The Networks Celebrates Juneteenth and Pride Month!

Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Round: The Fight for African American Educational Freedom and Success in the CSU

In April 2024 the Network hosted its "Separate is Not Equal" Convening, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. In her blog, "Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Round: The Fight for African American Educational Freedom and Success in the CSU," Dr. Shonda Goward reflects on the event and emphasizes the ongoing need to revisit the legislative road to freedom for Black and Latinx students. Using Vincent Tinto’s literature review as a framework, she highlights the institutional responsibility to support student success. In the spirit of walking steadfastly toward the goal of operationalizing research to close equity gaps in the CSU system, Dr. Goward’s reflection connects the Civil Rights Movement to the current work of the Network and the California State University system.

LGBTQIA2S+ Student Success: Building Inclusive Communities of Practice

Last year, the Network launched its Communities of Practice focused on LGBTQIA2S+ student success, which brought together middle leaders across the CSU working to improve SOGI data collection, advocate for gender-affirming campuses, and expand access to gender and identity centers. These conversations were grounded in action and designed to spark change across campuses. We revisit this blog to see how the work unfolded.

Support for 2SLGBTQIA+ Students: Creating Belongingness Through Campus Pride Centers

Despite increased visibility and representation within institutions of higher learning, 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual) students continue to face challenges completing their degrees. We revisit this January 2024 memo, which examines literature associated with Pride centers, a common tool used to support the academic and personal success of 2SLGBTQIA+, queer and transgender students.

The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander Middle Leadership Academy (AMLA) has Officially Launched!

Participants of the June 2025 AMLA

We have officially launched the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander Middle Leadership Academy (AMLA), our newest professional learning initiative supporting equity-focused change across The California State University system. Twelve campus teams and 44 participants joined us for the first sessions, closing out this inaugural week with momentum and purpose. AMLA is a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the CSU Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander Student Achievement Program, designed to center culturally responsive strategies that improve student engagement, retention, and success. Led by Director Dr. Arnab Mukherjea, the AMLA builds on the Network’s model of leading from the middle to advance institutional change.