As a University of California regent, a trustee of the California State University, and chair of the Commission for Economic Development, California’s next lieutenant governor is well-positioned to deeply influence higher education policy and practice.

It is vital for voters to understand how and why this role and race are so important to our students, and to make higher education a front-burner issue for the elected leaders who have an obligation to respond to and plan for the needs of Californians.

College Futures Foundation, together with California Competes, hosted a rich discussion on higher education and economic mobility on Tuesday, September 25. The candidates—Dr. Ed Hernandez and Eleni Kounalakis—individually sat down for sequential conversations with California Competes Executive Director Dr. Lande Ajose and CALmatters Higher Education Reporter Felicia Mello.

“We are going to need somewhere around a million more students with degrees to fill the needs of the future. All we have to do is get them through this pipeline.”

– Eleni Kounalakis

“The workforce of the future should reflect the demographics of the state. So should the campuses, the campus presidents, and the professors.”

– Dr. Ed Hernandez

Watch the video to get the candidates’ perspectives on critical issues such as:

• Access
• Affordability
• Capacity
• Alignment across segments

 

Watch the video here.