Accessibility, affordability and quality – like all state colleges and universities, Cal State Monterey Bay embodies those values for students. To reinforce this, CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa has signed a pledge supporting the national Opportunities for All campaign launched by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).

Created by the AASCU, the campaign aims to raise awareness and understanding of the shared values of the important role of state colleges and universities nationwide.

“State colleges are a smart investment, not only for students, but for the regions they serve,” said Ochoa. “Students have access to a quality, affordable education. The job skills they obtain, and the education they receive from outstanding faculty, advances economic progress and cultural development in their respective regions.”

CSUMB is one of 420 AASCU colleges and universities in the U.S. Nationally, nearly 4 million students attend state colleges and universities, representing 46 percent of all students at public four-year institutions.

Yet, many state colleges are misinterpreted or even underappreciated according to Ochoa. In 2013, AASCU commissioned a survey to assess public perceptions of state colleges and universities. Research showed some key stakeholders - lawmakers, opinion leaders, prospective students, parents and the general public - did not fully understand or appreciate the value of AASCU institutions.

“That’s why this campaign is necessary,” said Ochoa. “People need to see the value of institutions like CSUMB. We are not only a resource to the Monterey Bay region. We serve students from the entire state of California.”

CSUMB is primary site for innovation and community service. When California Governor Jerry Brown established a $50 million program to reward higher education innovation, 52 colleges and universities from across the state applied. Two CSUMB projects – the CSIT-in-3 collaboration with Hartnell College and the Math Huge developmental program – won awards, receiving a total of $8 million, more than any other campus.

The campus is a two-time winner of the President’s Award for Higher Education Community Service, and has been named to the Community Service Honor Roll in the years it has not received the top honor, making CSUMB the most decorated university for service learning in the nation.

CSUMB strives to create a skilled workforce to support local businesses in the Monterey Bay region, along with advancing cultural development said Ochoa. The institution is a gateway for traditionally underserved populations. Seventy-two percent of CSUMB students receive some form of financial aid. Fifty-six percent of CSUMB students are among the first generation of their family to go to college.

For more information on AASCU’s Opportunities for All campaign, go to https://www.aascu.org/Opps4All/.