A podcast from California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy that explores how smart higher education and workforce policies can help Californians learn, contribute, and thrive. Through candid conversations with thought leaders, policymakers, and practitioners, this podcast brings bold ideas and practical solutions to address some of the state’s most pressing challenges.
Publisher
California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy
Advancing Student Parent Success with Dr. Tina Cheuk
"The more diversity we have in classrooms, we all benefit from that in terms of innovation, creativity, and generating prosperity for all of California."— Dr. Tina Cheuk Student parents make up one in eight students in California’s postsecondary system. They bring rich perspectives, strong motivation, and lived experience that enrich their classrooms and communities, yet many still navigate policies, classrooms, and campuses that were not designed with their realities in mind. Supportin...
13 Aug 2026
The Role of Local Leadership in Higher Education with Libby Schaaf
"Education is not just the responsibility of educators. It is everyone's responsibility." When we talk about transforming higher education, the focus is often on colleges and state policymakers. But many of the forces that shape student success, from workforce opportunities to housing affordability, are deeply local. In a state as large and diverse as California, student needs and regional conditions vary widely within and across communities. In this episode of Degrees of Change, California ...
14 Jul 2026
AI and the Future of Learning with Isabelle Hau
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how we work, learn, and connect. But what should that mean for higher education? In this episode of Degrees of Change, California Competes CEO Su Jin Jez sits down with sits down with one of education’s leading thinkers on AI, Isabelle Hau, Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, to explore how AI could transform learning and why the most important questions may have less to do with technology and more to do with human developm...
28 May 2026
Innovation in Higher Education with Maria Anguiano
California’s higher education system has served millions of students. But it was built as a rigid, one-time credential system that does not meet the needs of all learners. In this episode, California Competes CEO Dr. Su Jin Jez speaks with College Futures Foundation’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence Maria Anguiano about how to redesign higher education to be more flexible, more equitable, and more responsive to how people actually learn. Drawing on her experience leading large-scale efforts at Ariz...
23 Apr 2026
The Basic Needs Movement in Higher Education with Dr. Rashida Crutchfield
When students can't meet their basic needs, academic success becomes exponentially harder. That reality shapes whether they enroll, persist, or graduate. For our third episode, California Competes CEO Su Jin Jez speaks with Dr. Rashida Crutchfield, a leading researcher and advocate whose work has helped spark a basic needs movement in higher education. They dig into what the evidence demands of institutions, policymakers, and communities, and what it will actually take to meet students where ...
25 Mar 2026
Aligning Education and Work with Paul Fain
California Competes CEO Su Jin Jez speaks with journalist Paul Fain about aligning higher education and workforce systems to build a strong, inclusive economy. Together, they explore what system alignment looks like in practice, the opportunities and risks of Workforce Pell, how AI is reshaping education and work, and what it will take to build an inclusive economy for all Californians. Key Topics What aligning higher education and workforce systems actually means in practice, and where Calif...
12 Feb 2026
A Data System for All Californians with Mary Ann Bates
A Data System for All Californians with Mary Ann Bates We’re excited to bring you Crystal Clear: A Vision for the Future of California Higher Ed, a new season of Degrees of Change marking our organization’s 15th anniversary—our crystal anniversary. Throughout this season, we'll delve into some of the toughest issues facing higher education: college affordability, artificial intelligence, the pathways between education and work, supporting underserved students and prospective students like th...
18 Dec 2025
Understanding California's Higher Education Funding System: A Conversation with Dr. Jennifer Delaney
Dr. Jennifer Delaney joins the final episode of the first season of Degrees of Change to unpack how California finances its higher education system and what that means for students, institutions, and the state’s future. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Delaney explores California’s mix of institutional appropriations and student aid, the effects of funding volatility and misaligned budget cycles, and the ways in which long-standing policies such as Proposition 98 shape resource distribut...
3 Dec 2025
Why Higher Education is Central to California’s Business Climate: A Conversation with Senator Roger Niello
California State Senator Roger Niello joins the latest episode of Degrees of Change. As a UC Berkeley graduate, certified public accountant, family business owner for 25 years, and former president of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, Senator Niello brings decades of experience in connecting workforce needs with educational outcomes. His perspective as both a business leader and a legislator offers valuable insights on how businesses and educational institutions can collaborate more e...
4 Nov 2025
Transforming Higher Ed Through Bolder Policy Reform
On the latest episode of our Degrees of Change podcast, State Senator Christopher Cabaldon challenges us to think bigger and act bolder. A UC Berkeley graduate, former vice chancellor for California Community Colleges, and faculty member at Sacramento State, Senator Cabaldon has experienced higher education from nearly every angle—as an educator, policymaker, and longtime mayor. Now serving in the State Senate, he makes a compelling case: the stakes in higher education are as high as in ...
24 Sept 2025
Building Higher Ed Pathways that Center California's Students
Dr. Carl Cohn is the latest guest on our new podcast, Degrees of Change, which is kicking off with a series of interviews exploring the legacy of California’s 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education. His rare blend of experience in a wide range of roles within education, along with a remarkable track record of improving student achievement, brings a valuable perspective on how the state can renew its commitment to accessible public higher education. Dr. Cohn joins Dr. Su Jin Jez, Chief Ex...
21 Aug 2025
Recommitting to Affordability in California’s Higher Ed System
In 1960, California released a Master Plan for higher education that was bold for its time, rooted in principles of accessibility, affordability, quality, and fairness. But much has changed since the mid-20th century. Budget restrictions arising from Proposition 13, changes in student demographics, and shifts in the labor market necessitate a reimagined master plan for the 21st century. In this episode of Degrees of Change, Dr. Su Jin Jez sits down with Dr. Christopher J. Nellum, the execut...
21 Jul 2025
Reimagining California’s Master Plan with Pat Callan
What happens when a plan designed in 1960 still shapes the experiences of California students today? In this episode of Degrees of Change, Dr. Su Jin Jez sits down with Pat Callan, one of the nation's most influential leaders in higher education reform. Pat shares insights from decades of policy work and helps us unpack how California’s Master Plan was shaped, where it falls short, and what must change to make California’s higher education system more equitable and responsive to the needs of ...
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