Almost a decade ago, at another university on another coast, Ellen Neufeldt set out to organize a symposium on social mobility. As she called around to invite participants as an administrator at Old Dominion University in Virginia, she received the same answer again and again:

“I will come, but first you must tell me what social mobility is.”

Neufeldt related that story on Thursday under a very different set of circumstances. She’s now in her sixth year as president of Cal State San Marcos. Social mobility has increasingly gained prominence in the world of higher education.

And, most significantly, Neufeldt was speaking to an audience of more than 400 people packed into the University Student Union ballroom for the now-annual National Social Mobility Symposium. A cross-section of education, government and other leaders from across the country congregated over a day-and-a-half to delve into the once-foreign concept and the many ways that social mobility is interconnected with the vital work of educating students.

“The national and higher education conversation has changed in many ways,” Neufeldt said in remarks kicking off the symposium. “Right here at CSUSM and in the CSU in general, social mobility has been part of the core mission of who we are. In fact, through CSUSM’s strategic planning, we established our vision to be a national leader in social mobility.

“While social mobility includes upward economic mobility, it also encompasses broader access to opportunities and resources, education, and overall quality of life.”

In a fortuitous stroke of timing, the symposium began on the same day that the College Futures Foundation – an Oakland-based nonprofit – released its inaugural California Mobility Index. The CMI ranks four-year institutions in the state based not on how exclusive they are, but rather on the rate of low- and medium-income students they enroll and the return on investment they provide.

California State University campuses account for 13 of the top 15 spots (including CSUSM) in the CMI, the debut of which drew coverage from such media outlets as the Los Angeles Times and EdSource.  

CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia was one of four keynote speakers at the symposium, calling it one of the system’s “signature events.”

“At the CSU and at our peer institutions represented here today, social mobility is our greatest strength, our immense source of pride, and it’s our reason for being,” Garcia said. 

Neufeldt discussed, and other speakers at the symposium explored, the concept of a four-legged stool – the systemic barriers that predominate in higher education and prevent the thriving of social mobility. The four legs consist of:

• the college rankings that historically have focused on, but are gradually evolving away from, exclusion over inclusion;
• the media that has long skewed its coverage toward Ivy League and flagship institutions;
• state governments that tie funding formulas to outdated ranking models;
• and industries and employers that still tend to recruit primarily from elite institutions.

“We must be intentional about dismantling barriers, changing practices and expanding opportunities,” Neufeldt said. “We must view every decision by asking ourselves: Who is being left out? What structures are we upholding that need to be reimagined?

“This is not just about education. It is about our economy, our workforce and the future leaders of our regions and nations.”

Joining Garcia as keynote speakers at the symposium were Nate Hilger, an economist and data scientist and author of the book “The Parent Trap: How to Stop Overloading Parents and Fix Our Inequality Crisis”; Charles Welch, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities; and Alejandra Campoverdi, founder of the First Gen Fund and a former White House aide to President Barack Obama.

On Friday, two current or former elected officials spoke to the assembled crowd: Toni Atkins, the former leader of the California State Senate; and Scott Peters, the U.S. representative of the congressional district (50^th) that includes San Marcos.

Atkins talked about the tie between her own story of social mobility as a first-generation college graduate who grew up poor in Appalachia and her political work in the state as a fierce advocate of education, affordable housing and LGBTQ rights.

“Social mobility allowed me, the daughter of a seamstress from Appalachia, to become the first woman to be president pro tempore of the California State Senate,” Atkins said. “It allowed me to live a life far beyond my dreams. I want to make sure current and future students get a chance to live that life as well.”

Peters appeared at the symposium for the third year in a row. He also hosted Neufeldt and other leaders from CSUSM in Washington last summer.

“This is the right place for the symposium,” Peters said. “Cal State San Marcos is a model that I talk about all the time in my work.”

The symposium emcee, also for the third straight year, was Wenda Fong, former chair and current trustee of the CSU Board of Trustees.

“It is our highest mission to afford students of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, abilities, identities and orientations the opportunity to earn the lifelong benefits of a high-quality college degree,” Fong said. “This mission and these values have never been more essential. Our world, and the changes coming in the future, require higher education to prepare students for a society of rapid change in technology, increasing interconnectedness and new forms of employment.”

Other highlights from the symposium included:

• a look at how technology is shaping the future of higher education, emphasizing the role of innovation in creating equitable opportunities.
• quick pitches on impactful programs, and dozens of best practices, showing clear examples of how institutions can foster social mobility in creative ways.
• panels showcasing how different organizations measure social mobility through rankings and how university leaders reinforce the importance of adapting to student needs.
• the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) on how institutions and economic leaders work together to drive regional change and bolster the workforce and economy.
• a discussion on best practices throughout the educational pipeline, emphasizing strong partnerships between K-12, community colleges and universities to create seamless pathways to higher education.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306