Happy Holidays from the Network! | | We asked Network leaders to answer one final icebreaker of the year. What are you most proud of and what are you looking forward to in 2026? | |
Ellie Clifford Ertle, Ed.D.
"This year, I was most proud of completing another successful Middle Leadership Academy (Academy) cycle and launching 10 campus projects designed to support and sustain student success and equity. I am looking forward to the launch of a newly redesigned Academy. The leadership and planning team have been working hard to thoughtfully update the Academy to center servingness and focus more clearly on equity in the current political climate. We have a newly redesigned application and application process, an updated and improved facilitator onboarding and support program, and an enhanced Academy."
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Madeleine R. Kerrick, Ph.D.
"In 2025, the Network hosted Navigating Uncertainty Together sessions, launched our first offshoot of the Middle Leadership Academy – the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Middle Leadership Academy (AMLA) in partnership with the CSU AANHPI Student Achievement Program, and hosted a convening on servingness. In 2026, we’ll resume the flagship Academy with a revised curriculum that doubles down on equity. I’m proud that, while the sociopolitical climate is extraordinarily tumultuous and has created barriers to the advancement of equity efforts in higher education, the Network remains steadfast in our purpose—to support CSU students, staff, administrators, and faculty as they embrace their power to imagine, plan for, and implement systems and practices that center equitable student learning, engagement, progression, and completion."
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Larissa Mercado Lopez, Ph.D.
"As we move into the new year, I remain inspired by the sustained commitment to servingness expressed by so many of our Fall 2025 convening attendees. Middle leaders are proving to stay grounded in our central mission of providing an accessible, equitable, and high-quality education for Californians—in spite of the challenges that threaten our core values."
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Arnab Mukherjea, Dr.P.H., M.P.H.
"The opportunity to work with such tremendous leaders in the Network—transcending appointment, rank, campus, and experience—has been a true honor in my role as CSU Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Middle Leadership Academy Director. It is clear to me that shared vision and common purpose facilitate the development a strong structural foundation for student success and social mobility, which will not only enable the students served by the CSU to succeed in their respective campuses, but also reach their true potential in professional and social impact."
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Adam Petersen, Ed.D.
"I am immensely proud of the reflective and proactive work the Advisory Board has done this fall as we have directly engaged with what it means to serve as a Network during a time of such uncertainty, both in the daily lives of middle leaders on individual campuses and for the future of our profession and the very concept of higher education. Our discussions have been grounded by a collective acknowledgment that while times like these drive us into isolation and a narrowed view, the way forward is collaborative, appreciative, compassionate, and supportive; we survive not by separating but by coming closer together."
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| The Network had participation from all 22 CSU campuses and the system office in our 2025 activities. | | Middle Leadership Academy Applications Open this February! | | Applications for the Middle Leadership Academy will launch on February 11. Stay tuned for upcoming communications with details on how to apply, what’s new in the redesigned Academy, and key dates for campus teams interested in participating. | | Advancing Student Success Through Collaboration with the Chancellor's Office | | |
The California State University (CSU) recently introduced its new Student Success Framework, a broader and more holistic vision that expands on GI 2025 and centers the full student experience. In this Voices blog, Dr. Thad Nodine breaks down the key elements of the Framework, its focus on equity and student-centered metrics, and what it means for campuses as they prepare for implementation. He also highlights how the Network is positioned to support middle leaders as they navigate this next phase of systemwide change and continue their work to advance student learning and success.
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Ending The Year On A Good Note: Revisit our 2024-25 Annual Report | |
As we wrap up the year, our annual report reflects on the collective work and impact of the Network across activities including the Middle Leadership Academy, the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Middle Leadership Academy, and systemwide Convenings. Featuring more reflections from Network leadership, the report highlights key accomplishments from the past year and outlines priorities ahead, with a continued focus on equity, servingness, and improving outcomes for historically underserved students across the CSU.
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