California Higher Education Leaders Address National Education Conference

University of California President Janet Napolitano says increasing grant funding should be a priority if the government wants to expand educational access.

“Having a loan itself becomes a barrier to entry. People don’t want to enter into something where they’re going to come out in debt. And also because we don’t want our student options post graduation limited by the fact they have to start repaying loans.” 

California State University Chancellor Timothy White and Community College Chancellor Brice Harris were also at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Conference. 

All three stressed the need to invest in higher education as a way for the state and the nation to deal with rising income inequality. The leaders also stressed the importance of increasing minority and disadvantaged student enrollment.

The three leaders said they’ll lobby state and federal government together on these and other challenges in the New Year.