Inequality, Educational Access and the Future of the University

Continuing events across UC campuses remind us of the need to engage in discussions about the core challenges facing access to higher education in California. On January 20, 2012, the Center responded to this need by hosting three panelists for a discussion on the positive impacts of higher education on individual economic outcomes. Panelists also put forth strategies the University can employ to ensure all students can access higher education. A full house of students, staff, and faculty listened and contributed to the discussion which was attended by the Chancellor and other administrators.

Panelists:

• Darrell Steinberg is the President pro Tem of the California Senate. Steinberg is a strong advocate for children and mental health issues. As a member of the State Assembly, Steinberg authored legislation to focus additional education resources on high-poverty schools and make them accountable for improvement. He also authored several nationally recognized laws to improve the state’s foster care system, including measures to improve provider accountability, educational consistency, and placement stability for children in foster care.
• Susan Dynarski is an Associate Professor of Education and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Dynarski’s research focuses on charter schools, demand for private schooling, historical trends in inequality in educational attainment, and the optimal design of financial aid. Her previous research explored the impact of grants and loans on educational attainment and the distributional consequences of tax incentives for college saving.
• Christopher Edley, Jr. joined Boalt Hall as dean and professor of law in 2004, after 23 years as a professor at Harvard Law School. He earned a law degree and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University. Edley was a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1999-2005. In 2007, Edley was elected as a Fellow into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2009, Edley became Special Advisor to the President by University of California President Mark Yudof and was appointed to the 20-member Commission of the Future to make recommendations regarding the University of California’s long-term strategy for sustaining its mission.

Video of the entire event can be accessed from the link below, as are the slides from Dr. Dynarksi’s presentation.