Interview with California’s Senior Policy Adviser Dr. Lande Ajose

Today we’re talking to California’s Senior Policy Adviser Dr. Lande Ajose. She works with the Governor of California to see what they can do to shape the higher education system in their state. Since she represents higher education as a whole she works hard to get colleges to view themselves as pieces of a puzzle.

California is often known for its Master Plan for Higher Education. The problem with this plan is it doesn’t include how to finance. California has recently created the Recovery With Equity Task Force to fill this role. Together with college leaders and government officials, they ask the tough questions. Dr. Ajose says they are currently thinking about things like capacity, innovation, and equity.

At the start of the pandemic higher education was working more as a triage, but they still needed to plan for the future when we recover. The Equity Task Force met for six months and even included individuals from other states to get other perspectives. Together they discussed the questions they need to ask themselves to position students for ten or twenty years out. Some questions asked were what the appropriate role of technology is, and how do we think about basic needs and affordability?

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Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org.