AGENDA
Wednesday, November 5
Noon-1 p.m.
Lunch
1-1:15 p.m.
Annual Meeting Welcome
Kristen Soares , President, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU)
G. Gabrielle Starr, Pomona College President and AICCU Executive Committee Chair
1:20-2:05 p.m.
Adopting New Strategies to Face New Opportunities
Strada Education Foundation is focused on improving both education and employment systems, so learners realize the economic value of their education and employers have the talent and skills they need to meet the demands of the labor market. Chief Strategy Officer Michele Chang joins participants via Zoom to discuss the work of Strada and how AICCU member institutions can partner with the foundation to support college-to-career pipeline for their students, particularly in light of the new Workforce Pell program.
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Featured Speaker:
Michele Chang, Chief Strategy Officer, Strada Education Foundation
2:10-3:10 p.m.
The Community Solution: The Power of Radical Cooperation in Higher Education
In today’s turbulent political climate and rapidly evolving higher education landscape, independent colleges and universities face mounting financial pressures and uncertainty—all while striving to fulfill their missions and serve their students and communities. Campus leaders are exploring bold strategies, from mergers and acquisitions to expanding programs for nontraditional learners. But is there a different path forward? Join leaders from The Community Solution Education System and Pacific Oaks President Breeda McGrath as they explore the transformative potential of collaboration in higher education. Learn how innovative partnerships across institutions can strengthen resilience, expand opportunity, and help campuses navigate the storms ahead.
Featured Speakers:
Michael Horowitz, Chancellor, The Community Solution Education System
Deborah Markos, Chief Operating Officer, The Community Solutions Education System
Breeda McGrath, President, Pacific Oaks College
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Moderator:
Nicola Pitchford, President, Dominican University of California
3:10-3:30 p.m.
Coffee Break with Sponsors
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Beyond Traditional: Innovative Student Pathways to Independent Higher Ed
Session sponsored by GovDeals
In the face of changing demographics and shifting societal trends, colleges and universities are looking at innovative strategies to meet their enrollment needs and focus on workforce training, while meeting the needs of today’s learners. This session highlights education leaders that have developed student pathways that breakdown roadblocks and create more access to four-year institutions. They will share three opportunities for partnerships with nonprofit colleges and universities and implementable ideas that can be adopted.
Featured Speakers:
Erika Bennett, Administrator, College and Career Readiness, Riverside County Office of Education
Laura Bernhard, Senior Researcher, California Competes
Keith Curry, President of Compton College and CEO of Compton Community College District
Moderator:
André Stephens, President, Fresno Pacific University
4:35-5:30 p.m.
State and Federal Government Relations Update
Session sponsored by Dynamic Campus
Amid the unprecedented federal actions against higher education, California struggled with a deep structural deficit. This dual struggle— often interconnected—created a challenging space for policy advocacy. This discussion will highlight the challenges higher education faced in 2025 on both the state and federal levels, share how AICCU fared this year, and what the California independent higher education sector can expect as we look toward 2026.
Featured Speakers:
Alex Graves, Vice President for Government Relations, AICCU
Thomas Vu, Vice President for Policy, AICCU
5:30-7 p.m.
AICCU 70th Anniversary Reception and Policymaker of the Year Presentation
Reception sponsored by the AICCU Multiple Employer Plan
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Join AICCU and our special guests as we celebrate 70 years of our history, our support for students, and our advocacy on behalf independent higher education in California. We will also recognize Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel as the 2025 Policymaker of the Year.
Location: The Revival, at the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel.
Thursday, November 6
7:30-8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
8:30-9:30 a.m.
AICCU Annual Business Meeting
Please see the agenda for the 2025 Annual Business Meeting.
G. Gabrielle Starr, Pomona College President and AICCU Executive Committee Chair
Kristen Soares , President, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU)
9:35-10:30 a.m.
Federal Update: Key Changes and Implications for Higher Education
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2025 saw tremendous, unprecedented shocks to higher education— political attacks against individual institutions, the use of recissions of federal funds as a political weapon, and dramatic changes to federal aid programs that will limit graduate education and advance workforce education, to name only a few. The political pressure also created fissures among and within higher education groups. This discussion with two esteemed leaders in higher education will delve into this quagmire and share how colleges and universities can move forward in 2026.​
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Featured Speakers:
Nick Anderson, Executive Director of Strategic Communications, American Council on Education (ACE)
Tom Stritikus, President of Occidental College and incoming chair of the ACE Board of Directors
10:30-10:50 a.m
Coffee Break with Sponsors
10:50-11:45 a.m.
State Policy and Budget Outlook: Key Bills, Budget Challenges, and What’s Next
This year, California faced a deep structural deficit and will continue to do so for at least another couple of years. Veteran policy and budget staff members, who hold positions of tremendous influence over legislation and the budget, share insight into the state political landscape in 2025, the major issues facing the Legislature, and the challenges to expect in 2026.
Featured Speakers:
Lyndsay Mitchell, Senior Consultant, Assembly Republican Caucus Office of Policy & Budget
Jason Sisney, Budget Advisor, Office of the Speaker of the Assembly
Kimberly Rodriguez, Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Director, Office of Senate President pro Tempore
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Moderator:
Tyler Aguilar, Senior Executive Director of State Government Relations, USC
Noon-1 p.m.
Lunch Buffet
12:30-1 p.m.
Fireside Chat: Research to Reform—Trends in Public Policy and the Future of California
Session sponsored by Pathify
The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to independent, nonpartisan research and polling on key statewide issues. Through its Higher Education Center, PPIC provides accessible, data-driven insights to inform policy decisions affecting California’s colleges and universities. At this session, PPIC President and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye will join AICCU President Kristen Soares and Executive Committee Chair G. Gabrielle Starr for a moderated fireside chat to explore the institute’s current work, emerging trends in California’s political landscape, and th
Featured Speakers:
Tani Cantil-Sakauye, President, PPIC
Kristen Soares, President, AICCU
G. Gabrielle Starr, Pomona College President and AICCU Executive Committee Chair
1:05-2 p.m.
Turning the Tide: Charting a New Course for Higher Education and Public Perception
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Colleges and universities have seen political attacks that resulted in recission of federal funding, grilling of campus leaders before 6 Congressional committees, resignations of presidents under pressure, and dramatic cuts to aid programs that support college access and workforce education. This session will discuss why this is happening, what the public perception has been through this discourse, and how the higher ed community can push back against this rhetoric.
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Featured Speakers:
Heidi Tseu, Assistant Vice President for National Engagement, ACE
Tim Powers, Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Development, NAICU
Rachel Fishman, Director of Higher Education, New America
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Moderator:
Ravi S. Rajan, President of the California Institute of the Arts and First Vice Chair of the AICCU Executive Committee
2 p.m.
Close of Annual Meeting​