Higher education continues to be a valuable investment for California and for its residents. Higher levels of education are associated with higher levels of income, wealth generation and transmission, better health and life-expectancy, and higher standards of living overall. A highly educated workforce will earn and spend more money, further growing the economy as well as the state’s tax revenue. Plus, the benefits of higher education go beyond basic economics, with college graduates seeing better outcomes on health and other social indicators.
In California, the diversity of the state is one of its greatest assets. Yet, representation of racially minoritized leaders in California’s colleges and universities remains incredibly low in comparison to the racial composition of the student population, says this report from The Campaign for College Opportunity.
For California to maintain its political leadership and economic standing as the fifth-largest global economy, it must invest in the diverse talent that can adequately educate and create equitable, student-centered environments conducive to student success. The reality is that today, California’s Black, Latinx, underrepresented Asian American and NHPI, and AIAN residents and scholars are still left out, the report states, limiting the potential of the state and of students.