On the first day of June 2023, Sonya Christian became the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCCCO), replacing Eloy Oakley. That same day, she held a meeting of local district chancellors and presidents to identify priorities for our college system. The day after, she held a similar meeting with members of the Community College League of California (composed of local board of trustee members and presidents/chancellors/CEOs) and the Foundation for CCC. Two weeks later, the Chancellors’ Consultation Council (of which I’m a member) saw the first outline of “Vision 2030.”  There have been a number of meetings to promote Vision 2030 since then.

In some ways, Vision 2030 is a continuation of Eloy Oakley’s “Vision for Success” from 2017 and Governor Newsom’s “Roadmap for the Future” from 2022.  However, while the Vision for Success had seven core commitments and six goals with associated metrics, Vision 2030 simplifies the goals but expands to 17 actions (so far) including several that have the potential to dramatically affect the work that faculty do and influence the majors that we offer.

If a single word was used to describe Vision 2030, it would be “equity.” The three goals of the vision are “equity in success,” “equity in access” and “equity in support.” “Equity in success” will be addressed by clear career pathways for transfer or the workforce and increased use of stackable credentials and credit for prior learning. “Equity in access” will involve enhanced recruitment outreach, providing additional flexibility in instructional modalities and vastly expanding dual enrollment programs. “Equity in support” involves things like financial aid reform and increased student housing.

Two of the three strategic foci (called “directions” by the CCCCO) also involve the word “equitable.”  Equitable baccalaureate attainment will be enhanced by dual enrollment, flexible scheduling, credit for prior learning and improved articulation. Equitable workforce and economic development will be improved by expanding offerings, internships and industry partnerships with a prioritization on careers in health care, climate, education and the STEM disciplines.

The third strategic focus is named “Outcomes and Actions for the Next Frontier.” While this focus includes the modernization of system technology infrastructure and data analytics, it also mentions artificial intelligence (AI) in two ways. First, the CCCCO hopes to use generative AI as a tool to create adaptive learning experiences. Second, they wish to analyze AI technology with the hope of finding related policy reforms and practices that will help students succeed.

Taken together, Vision 2030 has the potential to noticeably change the working conditions of our profession.

If implemented, significantly more faculty time will need to be spent on curriculum changes, documenting equity improvements and learning about AI as a teaching tool. Significantly more course sections will be taught asynchronously online or at a high school to high school students.  STEM, health care and education faculty will probably find jobs to be plentiful, but conversely, there may be a withering or intentional reduction in some other disciplines.

The CCCCO has created a webpage about Vision 2030 at cccco.edu/About-Us/Vision-2030. I encourage everyone to review it, to attend some of the planned events and to reflect on how this vision will affect your teaching, your department and the students at your college. Also, I suggest you learn more about how AI can be used in your discipline. While my prognostication skills are far more fuzzy than 20/30, I’m confident that the next few months will determine the CCCCO’s direction for the next several years. We will need to advocate for our interests soon. Please let me know your thoughts on Vision 2030 by emailing me at president@cca4us.org.