January 25, 2019

Dear friends and colleagues,

As many of you know, in 2018 Public Advocates announced its expansion into higher education advocacy. This is an exciting step in the evolution of our work for more than 45 years to ensure education justice for K-12 students, particularly low-income students, immigrants and students of color.

Our goal for higher education is to ensure that beyond their high school years, all students have the opportunity to access and graduate from California’s three public higher education systems: The University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges. Our advocacy will be equity-focused and reflect the needs and voice of college students.

Today, we are very proud to announce that California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon has appointed two of our staff members — Public Advocates’ President and CEO Guillermo Mayer, and Elizabeth (Liz) Guillen, Director of Legislative & Community Affairs — to key state bodies that will shape higher education policies for decades to come!

Guillermo, who is a civil rights attorney with years of experience advocating for education and transportation equity, will be joining the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) as one of its fifteen appointed members. CSAC operates as the principal state agency responsible for administering programs, including Cal Grants, that distribute approximately $2 billion in financial aid to students attending public and private universities, colleges, and vocational schools in California. Its mission is to make education beyond high school financially accessible to all Californians.

“As a proud graduate of two California public universities, I know firsthand of the profound benefits that a college degree can have on a person’s life and career,” said Guillermo. “Yet for far too many California students, financial barriers continue to impede their ability to attain a college education. As a member of the California Student Aid Commission, I will work to ensure that our state’s financial aid system addresses the needs of the whole student, particularly as tuition and the total cost of attendance continue to rise, and more students experience food and housing instability.”

Liz, who has extensive experience advocating for the education rights of traditionally disenfranchised students in K-12 and higher education, will be serving on the California Community College Student Success Funding Formula Oversight Committee. The committee was created to monitor the adoption and implementation of the historic Student Success Funding Formula in Governor Brown’s final budget. The 12-member committee will review key equity issues and provide recommendations to the Legislature before the committee sunsets in 2022.

“I am eager to serve on this committee because I know how important funding is to the delivery of educational opportunity,” said Liz. “My experience advocating for education justice and equity alongside low-income communities throughout the state to implement California’s historic Local Control Funding Formula will serve the Oversight Committee well. Our work will help students reach their academic goals, while supporting community colleges to respond better to the needs of their most vulnerable students.”

We are thrilled that Guillermo and Liz will be bringing their expertise and experience to this important work and will be keeping you posted on their participation as well as Public Advocates’ higher education advocacy!