Wednesday, July 22

Noon–1 p.m. 

Insights to Action: Advancing Student Success Through the Black Student-Serving Institution Designation

Members of the Campaign for College Opportunity research and policy team will share findings from their State of Higher Education for Black Californians report. This session translates statewide data into concrete strategies for practitioners working to close equity gaps for all students across California's higher education systems. The report documents both meaningful progress and persistent disparities.

At the center of this discussion is the Black Student-Serving Institution (BSI) designation, a framework that practitioners can use right now to drive meaningful, accountable change. The BSI designation provides a roadmap for embedding student success into institutional practice, strengthening accountability structures and aligning campus strategies with evidence-based policy recommendations.

Tuesday, May 5

Noon–1:30 p.m. 

Leading Beyond Title: Reflection, Practice and Purpose in UC Leadership 

*This session did not include shareable presentation slides.

Leadership within the University of California increasingly calls for adaptability, relational intelligence and values-centered practice — often within systems that place complex and sometimes disproportionate expectations on African American leaders. 

This interactive lunch-and-learn offers an introduction to the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®, a widely respected framework that explores how leadership is practiced through everyday actions, relationships and choices — not just through formal titles or roles. Through guided reflection and small-group conversation, participants will consider how leadership shows up in their own work and how the Five Practices can serve as a practical lens for navigating the opportunities and challenges of UC leadership today. 

While the Five Practices are typically explored through extended leadership programs, this session provides a brief introduction and space for reflection, inviting participants to engage the ideas in ways that feel authentic and relevant to their own leadership journeys. The workshop centers the lived experiences of African American administrators, acknowledging the realities of visibility, voice, sustainability and navigating institutional change, while also highlighting strategies that support both personal grounding and collective impact.