER, I
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND
THE GI 2025 SUMMIT IN AT SAN
DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE I
MET WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND
STUDENT LEADERS ACROSS THE
ENTIRETY OF THE CSU SYSTEM. AT
THE SUMMIT, WE DISCUSSED THE
MANY WAYS TO HELP STUDENTS WITH
THEIR RETENTION AND GRADUATION
RATES. I HAD BROUGHT UP AND
SPOKEN ABOUT SOME IMPORTANT
TOPICS, INCLUDING OFFERING MORE
COURSES, MAJOR COURSES IN THE
SUMMER AND IN THE WINTER
SESSIONS, BRINGING IN A MORE
DIVERSE GROUP OF FACULTY AND
STAFF TO BETTER REFLECT OUR
DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION, AND
ALSO INCREASING CLASS OPTIONS
THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER WHILE
ALSO INCREASING OUR ADVISING AND
ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR
STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO SEE AN
ADVISOR WHEN NEEDED. I ALSO WANT
TO TAKE THIS TIME TO EXPRESS THE
IMPORTANCE OF INCLUDING THE FOUR
YEAR HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS IN THE EDUCATION
SAVINGS BOND, WHICH WOULD
GREATLY ASSIST OUR STUDENTS IN
THEIR PATH TO SUCCESS AND
PROVIDE MORE FINANCIAL SUCCESS
OPPORTUNITIES. HIGHER EDUCATION
IS A PRIVILEGE, BUT IT SHOULD
NOT HAVE TO BE ALL THE PEOPLE IN
THIS STATE AND BEYOND DESERVE TO
RECEIVE AN EDUCATION, AND THE
CSU SYSTEM WAS FOUNDED ON THE
PRINCIPLE OF GIVING STUDENTS A
QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE EDUCATION
FOR ALL, AS TUITION AND COST OF
LIVING CONTINUE TO GO UP,
ASPIRING STUDENTS FIND IT MORE
AND MORE DIFFICULT TO SEEK OUT A
FOUR YEAR EDUCATION. ASI
CONTINUOUSLY WORKS WITH THE
CAMPUS TO IMPROVE THE STUDENT
EXPERIENCE, AND HERE AND HERE WE
ARE PROUD TO DO SO. HOWEVER, IT
IS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR
LOCAL OFFICIALS THAT WE ARE ABLE
TO CONTINUE CARRYING OUT THE
NECESSARY ADVOCACY THAT WE DO
EVERY DAY ON THIS CAMPUS AND ON
BEHALF OF OUR PEERS, I THANK YOU
ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH YOU
FURTHER ALONGSIDE OUR STUDENT
LEADERS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS
AWADALLAH, SO YOU'RE GRADUATING
THIS MAY. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK
YOU. DID YOU GET THROUGH IN
FOUR? YES I DID, WOW. AND WITH
ALL THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES YOU
HAVE IN LEADERSHIP, THAT'S
PRETTY AMAZING. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU. CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
AND CERTAINLY, PRAISE TO YOUR,
STUDENT GOVERNMENT FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THE FOOD PANTRY,
AS YOU SAID, YOUR FOUNDING
PARTNERS OF THAT EFFORT. I KNOW
IT'S EVEN GOTTEN MORE
CHALLENGING PRIOR TO THE HEARING
TODAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ACTUALLY THIS MORNING TO MEET
WITH THE DIRECTOR OF YOUR
COUNSELING CENTER HERE AT
FULLERTON. AND SHE SHARED WITH
ME THE SAME NUMBERS THAT YOU
SHARED WITH US TODAY THAT IT
COULD TAKE TWO, TWO WEEKS OR
MORE TO SEE A COUNSELOR. IF
YOU'RE UNDER STRESS, AND NOT
SOMETHING THAT'S LIFE
THREATENING. SHE DID MENTION
SOME OF THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS
THAT THEY'RE ADVANCING, TO HELP
THAT GAP, BUT, IT IS A IT IS A
SIGNIFICANT ISSUE, IN MY
OPINION, AS WELL. AND I
CERTAINLY URGE HER AND YOUR
CAMPUS LEADERSHIP TO LOOK FOR
WAYS TO PUT MORE RESOURCES THERE
TO HELP CLOSE THAT GAP. THAT'S
JUST NOT AN ACCEPTABLE AMOUNT OF
TIME TO WAIT, WHEN YOU'RE, YOU
KNOW, STRESSED OUT AND IT COULD
LEAD TO BAD ACADEMIC OUTCOMES IF
NOT DROPPING OUT. SO I'M REALLY
GLAD THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED THAT,
AND I'M ALSO APPRECIATIVE OF THE
OF THE CONTRIBUTION THAT YOU
MADE IN THE GRADUATION
INITIATIVE 2025 SUMMIT AT SAN
DIEGO STATE. I, I AGREE WITH ALL
THOSE POINTS THAT YOU MADE,
HAVING THE COURSES, MORE
COURSES, HAVING DIVERSE STAFF
THAT REFLECT THE STUDENT BODY,
AND CERTAINLY THE ADVISING
ISSUE, WHICH WE ALSO HEARD ABOUT
FROM THE FACULTY LEADER. THE ONE
QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU IS, YOU
KNOW, THAT WHILE THERE'S BEEN
GREAT PROGRESS IN THE FOUR YEAR
RATE OVER THE LAST 8 OR 9 YEARS,
THAT THE EQUITY GAP HERE REMAINS
SERIOUS AND PERSISTENT, DO YOU
HAVE ANY THOUGHTS IN THAT
PARTICULAR SPACE DIFFERENT THAN
WHAT YOU HAVE SHARED, THAT YOU
THINK COULD HELP THIS CAMPUS
OVERCOME THAT? THAT UNFORTUNATE
EQUITY GAP, GENERALLY WITH THE
EQUITY GAP, I WOULD DEFINITELY
SAY JUST ASSISTING STUDENTS AS
WELL WITH HOUSING AND ENSURING
THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCESS THE
SAME COURSES AS THEIR PEERS, WE
OUR ADVISING SYSTEM AND OUR, OUR
GENERAL SYSTEM OF, REGISTERING
FOR CLASSES CAN BE LIKE A
BATTLEFIELD, AND SO I FEEL LIKE
IT COULD BE, AGAIN, WITH THE
TOPIC THAT I HAD BROUGHT UP OF
ADDING MORE COURSES AND JUST
ENSURING THAT THE STUDENTS ALSO
GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED
COULD REALLY HELP WITH CLOSING
THE EQUITY GAPS, AND HELPING
THEM OUT WITH THE BASIC NEEDS
THAT THEY HAVE, SUCH AS FOOD,
HOUSING, THOSE CONTRIBUTE
GREATLY TO THEIR SUCCESS. LET ME
TURN TO SENATOR NEWMAN. YEAH IF
YOU WOULDN'T MIND. YOU TOUCHED
ON HOUSING. AND AGAIN, AS I
MENTIONED, I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT, I'LL ASK KIND OF
QUICKLY, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WHAT
WAS YOUR HOUSING ARRANGEMENT
WHILE YOU WERE HERE? MY HOUSING
HERE. SO I, I MOVED FROM THE BAY
AREA, ACTUALLY, AND I WAS ABLE
I'M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A FAMILY
THAT HELPS ME WITH, HOW MY
HOUSING. I LIVE IN AN OFF CAMPUS
APARTMENT, AND IT'S A GOOD A
GOOD PLACE TO LIVE. BUT THE COST
OF LIVING IS VERY, VERY HIGH.
AND OFTENTIMES MY FAMILY DOES
STRUGGLE. I HAVE TO MOVE HOME
AFTER I GRADUATE, IN ORDER FOR
ME TO SAVE UP AND JUST BE ABLE
TO FIND MY OWN PLACE. BUT, I
KNOW A LOT OF STUDENTS HAVE BEEN
STRUGGLING WITH GENERALLY LIKE
THE PRICE OF THE HOUSING ON
CAMPUS AND BOTH OFF CAMPUS,
THERE ARE CHEAPER APARTMENTS AND
CHEAPER OPTIONS, BUT IT'S ALSO
VERY HARD TO FIND AN APARTMENT.
I REMEMBER MY FIRST YEAR I CAME
BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC, SO I WAS
MY WHOLE FIRST YEAR WAS ONLINE,
AND THEN I HAD APPLIED TO LIVE
IN THE DORMS, AND I GOT PLACED
IN A TRIPLE, WHICH I DIDN'T
REALLY WANT FOR MY SECOND YEAR
OF COLLEGE. SO WE WERE LOOKING
FOR AN APARTMENT FOR MYSELF, AND
IT WAS SO INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
TO FIND ONE. WE EVENTUALLY
SETTLED ON ONE, BUT IT WASN'T AN
EASY PROCESS, AND IT ALSO WAS
NOT. IT JUST WASN'T IDEAL
BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF
APARTMENT COMPLEXES AROUND, BUT
A LOT OF STUDENTS LIVE IN THEM,
AND I THINK THAT GENERALLY JUST
CHECKING OUT THE PRICES OF THE
HOUSING AND JUST REALLY SEEING
WHAT THE STUDENTS CAN NEED, AND
WE ARE BUILDING MORE HOUSING ON
CAMPUS, BUT ALSO PAYING
ATTENTION TO THE PRICES OF THAT
HOUSING AND PAYING ATTENTION TO
WHAT THE STUDENTS CAN AND CANNOT
PAY IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THEIR
EDUCATION. WE ARE A PRIMARILY
COMMUTER CAMPUS, BUT I KNOW THAT
WE WANT TO SHIFT AWAY FROM THAT
AND THAT WE WANT TO CREATE A
MORE, KIND OF HOMEY SPACE ON
CAMPUS, WHICH I LOVE. AND I'VE
BEEN VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THAT AS
AN INVOLVED STUDENT, BUT I
REALLY WANT THE STUDENTS TO HAVE
THE SAME EXACT EXPERIENCE THAT I
MIGHT HAVE HAD, OR MY FELLOW
PEERS HAVE HAD, AND I DO
APPRECIATE THAT. SO I'M GUESSING
YOU PROBABLY KNOW OF STUDENTS,
BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR WHOM HOUSING
WAS CHALLENGING, WHO WOUND UP
NOT STAYING OR WOUND UP HAVING,
REAL DIFFICULT DIFFICULTIES
GRADUATING ON TIME. RIGHT. AND
SO, I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND I
THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT. AND I
KNOW THAT WE HAVE SEEN HOUSING
BUILT RECENTLY. I THINK MOST
RECENTLY 600 SOMETHING UNITS.
THAT IS A VERY SMALL SHARE OF
THE TOTAL NEED, AND I WOULD
ARGUE THAT OVER TIME, I THINK
THAT SHOULD BE, AN INITIATIVE AT
THE STATE LEVEL TO ENSURE THAT
EVERY CAMPUS HAS A RATIO OF
AVAILABLE HOUSING TO STUDENT
BODY THAT'S ABOVE SOME
THRESHOLD. IT'S WELL ABOVE WHAT
YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW. I WANT TO I
DO WANT TO GIVE SENATOR GRACE
GLACIER CREDIT. YOU MENTIONED
THE SCHOOL BOND, HE IS THE
AUTHOR OF WHAT? SB 28, WHICH
THERE ARE TWO COMPETING,
LEGISLATIVE VEHICLES FOR BONDS.
SENATOR GLASER'S BOND, THE
SENATE BOND IS, INCLUDES K
THROUGH 16. INCLUDES ALL OF THE
THREE HIGHER LEVEL INSTITUTIONS
AND TO PRESIDENT ALI'S POINT,
THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED
ARE MASSIVE. AND WE NEED TO
START MAKING AN INVESTMENT THERE
TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL HOUSING.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOUR
TESTIMONY TODAY. THANK YOU.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'VE
SO IMPRESSIVE. YOU KNOW, I AS I
LOOK AT YOU AND THINK ABOUT YOUR
JOURNEY AHEAD, I'LL, I'LL SAY
SOMETHING THAT, IT'S A POINT OF
PRIDE FOR ME, SO SIX YEARS AGO,
MY CURRENT CHIEF OF STAFF WAS A
STUDENT HERE AT FULLERTON, IN
THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT, TOOK AN
INTERNSHIP IN THE CAPITOL, AND
NOW, IS MY CHIEF SAXUAL. AND I
KNOW THAT HER SUCCESSFUL PATH IS
A IS A IS ONE THAT YOU WILL, I
KNOW, FOLLOW TOO. YOU'RE VERY
IMPRESSIVE. AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY TODAY. THANK YOU. AND
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TO YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO TURN NEXT TO THE
ACADEMIC LEADERS HERE ON THE
CAMPUS. I WANT TO INVITE UP,
DOCTOR AMIR DEBERIAN. HOPEFULLY
I'M PRONOUNCING YOUR NAME
CORRECTLY. HE WAS THE PROVOST
AND THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND DOCTOR
DAVID, IS IT FOR YOU? GORGEOUS,
GORGEOUS. WHO IS THE INTERIM
VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT
AFFAIRS? WE HAD A CHANCE TO
VISIT EARLIER TODAY TO, I
WELCOME YOU BOTH. AND I KNOW
YOU'RE BOTH ON THE FRONT LINES
OF STUDENT SUCCESS HERE ON THE
CAMPUS, YOU'VE HEARD SOME OF OUR
COMMENTS EARLIER. I KNOW YOU
PROBABLY HAVE SOME PREPARED
TESTIMONY, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO
THE INTERCHANGES AS WE, CONTINUE
TO THE CONVERSATION. BUT WITH
THAT, YOU WANT TO BEGIN. THANK
YOU, GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN
GLAZER AND SENATOR NEWMAN. MY
NAME IS AMIR DEBERIAN, AND I
HAVE HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING AS
A PROVOST FOR CALIFORNIA STATE
UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON, UNDER THE
GUIDANCE OF PRESIDENT ALBA. I
CO-LEAD A STUDENT SUCCESS EFFORT
TOGETHER WITH MY COLLEAGUE, VICE
PRESIDENT SOON AFFAIRS DAVID
FORGES. AS THE UNIVERSITY
COMMITTED TO TRANSFORMING LIVES
THROUGH INNOVATIVE AND
QUALITATIVE EDUCATION, RESEARCH
AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY. WE HOLD A
STUDENT SUCCESS AS OUR FIRST AND
FOREMOST INSTITUTIONAL VALUE.
OUR FACULTY AND STAFF ADOPT A
HOLISTIC AND INCLUSIVE APPROACH
TO STUDENT AND ACADEMIC AND
PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS, PREPARING
OUR STUDENTS TO ADDRESS
WORKFORCE DEMANDS, COMMUNITY
NEEDS, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
CHALLENGES. WE APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO SHARE OUR
PROGRESS TOWARD IMPROVING
STUDENT SUCCESS, AND TO AFFIRM
OUR GOAL TO STRENGTHEN AND
DEEPEN OUR WORK, TO ENSURE THE
SOLID FOUNDATION FOR EVERY
STUDENT'S PROFESSIONAL AND
PERSONAL SUCCESS. CAL STATE
FULLERTON IS THE LARGEST
UNIVERSITY IN CALIFORNIA SYSTEM
SERVING A VAST AND DIVERSE
POPULATION IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA, ESPECIALLY IN
ORANGE, LOS ANGELES, SAN
BERNARDINO, AND RIVERSIDE
COUNTIES. IN FALL OF 22, 2023,
WE ENROLLED NEARLY 42,000
STUDENTS, ACCOUNTING FOR 9% OF
ENROLLMENT FOR THE ENTIRE CSU
SYSTEM, UPHOLDING THE CRITICAL
ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN
TRANSFORMING LIVES, CAL STATE
FULLERTON HAS ALWAYS HAS
COMMITTED TO EXPANDING ACCESS TO
HIGHER EDUCATION FOR ALL
LEARNERS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS
FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
OVER THE LAST DECADES, WE
WELCOME NEARLY 32 MORE STUDENTS
INTO UNIVERSITY CLASSROOMS,
WHICH REFLECT AN INCREASE OF
8.44, INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT.
OUR STUDENT POPULATION NOT ONLY
GREW IN SIZE, BUT ALSO EXPAND IN
DIVERSITY. OVER THE PAST TEN
YEARS, WE INCREASED THE NUMBER
OF BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN
STUDENTS BY 25% AND NUMBER OF
HISPANIC AND LATINX STUDENTS BY
58. HISPANIC AND LATINX STUDENTS
ARE NOW OUR BIGGEST STUDENT
GROUP IN TERM OF RACE ETHNICITY,
ACCOUNTING FOR 52% OF OUR LOCAL
TOTAL STUDENT POPULATION EARNING
AS EARNING US AS A HISPANIC
SERVING INSTITUTION. SEE OUR
SUCCESS AND EFFORT AND IMPACT ON
FOSTERING THE SUCCESS OF
HISPANIC AND LATINX STUDENTS ARE
RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL LEVEL
WITH A SEAL OF EXCELLENCE FOR
BRINGING STUDENTS TO OUR
UNIVERSITY IS JUST THE FIRST
STEP TO SUPPORT THEM TOWARD
LIFELONG SUCCESS. FACULTY AND
STAFF AT CAL STATE FULLERTON
COLLECTIVELY STRIVE TO PROVIDE
HIGH QUALITY CURRICULAR AND
CO-CURRICULAR EXPERIENCES TO
MEET THE DIVERSE STUDENTS
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS.
WE AIM NOT ONLY TO ENSURE THAT
OUR STUDENT GRADUATES WITH AN
IMPACTFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES,
BUT ALSO ARE SUPPORTED WITH
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES AND
RESOURCES FOR HOLISTIC GROWTH
THROUGHOUT THEIR COLLEGE
JOURNEY. OUR EFFORTS HAVE PAID
OFF SINCE THE LAUNCH OF
GRADUATION 2025, WHICH IS CSU
SYSTEM WIDE INITIATIVE TO
INCREASE GRADUATION RATE AND
ELIMINATING EQUITY GAP IN THE IN
DEGREE COMPLETION AND MEET
CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE NEEDS.
CALIFORNIA STATE FULLERTON FOUR
YEAR GRADUATION RATE HAS
INCREASED 74% FROM 22% TO 38.2,
AND SIX YEAR GRADUATION HAS
IMPROVED 11% FROM 62.3 TO 69.2.
BOTH GRADUATION RATE ARE WELL
ABOVE THE CSU AVERAGE. THE RANK
AND RANK AMONG THE TOP
INSTITUTIONS WHEN COMPARED WITH
NATIONAL PEERS. THE INCREASES IN
GRADUATION RATE ARE NOT ISOLATED
TO SELECTED FEW, BUT IS SPREAD
ACROSS STUDENTS IN ALL MAJORS
AND COLLEGES. WE NOT ONLY FOCUS
ON OVERALL STUDENT SUCCESS, BUT
ALSO TAKE A NUANCED APPROACH TO
ENSURE THE STUDENTS FOR ALL OF
ALL BACKGROUNDS. WHILE
GRADUATION RATE FOR STUDENTS OF
ALL DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS IMPROVED
OVER THE PAST YEARS, THE
INCREASE FOR BLACK AND AFRICAN
AMERICAN STUDENTS IS STILL
RELATIVELY SMALL. AS SUCH, WE
HAVE RECENTLY HIRED AN EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR FOR BLACK STUDENT
ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR
SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUES
AND CLOSING EQUITY GAP FOR THESE
STUDENTS. WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE
UPON OUR SUCCESS WHILE OUR
GRADUATION RATE CONTINUES TO
INCREASE. THE EQUITY GAP REMAINS
STUBBORN, BOTH IN TERMS OF
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STUDENT
WITH UNDERREPRESENTED AND NON
UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUND AND
BETWEEN STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT
PELL. PELL GRANT ELIGIBLE AND
PELL GRANT ELIGIBLE STUDENTS. WE
MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS
NARROWING THE GAP TO 2% POINT
DIFFERENCE IN 2020, BUT THE
PANDEMIC UNFORTUNATELY WIDENED
THEM AGAIN, TAKING THE DATA
DRIVEN APPROACH, WE ARE
IMPLEMENTING TARGETED AND TIERED
STRATEGY TO MEET THE DIFFERENT
NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND
DIVERSE STUDENT GROUPS, FOR
EXAMPLE, THAT HAS BEEN EMBRACED
BY OUR CAMPUS IS A FOCUS ON
TRIPLE OPPORTUNITY STUDENTS WHO
CAME FROM UNDERREPRESENTED
BACKGROUND ARE THE FIRST IN
THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE,
AND ALSO PELL GRANT RECIPIENT.
THESE STUDENTS ARE GROUPS THAT
TEND TO BE MOST BENEFIT AND
CUSTOMIZED WRAP AROUND SUPPORT
FOR THEIR SUCCESS. SHARED
GOVERNANCE IS ALSO CORE OF HOW
WE FOSTER STUDENT SUCCESS AT CAL
STATE FULLERTON. WITH A ROBUST
ACADEMIC SENATE AND COMPARATIVE
SET OF UNIVERSITY POLICY
STATEMENT THAT GOD, IN ALL
ASPECTS OF ACADEMIC OPERATION,
WE CLOSELY WORK WITH FACULTY TO
ENSURE CURRICULUM MATTERS AND
CAMPUS ARE DRIVEN BY THE VERY
PEOPLE WHO DELIVER THEM.
FACULTY. AS AN EXAMPLE OF RECENT
ASSEMBLY BILL 928, ALSO KNOWN AS
STUDENT TRANSFER ACHIEVEMENT
REFORM ACT, PROMPTED CHANGES TO
GENERAL EDUCATION PATTERN IN
CSU. THIS NEW PATTERN, CALLED
CAL GETSY, CREATES A SINGULAR
LAW LOWER DIVISION GE PATTERN
FOR THE CSU, THE UCS AND
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES,
AND THE AND THIS PAVED THE
SMOOTH AND CLEAR TRANSFER
PATHWAY FOR SIGNAL SIGNIFICANT
PORTION OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE
TRANSFERS. CAL GETSY HELPS
BROADEN ACCESS REDUCE TRANSFER
BARRIERS, AND SUPPORT STUDENT
EQUITY AND SUCCESS TOWARD FOUR
YEAR, FOUR YEAR DEGREE. THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF CAL GETSY AND
OUR CAMPUS WAS ADDRESSED
PROACTIVELY, FORMING A FACULTY
LED SPECIAL TASK FORCE SINCE
LAST SUMMER TO PREPARE FOR A GE
PATTERN CHANGES. THE TASK FORCE
IS WORKING DILIGENTLY IN CLOSE
COLLABORATION WITH ACADEMIC
SENATE COMMITTEE AND UNIVERSITY
ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE THAT
THESE CHANGES ARE INTEGRATED
INTO OUR CURRICULUM WITH THE
GREATEST CURRICULUM QUALITY. CAL
STATE FULLERTON RECENTLY
LAUNCHED THE 2024 2025 STRATEGIC
PLAN. FULLERTON FORWARD STUDENT
SUCCESS REMAINS FOREFRONT OF
THIS PLAN, WITH A STUDENT AND
ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND ENGAGEMENT
AND BELONGING AS THE FIRST TWO
GOAL. MULTIDIMENSIONAL
STRATEGIES ARE LAID OUT TO
CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO EXPAND
ACCESS TO OUR EDUCATIONAL
OFFERINGS, PROVIDE INNOVATIVE
LEARNING EXPERIENCE, ENHANCE
COMPREHENSIVE ACADEMIC SUPPORT,
FOSTERS STUDENT ENGAGEMENT,
IMPROVE STUDENT MENTAL AND
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL WELLNESS AND
MORE. AND MEET THE STUDENT
FINANCIAL AND BASIC NEEDS.
EXAMPLE OF THIS EFFORT CURRENTLY
UNDERWAY, INCLUDING REVAMPING
ACADEMIC ADVISING STRUCTURE AND
DEDICATED COLLEGE'S STUDENT
SUCCESS TEAM. IMPROVE CALIFORNIA
PROMISE TO IMPROVE THE SUPPORT
OF WHO SEEK THEM FOR FOUR YEARS,
FINISHING FOUR YEARS. A
STRENGTHENING PROCESS TO ASSIST
STUDENTS IN EXPLORING DIFFERENT
MAJORS AND MINORS. EXPANDING
SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION TO
ENSURE STUDENTS SUCCESS IN
CHALLENGING GATEKEEPER COURSES.
TARGETED PROGRAM TO ENSURE
STUDENTS ARE SUPPORTED
APPROPRIATELY IN A DIFFERENT
POINTS OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL
JOURNEY, SUCH AS EARLY START,
THAT HELP STUDENTS MEET THEIR
MATH AND ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS.
SUMMER BRIDGE TO SUPPORT THE
FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE
TRANSITION, AND A TRANSFER
SUMMIT TO HELP TRANSFER GETS
AHEAD OF START IN A RESEARCH
INTERNSHIP AND VARIOUS SCHOLARLY
PROGRAM. EARLIER IN SHARING OUR
PROGRESS ON OUR STUDENTS, I
MENTIONED CALIFORNIA PROMISE AS
OF THE KEY STRATEGY THAT HAVE
BEEN UNDERTAKEN IN SUPPORT OF A
STUDENT GRADUATION, I'M THRILLED
TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THIS
INITIATIVE TODAY BECAUSE IT'S
IMPORTANT AND CORNERSTONE OF
EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT IN
CALIFORNIA. CALIFORNIA PROMISE
HELPS MAKE HIGHER EDUCATION
DREAM COME TRUE FOR MANY
STUDENTS ACROSS OUR STATE,
AIMING TO ENSURE THEY NOT ONLY
ATTEND THE COLLEGE BUT COMPLETE
THEM ON TIME. THE HEART OF
CALIFORNIA PROMISE LIES THE
COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING STUDENTS
WITH CLEAR AND ACHIEVABLE
ROADMAP TO GRADUATION AND OFFER
A STRUCTURED PATHWAY FOR A
STUDENT TO ACHIEVE THEIR
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN FOUR
YEARS IF THEY, FOR INCOMING
FRESHMEN OR TO GRADUATE IN TWO
YEARS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND
TRANSFERS, THE PROGRAM GOES
BEYOND MORE ACCELERATION.
STUDENT EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY. IT
ALSO SCAFFOLD STUDENTS TOWARDS
SUCCESS THROUGH ACADEMIC SUPPORT
SUCH AS PRIORITY REGISTRATION,
DEDICATED ADVISING AND BOTH TO
CRITICAL TO ENSURE THAT THE
STUDENTS NOT ONLY HAVE WELL
THROUGHOUT THEIR PLAN, BUT
TIMELY GRADUATION, BUT ALSO
GUIDED THROUGHOUT THEIR JOURNEY
TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. THE GOAL
OF THE DESIGN OF CALIFORNIA
PRIZE ALIGNED PERFECTLY WITH THE
TOP PRIORITY THAT CAL STATE
FULLERTON STUDENT SUCCESS.
ADDITIONALLY THE PROGRAM FOCUSED
ON LOW INCOME PELL ELIGIBLE
STUDENTS AND FIRST GENERATION
COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM
HISTORICALLY AND A STUDENT FROM
HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED
COMMUNITIES WORK IN CONCERT WITH
UNIVERSITY CORE COMMITMENT OF
MEETING THE NEEDS OF ALL
LEARNERS AND EVALUATING THE
SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS OF ALL
BACKGROUNDS THROUGH INCLUSIVE,
EQUITABLE, AND INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCES. AT CAL
STATE FULLERTON, WE TAILOR OUR
CALIFORNIA PROMISE WITH 35 MAJOR
FOR THE FIRST TIME FRESHMEN AND
68 MAJORS FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS.
THE MAJORS SPREAD OVER SIX
COLLEGES AND MEET THE NEED OF
STUDENTS FOR MULTIPLE
DISCIPLINES RANGING FROM THE
ARTS AND HUMANITIES TO NATURAL
SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS. IN
2021, 2022 AND 2022 2023
ACADEMIC YEAR ALONE, CAL STATE
FULLERTON SERVED A THOUSAND
STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA. PROMISE
AND OUR PROGRAM, INCLUDING
FULLERTON, FINISH OUR OWN
VERSION OF CALIFORNIA PROMISE,
WHICH OPENED TO ALL STUDENTS AND
GUIDED THEM THROUGH TAKE THE
NEEDED NUMBER OF TYPE OF COURSES
TO GRADUATE THEM ON TIME. MANY
OF THESE STUDENTS ARE FROM LOW
INCOME FAMILIES,
UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITY AND
FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE
STUDENTS. I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
FINISH UNDERGRADUATE JOURNEY IN
FOUR YEARS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT
OF CALIFORNIA PROMISE. FOR
STUDENTS WITH FOUR YEAR
GRADUATION RATE IS 93, WHICH IS
2.4 TIMES THE UNIVERSITY AVERAGE
. CALIFORNIA PROMISE IS NOT ONLY
MERELY ABOUT NUMBER ITS
COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT NETWORK
WITH PRIORITY COURSE
REGISTRATION, DEDICATED
ADVISING, PERSONALIZED GUIDANCE
AND CLOSE MONITORING OF STUDENT
ENGAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE. OUR
STUDENTS INFORMATION AND
LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS WAS
PROVIDED AS A WRAPAROUND
SCAFFOLD ENVIRONMENT TO ENSURE
EVERY STUDENT'S SUCCESS. BUT
DON'T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT. WE
ROUTINELY ASK STUDENTS ABOUT
THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THE
PROGRAM, SO WE CONTINUOUSLY
IMPROVE IT. HERE'S WHAT OUR
FRESHMAN PARTICIPANTS SAID. THIS
PROGRAM HAD HELPED ME INCREASE
MY ORGANIZATION SKILLS AND KEEP
ME MOTIVATED TO CHOOSE CLASSES
ACCORDINGLY. IT ALSO IS VERY THE
WAY ENCOURAGED ME TO TALK TO
COUNSELORS IF THEY HAD ANY
QUESTION, RATHER THAN JUST
STRUGGLING AND BEING CONFUSED ON
MY OWN. IT'S EXTREMELY HELPFUL
HAVING ABILITY TO ENROLL EARLIER
SO I CAN GET MY CLASSES I NEED
TO FINISH, AND I NEED TO FINISH
MY BACHELOR DEGREE IN A TIMELY
MANNER. SIMILARLY, CALIFORNIA
PROMISE TRANSFER STUDENTS SAID
THE PROGRAM HAS HELPED ME
IMMENSELY BEING REQUIRED TO
SPEAK TO AN ADVISOR REGARDING MY
COURSEWORK HAS BROUGHT
COMMUNICATION ON WHICH COURSES
ARE NECESSARY AND UNNECESSARY
FOR GRADUATION. ADDITIONALLY
HAVING PRIOR REGISTRATION
ALLOWED ME TO COMPLETE MY
BACHELOR'S DEGREE AS EXPECTED TO
GRADUATE EARLIER TO EXPECT THIS
IS. THIS IS WHAT STUDENT SUCCESS
MEANS AND CALIFORNIA PROMISE FOR
CAL STATE FULLERTON. STEP TO THE
STEPS TO SUCCEED ARE CLEAR AT
OUR INSTITUTION. WE IDENTIFY, WE
INVITE, AND WE GUIDE AND WE
SUPPORT AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO
FUTURE. WE DO NOT STOP AT THE
POSITIVE IMPACT OF INDIVIDUAL
STUDENTS SUCCESS STORIES. WE USE
THE PAST SUCCESS TO INSPIRE, TO
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR PROGRAM,
INTENSIFY OUR SUPPORT AND EXPAND
OUR REACH TO FULFILL THE PROMISE
OF NOT ONLY THE COLLEGE
GRADUATION FOR LIFETIME SUCCESS.
FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. I WOULD
LIKE TO CLOSE BY SHARING THE
UNIVERSITY'S VISION. CALIFORNIA
STATE UNIVERSITY WILL SERVE AS A
MODEL PUBLIC UNIVERSITY THAT
CULTIVATES LEADERS, WHO DRIVES
INNOVATION, SYSTEMATIC CHANGE,
AND COLLECTIVE WELL-BEING IN A
LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES.
THESE FUTURE LEADERS ARE
STUDENTS NOW, ALL OF US CAL
STATE FORTUNATE AND ALL OF THE
FACULTY AND STAFF RECOGNIZE THE
CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO ENSURE
THEIR HOLISTIC SUCCESS AND
EMBRACE RESPONSIBILITY WITH
UNWAVERING COMMITMENT. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME AND LOOK FORWARD
TO YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR DABIRI AND FOR
THAT GREAT TESTIMONY. I DON'T
KNOW, DOCTOR FORD, ARE YOU HERE
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR YOU HAD
TESTIMONY OF YOUR OWN? I HAVE
SOME AS WELL. OKAY, THEN THE
FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, SENATOR
NEWMAN. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU
HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU
HOW THE DIVISION OF STUDENT
AFFAIRS CONTINUES TO DO
INTENTIONAL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH ACADEMIC AFFAIRS TO SUPPORT
OUR STUDENTS AS THEY PROGRESS
TOWARD GRADUATION. I'M DAVID
FORGES. I'M THE CURRENT VICE
PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS
HERE AT CAL STATE FULLERTON. AND
IF YOU ASK ME TODAY, WHAT ARE
THE BIGGEST IMPEDIMENTS TO
STUDENT SUCCESS? I WOULD SAY
STUDENT WELLNESS COLLEGE
PATHWAYS, THE MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIPS, AND THE MOST
RECENT CHANGES AROUND FAFSA IN
ALL OF THESE AREAS. WE ARE A
WORK IN PROGRESS, AND WE ARE
CONTINUING TO EVALUATE AND
REEVALUATE HOW WE RESPOND TO
THESE IMPEDIMENTS. CAL STATE
FULLERTON, AS PROVOST VIVIAN
SHARED, SERVES OVER 41,000
STUDENTS. IT'S INCREDIBLE TO
WALK THE PROMENADE AND
EXPERIENCE THE BUSTLE OF THIS
CAMPUS. AND IN THE PAST COUPLE
OF YEARS, WE HAVE ENDEAVORED TO
PROVIDE AND FOSTER A SENSE OF
BELONGING FOR OUR STUDENTS. THE
SENSE OF BELONGING IS CRITICAL
TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND THE
STUDENT AFFAIRS DIVISION IS
COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HOLISTIC
CARE THROUGH PROGRAMS AND
RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP
STUDENTS NAVIGATE THE CAMPUS AND
FIND THEIR COMMUNITY. BUT AS THE
COMMITTEE IS AWARE, THE LONG
TERM EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ARE
VERY REAL NOT JUST HERE AT CAL
STATE FULLERTON, BUT AT
UNIVERSITIES NATIONWIDE. IN
RESPONSE, WE HAVE DOUBLED OUR
MENTAL WELLNESS PEER EDUCATOR
POSITIONS, HIRED MORE COUNSELORS
AND A CASE MANAGER TO MEET
STUDENT DEMAND AND AS A RESULT,
OUTREACH TO STUDENTS AT
PREVENTION EDUCATION EVENTS HAS
INCREASED BY 475. WE'VE SEEN AN
85% INCREASE IN USAGE OF THE
WELLNESS ROOM. THE NEED AND
DEMAND FOR WELLNESS PROGRAMS ARE
SUBSTANTIAL, AND IT IS OUR
PRIORITY TO ENSURE ADEQUATE
RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE. WE
CREATED CARE SPECIALISTS TO
INCREASE SUPPORT FOR OUR FACULTY
, STAFF AND STUDENTS, AND OUR
THREE CARE SPECIALISTS FOCUSED
PRIMARILY, THEIR PRIMARY FOCUS
IS TO SUPPORT STUDENT
WELL-BEING, PROMOTE ACADEMIC
SUCCESS, AND ENRICH THE TITAN
EXPERIENCE THEY PROVIDE
NON-CLINICAL CASE MANAGEMENT TO
STUDENTS, CONSULT WITH FACULTY
AND STAFF ON STUDENT DISTRESS
AND WELL-BEING CONCERNS, AND
RESPOND TO REFERRALS FROM
FACULTY, AND FACILITATE
TRAININGS AND PRESENTATIONS. OUR
COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL
SERVICES OFFERS A VARIETY OF
FREE, CONFIDENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES FOR STUDENTS. ALL
SERVICES ARE PAID FOR BY STUDENT
HEALTH FEES AND ARE ALL ACTIVELY
ENROLLED. STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE
FOR SERVICES YOU'VE HEARD A BIT
TODAY ABOUT OUR BASIC NEEDS
SERVICES, WHICH IS A MAJOR
COMPONENT OF ENSURING STUDENTS
ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS. OUR
BASIC NEEDS CENTER RECEIVES OVER
202,800 VISITS, AND WE HIRED
ADDITIONAL STAFF TO MEET THE
CONTINUED INCREASE IN BASIC
NEEDS REQUESTS AND RECENTLY
LAUNCHED A BASIC NEEDS
AMBASSADOR PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS,
FACULTY AND STAFF. DUE TO
INCREASED DEMAND AND
VISITATIONS, THE CAMPUS FOOD
PANTRY WAS ALSO MOVED TO A
BIGGER AND MORE WELCOMING SPACE
IN THE TITAN STUDENT UNION AND
THROUGH THE BASIC NEEDS
SERVICES, TEMPORARY HOUSING IS
PROVIDED FOR UP TO THREE WEEKS
IN AN ON CAMPUS APARTMENT, WHILE
STUDENTS SECURES LONG TERM
STABLE HOUSING. THIS ALSO
INCLUDES MEALS AND TEMPORARY
PARKING FOR THE PLACEMENT
DURATION. THE PATHWAY TO COLLEGE
SUCCESS BEGINS BEFORE STUDENTS
EVEN STEP FOOT ONTO OUR CAMPUS,
WHICH IS WHY OUR CENTER FOR
EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS IS
CRITICAL TO RECRUITMENT,
RETENTION AND DEGREE COMPLETION.
CEP DEVELOPS PARTNERSHIPS AND
INITIATIVES THAT TARGET HIGH
NEED COMMUNITIES WITH THE
PURPOSE OF ENSURING ALL STUDENTS
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE A
POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION,
REGARDLESS OF SYSTEMIC ECONOMIC
OR SOCIAL BARRIERS. WE HAVE
INTERSEGMENTAL PARTNERSHIP WITH
NINE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND UTILIZE
FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS SUCH AS
GEAR UP, UPWARD BOUND AND
EDUCATIONAL TALENT SEARCH TO
ENGAGE AND SERVE
UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS FROM
LOW INCOME BACKGROUNDS,
PREPARING THEM FOR COLLEGE.
DURING THE FALL 2023 APPLICATION
CYCLE, 3208 STUDENTS ENROLLED AT
CAL STATE FULLERTON FROM
PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS, 58% OF WHOM
WERE LATINX, AND FROM 2021 TO
2023, WHILE ENROLLMENT FROM
PARTNERSHIP DISTRICTS INCREASED
8, LATINX STUDENT ENROLLMENT
FROM THESE SCHOOLS INCREASED AT
A MUCH AT MUCH MORE AT 45. AS A
HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION AND
SEAL OF EXCELLENCE, A CAMPUS
INTENTIONALLY AND ENROLLMENT
INTENTIONALLY OF ENROLLING AND
SERVING OUR LATINX STUDENTS IS
IMPORTANT. AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE
TRANSFER PATHWAY CAN BE
DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE AND
MANAGE, AND IT IS OUR GOAL
THROUGH THESE INTERSEGMENTAL
PARTNERSHIPS TO SIMPLIFY THE
PROCESS FOR PROSPECTIVE
STUDENTS. AFFORDABLE
ACCESSIBILITY AND EQUALITY DO GO
HAND IN HAND AND ACCESS TO
FINANCIAL AID IS ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL TO STUDENT SUCCESS. I'M
HAPPY TO REPORT THAT OUR
FINANCIAL AID OFFICE HAS
SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED OVER
27,000 PROVISIONAL FINANCIAL AID
AWARDS FOR THE 2024 2025 SCHOOL
YEAR AND WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED
OVER $23.4 MILLION IN MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIPS TO 16,530
STUDENTS FOR SPRING 2024, WHICH
IS AN INCREASE OF $6.7 MILLION
OVER THE PRIOR YEAR, SERVING
1500 MORE STUDENTS, CAL STATE
FULLERTON IS ALSO OPENING A
TITAN HUB, AS WELL AS A
SCHOLARSHIP OFFICE TO EASE THE
TRANSITION FOR STUDENTS TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT ALONG
THEIR JOURNEY. AN ONGOING
CHALLENGE I WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON
THE COMMITTEE'S RADAR IS THE
ONGOING CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING
WITH THE NEW MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIP 2.0 LEGISLATION,
LEGISLATION MIX 2.0 CHANGED THE
AWARDING ORDER AND MADE MIX A
LAST PAYER WHERE ANY OTHER
SOURCE OF FINANCIAL AID DIRECTLY
REDUCES OR ELIMINATES MIX.
DEMORALIZING PURSUIT AND
DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP TO
SUPPORT STUDENTS FINANCIALLY.
INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS ARE
NOT PART OF SELF-HELP, SO
DIRECTLY REDUCES OR ELIMINATES
MIX AWARDS. MIX SHOULD NO LONGER
BE A LAST PAYER TO AVOID FURTHER
SCHOLARSHIP DISPLACEMENT,
INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIP SHOULD
BE INCLUDED IN THE SELF-HELP
COMPONENT, AS AT THIS TIME ONLY
PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS AND
EMERGENCY AID ARE SELF-HELP.
CURRENTLY, UNIVERSITIES AND
STUDENTS ARE CONTINUING TO
STRUGGLE TO COMPLETE AND PROCESS
THEIR FAFSA APPLICATIONS IN A
TIMELY MANNER. THE FEDERAL
DELAYS HAVE TURNED A SIX MONTH
AWARDING PROCESS INTO A SIX WEEK
ONE. SOME OF THE STUDENTS WHO
WERE HEAVILY IMPACTED WERE MIXED
STATUS FAMILIES, MEANING THESE
STUDENTS WERE US CITIZENS OR
EQUIVALENT, BUT THEIR PARENTS
WERE UNDOCUMENTED. AND BECAUSE
OF THE NEW APPLICATION PROCESS,
THESE PARENTS HAD NO WAY OF
VERIFYING THEIR IDENTITIES AND
THEREFORE COULD NOT HAVE
SUBMITTED THE REQUIRED
INFORMATION ON THE APPLICATION.
TO DATE, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT
ISSUES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN
RESOLVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION FOR MIXED STATUS
FAMILIES TO. TO SUPPORT OUR
STUDENTS, WE CREATED OUR FIRST
EVER FUNDING YOUR EDUCATION AT
CAL STATE FULLERTON FAFSA
COMPLETION EVENT, INVITING
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO HELP
COMPLETE THEIR FINANCIAL AID
APPLICATION, AS WELL AS HOSTING
60 FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOPS.
SINCE OPENING OF THE APPLICATION
, WE DELAYED OUR ANNUAL
FINANCIAL AID DOCUMENTATION
SUBMISSION DEADLINE FROM APRIL
26TH TO MAY 31ST AND TOGETHER
WITH THE CSU SYSTEM TO DELAY THE
PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE
FROM APRIL 2ND TO MAY 2ND FOR
STATE AID CONSIDERATION TO
CONCLUDE, I JUST WANT TO
REEMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE ALL PART
OF THE TITAN COMMUNITY AT CAL
STATE FULLERTON, AND IT IS OUR
ULTIMATE GOAL NOT ONLY TO CREATE
A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OF EQUITY
AND INCLUSIVITY, BUT CULTIVATE
LEADERS WHO WILL DRIVE SYSTEMIC
CHANGE. AND IT IS OUR JOB. AS
PART OF THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL
INSTITUTION, TO PROVIDE THE
RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS
THAT WILL HELP SET A FOUNDATION
OF SUCCESS FOR CURRENT AND
FUTURE STUDENTS. IT IS A
PRIVILEGE EACH DAY TO SERVE OUR
STUDENTS AND TO HELP THEM ON
THEIR PATH. THANK YOU AGAIN,
CHAIRMAN GLAZER AND SENATOR
NEWMAN FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
DOCTOR FERGUS. I APPRECIATE
HEARING THE YOU HAVE THE BIG
PICTURE OF STUDENT LIFE, NOT
JUST THE ACADEMICS THAT YOU
SHARED WITH US. AND I KNOW WE'VE
TALKED ALREADY OFFLINE ABOUT IT,
THE COUNSELING CHALLENGES. AND
I'M GLAD TO HEAR OF THE PROGRESS
YOU'VE MADE IN THE SPACE. AND I
HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO
WORK ON THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.
THANK YOU, I, I WANTED TO ASK
DOCTOR DEBERIAN A FEW QUESTIONS.
YOU, IN YOUR TESTIMONY, YOU
TALKED ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THE
CALIFORNIA PROMISE PROGRAM OR
FINISHING FOUR. AND IF I HEARD
YOU RIGHT, YOU SAID THAT THE
STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ENROLLED
IN THAT PROGRAM HAVE A TWO AND A
HALF TIMES. YES. BETTER
GRADUATION RATE THAN THOSE WHO
ARE NOT. SO THAT'S. I'M REALLY
HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. AND IT COMES
FROM SOME VERY SMALL
ENHANCEMENTS THAT THEY GET,
REGISTRATION IN PRIORITY AND
SOME, SOME ACADEMIC ADVISING
HELP WITH THEIR COMMITMENT TO
TAKE THE UNIT REQUIRES THE UNIT
LOAD THAT'S REQUIRED, AND BUT
WHEN I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS,
THERE'S TWO POINTS TO ASK YOU
ABOUT. SO WHEN I LOOK AT THE
NUMBERS HERE AT FULLERTON FOR
THOSE IN THE PROGRAM, IT'S MUCH,
MUCH LOWER THAN OTHER
INSTITUTIONS OF EVEN SMALLER
ENROLLMENT. SO I SHOW, FOR
EXAMPLE, THAT FULLERTON HAS
ABOUT 2200 STUDENTS
PARTICIPATING OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS, LONG BEACH, WITH A MUCH
SMALLER STUDENT BODY, HAS, 7400,
ALMOST THREE TIMES AS MANY
STUDENTS PARTICIPATING SAC STATE
WITH SUBSTANTIALLY FEWER
STUDENTS, HAS ALMOST A5X, LEVEL
OF PARTICIPATION IN THEIR FINISH
IN FOR PROGRAM THAN HERE. WHEN I
WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE, TO MY
STAFF ACTUALLY WENT TO YOUR
WEBSITE TO FIND THE FINISHING
FOR PROGRAM, IT TOOK THEM SIX
CLICKS ON YOUR WEBSITE TO FIND
THAT PROGRAM. ON THE OTHER HAND,
I WAS PLEASED AS I WAS WALKING
THROUGH YOUR CAMPUS TODAY TO SEE
THE SIGNAGE THAT SAID ABOUT THE
FINISHING FOR PROGRAM, THAT
THERE IS SOME VISIBILITY OF IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I TALK TO
STUDENTS BOTH HERE AND ACROSS
THE STATE, THEY WANT TO THEY
WANT TO FINISH, THEY WANT TO GET
THROUGH. BUT MANY OF THEM DON'T
EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM
BEING AVAILABLE. CAN YOU SPEAK
TO THE I GUESS IT'S THE
MARKETING EFFORTS THAT YOU'VE
GONE THROUGH TO MAKE SURE
STUDENTS ARE AWARE SO THEY COULD
PARTICIPATE IN IT? ABSOLUTELY,
IF YOU PART OF MY TESTIMONY, I
TALKED ABOUT WHAT FULLERTON
FORWARD ONE OF THE ITEMS WAS
REALLY TRYING TO REVAMP
CALIFORNIA PROMISE. SO OUR GOAL
IS TO LOOKING AT THE SUCCESS OF
CALIFORNIA PROMISE. WE WANT TO
START EARLY. SO THIS YEAR WE
START MARCH SITTING AT OUR
EXPERIENCE DAY, WHICH IS WHEN
THEY COME IN TO SIGN UP FOR OUR
CAMPUS. SO WE ARE STARTING
EARLY. WE ALSO MOVING THE
WEBSITE TO ACADEMIC ADVISING
CENTER. SO RIGHT NOW IT'S ON THE
REGISTRAR. SO WE'RE TRYING TO
MAKE SURE IT'S EASIER FOR A
STUDENT TO FIND IT BECAUSE THE
PART OF THE ADVISING WE ARE ALSO
MAKING IT MORE PREDOMINANT. AND
ADVISORS TO BE ABLE TO OFFER
CALIFORNIA PROMISE AND FINISHING
FOURTH. SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF
MARKETING, MOVING THAT FORWARD.
WE UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS ARE
NOT, AS YOU KNOW, NEED TO BE AND
OUR CHALLENGES IS NOW CHANGING
THAT WHOLE MARKETING STRATEGY TO
MAKE SURE STUDENTS KNOW EARLY,
WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW EARLY ON,
THEY COME IN AND AFTER THE
TAKING THE FIRST SEMESTER, YOU
KNOW YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET
INTO THE PROGRAM AS, AS EASILY
AS YOU'RE STARTING AT A FIRST
YEAR. RIGHT? RIGHT, INDEED. AND
YOUR TESTIMONY, YOU TALKED ABOUT
THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO
INCREASE DIVERSITY IN YOUR
ENROLLMENT. IT'S VERY
IMPRESSIVE. AND I KNOW THAT'S A
THAT'S A PART OF PROGRESS IN
THIS SPACE AS WELL. AND YOU ALSO
MENTIONED SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL
HIRES THAT YOU'VE DONE IN TERMS
OF HELPING WITH SOME OF THESE
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. AND
CERTAINLY MY PRAISE, OUR PRAISE
FOR THAT, THAT FOCUS AND
INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES AND HOW
YOU CAN HAVE THEM FEEL CONNECTED
WITH YOUR CAMPUS SO THAT THEY
THEY ARE ABLE TO GET TO
COMPLETION. MY LAST QUESTION IS
REALLY THE BLIND SPOT THAT I'VE
SEEN HERE AND ELSEWHERE IN THE
STATE, WHICH IS THAT, AND WE, WE
CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, ALMOST
12,000, I THINK, STUDENTS
GRADUATING HERE AT FULLERTON IN
A FEW WEEKS, BUT AT THE SAME
TIME, WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF
STUDENTS THAT ARE DROPPING OUT
OF FULLERTON EVERY YEAR. AND THE
AND THE BLIND SPOT ON DATA AS TO
WHY AND HOW WE CAN FOCUS IN ON
THOSE CHALLENGES. IS SOMETHING
THAT I SPOKE WITH THE, DOCTOR
JARVIS, FROM THE ACADEMIC SENATE
ABOUT EARLIER, AND HE RAISES
SOME CHALLENGES IN THAT SPACE.
BUT I HOPE THAT IT'S A PLACE
THAT THAT THAT YOU DON'T YOU
DON'T HAVE BLIND SPOTS. SO YOU
KNOW, AND YOU CAN AND RESPOND
MORE DIRECTLY TO THOSE ISSUES.
ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS REALLY
CRITICAL TO US. SO I WANT I WANT
YOU TO KNOW IS I'M, YOU KNOW, WE
AT THE UNIVERSITY TAKING VERY
SERIOUSLY THIS THIS WHOLE NOTION
OF DROPOUT. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT
INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ACTUALLY MOVE
FORWARD WITH THIS. YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHEN WE
ASK STUDENTS THE SAME QUESTIONS,
SAME ANSWERS THAT DOCTOR JARVIS
SAID IT COMES OUT FINANCIALS,
FAMILY ISSUES AND SO FORTH. SO
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AT
FULLERTON, WHICH IS TAKING A
DIFFERENT INNOVATIVE APPROACH
FROM THE DAY ONE. SO LET ME
EXPLAIN A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT
WE HAVE DONE. WE HAVE OVER 7000
FRESHMEN CAME IN THIS FALL,
APPROXIMATELY 260 OF THEM DID
NOT REGISTER FOR A SPRING
SEMESTER. THOSE ARE THE
FRESHMAN'S. SO WE CREATED NOW
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGES, CREATING A PROGRAM
CALLED FLEXIBLE PATH TRANSFER
PATHWAYS THAT WE ARE MAY 4TH.
ACTUALLY YOU KNOW, A WEEK FROM
NOW WE ARE INVITING ALL THE
STUDENTS TO COME IN TO THE
CAMPUS THAT DID NOT REGISTER.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO
TO HELP THEM EITHER TWO THINGS
EITHER CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY
BACK TO OUR CAMPUS IN FALL, WHAT
WE CAN DO FOR THEM, HAVING A
FINANCIAL AID ADVISORS, HAVING,
YOU KNOW, ACADEMIC ADVISORS,
KIND OF A WRAPAROUND SERVICE,
MAKE SURE WHY THEY DROPPED OUT
AND THEY COME IN ON CAMPUS. WE
ALSO ARE PARTNERING WITH THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGES SO THEY CAN
DO A DUAL ENROLLMENT. WE
ACTUALLY WITH THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE BECAUSE THE COST OF
THAT, ESPECIALLY GIVING THEM
CALIFORNIA PROMISE, CAN BE A LOT
LESS. RIGHT. SO SANTA ANA
COLLEGE AND US ARE PARTNERING
TOGETHER RIGHT NOW FOR FALL
SEMESTER ON THIS PILOT GROUP OF
STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE PROMISING
US THE LOW TUITION AND A
WRAPAROUND IN THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE. SO THERE ARE STUDENTS
WILL GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES
AND TAKE COURSES AT LOWER COST
AND DO A DUAL ENROLLMENT BETWEEN
US AND THEM, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO
REAPPLY ON THE CAMPUS AGAIN.
RIGHT? THEY CAN COME RIGHT BACK
UP AND CONTINUE WHERE THEY LEFT
OFF. THAT'S A GREAT PROGRAM THAT
YOU'RE STARTING. SO, MUCH PRAISE
FOR DOING THAT. AND THERE'S TWO
OTHER PROGRAMS THAT I WANTED TO.
ONE IS WE'RE CALLING IT BRING
BACK TITANS. SO WE'RE CALLING
THE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO BRING
THEM BACK TO THE CAMPUS, AND
THEY BRING THEM BACK. TITANS
ARE, WE ARE ALSO HAVING ANOTHER
PROGRAM ALONG WITH IT CALLED
CALLED, SECOND START. I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU HEARD ABOUT THE
SECOND START PROGRAM AT CSU THAT
PILOTED THIS YEAR. WE'RE
BRINGING BACK STUDENTS THAT WERE
ON ACADEMIC NOTICE OR ACADEMIC
PROBATION THAT THEY LEFT THE
CAMPUS DISQUALIFIED. AND WE'RE
GIVING THEM SECOND, START BY
RESETTING THEIR GPA. THEY GET
THE SAME COURSES BACK, BUT THEY
ARE RESETTING THEIR GPA TO DO A
SECOND START. THEY CAN FINISH
THEIR PROGRAM. THEY COULD,
OTHERWISE THEY COULD UNABLE TO
FINISH THE PROGRAM. SO SECOND
START BRING BACK TITANS AND
TRANS FLEXIBLE TRANSFER
PATHWAYS. WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE
ONE MORE, ONE MORE, ONE MORE
CHANGES THAT WE HAVE DONE FOR
OUR STUDENTS WHEN THEY STOP OUT
OR STOP OUT POLICY USED TO BE
ONE SEMESTER. THAT MEANS THAT IF
YOU STOP OUT ONE SEMESTER, THEN
YOU HAVE TO REAPPLY TO COME BACK
TO UNIVERSITY. WE HAVE INCREASED
THAT TO TWO YEARS. SO FOR TWO
YEARS WE ARE GOING TO DO
CAMPAIGN WITH THEM TO EITHER
BRING THEM THROUGH COMMUNITY
COLLEGES BACK TO OUR CAMPUS OR
BRING THEM ON CAMPUS WITHOUT
REAPPLYING ON CAMPUS, WHICH IS A
BARRIER FOR OUR STUDENTS. WOW,
THOSE ARE GREAT PROGRAMS. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THAT
SPACE, LET ME TURN OVER TO
SENATOR NEWMAN. IF HE HAS FOLLOW
UP QUESTIONS. AND JUST BRIEFLY,
AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO
PUBLIC COMMENT AND THANK YOU
BOTH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY, I
AM STRUCK BY SENATOR GLASER. YOU
TOUCHED ON IT BY YOU KNOW, ONE
OF THE CHALLENGES IS FINDING THE
INFORMATION ABOUT CALIFORNIA
PROMISE ON THE WEBSITE. BUT I
THINK THERE'S A BROADER PROBLEM.
IT'S KIND OF IRONIC. I THINK
WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE, IT WAS
ALL PAPER. EVERYTHING WAS PAPER,
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW I DID
IT, BUT I DID IT. BUT THERE'S
THIS IRONY THAT IT SHOULD BE
EASIER, YOU KNOW, IN THE KIND OF
DIGITAL ERA. AND YET IT'S NOT.
AND WE'RE SORT OF DROWNING IN
DATA. SO GO AHEAD, SENATOR
NEWMAN. YOU KNOW, MOST STUDENTS
DO A SEARCH, USUALLY DON'T GO
THROUGH CLICKS TO GET TO THE TO
THE PARTICULAR PLACES. THEY
USUALLY DO A SEARCH. IF YOU DO A
CSUF CALIFORNIA PROMISE, THAT'S
THE TOP OF THIS. THEREIN LIES
THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT? IT'S
MAKING STUDENTS YOUR STUDENTS
AWARE OF THIS PROGRAM. SO THE
SEARCH WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, HOW
DO I GET THROUGH FASTER. HOW WAS
A CHEAPER. SO WE ALSO LOOKING AT
ADVISING SENATOR NEWMAN. SO
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW AT THE
BEGINNING. SO FIRST WE WANT TO
MARKET THE CALIFORNIA PROMISE TO
THEM. SO THEY KNOW CALIFORNIA
PROMISE EXISTS. THEN WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE
TO EASY TO GET INTO IT AND MOVE
FORWARD. YEAH. AND YOU KNOW BEEN
PART OF IT IS THE CULTURE,
RIGHT. THE CULTURE OF THE
UNIVERSITY, IF PEOPLE FEEL
SUPPORTED, IF THEY KNOW WHERE
THEY HAVE RESOURCES, TO MR. MISS
ODWALLA'S POINT, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE WAY MORE LIKELY TO MOVE
THROUGH THOSE GATES, SO THERE'S
KIND OF A HOLISTIC EFFORT THAT'S
NEEDED. I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON
ONE THING. SO ON THE MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP, YOUR POINTS
ARE WELL TAKEN, AND THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO TAKE
UP NEXT YEAR. THAT WAS CERTAINLY
NOT THE INTENTION. AT LEAST I
HOPE IT WASN'T, BECAUSE IT IS
ACTUALLY UNDERMINED IN MANY
CASES. STUDENTS ABILITY TO
ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, AGGREGATE
ENOUGH SCHOLARSHIPS TO, TO MAKE
THEIR EDUCATION POSSIBLE. SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THAT UP. AND LET ME LET
ME ALSO SAY JUST, YOU KNOW,
THANK YOU TO SENATOR GLASER AS
WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. SO,
YOU KNOW, THIS WILL BE, I THINK,
WHEN WE LOOK BACK, ONE OF YOUR,
SORT OF LEGACY ACHIEVEMENTS AS A
MEMBER. AND YOU'VE BEEN WORKING
ON THIS VIRTUALLY THE WHOLE
TIME, YOU'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF
THE STATE SENATE, IT WOULDN'T
HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOU. AND
THE STATISTICS DO PROVE THAT IT
IS EMINENTLY VALUABLE. RIGHT.
IT'S WORKING. AND SO WE ALL NEED
TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT
LEGACY, BECAUSE IT CAN HAVE A
HUGE DIFFERENCE, IN THE LIVES OF
STUDENTS AND NOT JUST THE SPEED
AT WHICH THEY RECEIVE THEIR
DEGREES, BUT THE QUALITY OF
THEIR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AS
THEY MOVE TOWARD THAT DEGREE. SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR
NEWMAN, THE, THE CAL, THE STATE
CAL PROMISE PROGRAM ACTUALLY
EXPIRES NEXT YEAR. THERE'S
LEGISLATION TO EXTEND IT. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SENATOR NEWMAN, FOR
YOUR SUPPORT. WHAT GOT THROUGH
YOUR COMMITTEE, JUST THIS PAST
MONTH. SO APPRECIATE THAT. AND
OF COURSE, HEARING THE
STATISTICS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF
TIME IMPROVE AND GRADUATION FOR
THOSE IN IT IS A PRETTY, PRETTY
COMPELLING TESTIMONY. SO TO BOTH
OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR
PARTICIPATING IN OUR
CONVERSATION TODAY FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
IN THIS SPACE. I KNOW YOU'RE
HERE, IN THE AT CAL STATE
FULLERTON, BECAUSE YOU LOVE THE
MISSION OF THIS UNIVERSITY AND
THE IMPACT IT HAS ON PEOPLE'S
LIVES AND COMMUNITIES. VIBRANCY
SO WE SO APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR BEING
A PART OF OUR CONVERSATION
TODAY. AND THAT LEADS US TO THE
LAST THING ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH
IS PUBLIC. PUBLIC TESTIMONY,
PUBLIC COMMENT. WE PROVIDE THAT
AT EVERY SENATE HEARING THAT WE
DO. I KNOW WE HAVE FOLKS HERE
THAT HAVE BEEN LISTENING
ATTENTIVELY, AND WE WOULD
WELCOME ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE
TO SAY. GIVE EVERYONE A MINUTE
IF THEY WANT. ANYONE HAVE
ANYTHING THEY WANT TO SHARE WITH
US BEFORE WE FINISH UP? OKAY.
EVERYONE'S HAPPY. ALL RIGHT.
WE'VE SOLVED THE PROBLEMS. THIS
IS AWESOME. WELL, LET ME LET ME
END BY FIRST. BY THANKING
SENATOR NEWMAN FOR YOUR GREAT
PARTNERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP, AND
EXCELLENCE AND ADVANCING, THE
IMPORTANT MISSION OF OUR
UNIVERSITIES IN THE SENATE,
WE'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO WORK
TOGETHER. IT'S FIVE PLUS YEARS
NOW, SO. AND I'VE REALLY
APPRECIATED THE PARTNERSHIP WITH
YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY. HAS I
KNOW, HAS GREAT PRIDE IN YOUR
LEADERSHIP HERE IN THE SENATE,
LET ME SAY THANK YOU TO DOCTOR
ALVA FOR YOUR HOSTING OF US HERE
AT FULLERTON. IT'S FUN FOR ME TO
COME BACK ON A CAMPUS. IT'S A
LOT MORE FUN TO HAVE HEARINGS
HERE ON A CAMPUS THAN IN THE
CAPITOL. JOSH, I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU AGREE. WE SHOULD DO THIS ON
A MORE REGULAR BASIS, RIGHT? WE
SHOULD. WE SHOULD INDEED, I KNOW
THAT PROGRAMS AND HEARINGS LIKE
THIS DON'T HAPPEN WITHOUT OUR
WONDERFUL AUDIO VISUAL, SUPPORT
FROM THE CAUCUS. SO THOSE FOLKS
IN THE BACK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
HELP IN BROADCASTING THIS THIS
HEARING TO THOSE THAT ARE NOT
HERE, LET ME THANK ON MY STAFF.
SHOSHANA LEVI, WHEREVER SHE IS,
FOR HER GREAT WORK AND SAXUAL,
MY CHIEF AND TITAN ALUMNI FOR
CONVINCING US TO COME BACK HERE
TO FULLERTON. WHAT A GREAT
CHOICE, AND FOR THE STAFF THAT,
DOCTOR OLIVER STAFF, ALL YOUR
FOLKS THAT HAVE HELPED US TO DO
THIS, THIS HEARING. WELL, THANK
YOU ALL FOR. AND IF I COULD, I
JUST WANT TO SALUTE MY TWO
TITANS WHO WERE HERE. SO SCOTT
DOERR AND NATHAN BASS, ALSO,
TITANS, SO COULDN'T DO WITHOUT
THEM. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THE WORK
CONTINUES, AFTER THIS HEARING.
IF THERE'S OTHERS WHO WANT TO
SHARE THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS, WE
WELCOME THAT TESTIMONY. WE HEARD
SOME CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS
THAT MIGHT AFFECT THINGS WE DO
ON A STATE BASIS, AND CERTAINLY
THE SENATE SENATOR NEWMAN, AS
CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION
COMMITTEE, IS A GREAT PERSON TO
COMMUNICATE WITH IT. SO WITH
THAT, I WANT TO THANK THOSE FOR
WATCHING WHO ARE LISTENING, WHO
ARE HERE IN THE HEARING ROOM FOR
PARTICIPATING. THIS WORK IS
IMPORTANT. AND I THINK, AS
SENATOR NEWMAN MENTIONED EARLIER
, EVERY YEAR THAT GOES BY WHERE
WE'RE NOT MAKING PROGRESS IS, IS
A FAILURE FOR SOME, AND
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S FOR, IT'S
FOR MANY STUDENTS WHO HAVE SEEN
THE HIGHER EDUCATION LADDER AND
HAVE GOTTEN A RUNG IN THEIR
HANDS AND HAVE SLIPPED, SLIPPED
OUT OF IT AND IT HAS. WE THINK
ABOUT THEM A LOT, IN TERMS OF
MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING
GOOD CHOICES ON THE STATE, ON
THE STATE LEVEL. AND I KNOW HERE
ON THE CAMPUS LEVEL TO MAKE SURE
THEY CAN GET THAT HAND BACK ON
THAT RUNG, WHICH WE KNOW IS SO
IMPORTANT IN THEIR LIVES. SO
THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING
IN THIS THIS HEARING IS
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.