Three Bay Area College and University Presidents Reflect on Their Mounting Challenges

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KQED

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 2 September 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

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Summary

As a new crop of students start school this fall, Bay Area colleges and universities are navigating headwinds ranging from funding cuts to a shrinking student population. Fewer Californians are enrolling in college than a decade ago and now schools are bracing for a “demographic cliff,” a drop in high school graduates stemming from lower birth rates after the Great Recession. At the same time, college graduates are vital to the region’s economy and a degree remains a reliable path for social advancement. We’ll talk with the presidents of San Francisco State University, Saint Mary’s College and West Valley College about how they are managing those major challenges while pursuing their missions. Guests: Roger Thompson, president, Saint Mary's College of California Lynn Mahoney, president, San Francisco State University Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, president, West Valley College Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for Kiki Weedy Podcasts comes from San Francisco Opera,
0:03.7	accompanied sister Helen Prejean on a life-altering journey where her faith is put to the test.
0:08.4	This fall celebrate the homecoming of one of America's most important operas, Dead Man Walking.
0:13.1	September 14th through the 28th.
0:15.7	Ah, yeah.
0:18.1	So, Benny's parents, thanks for coming. Hi-ya. So, Benny has really blossomed this term. You're telling me, he outgrew his bike. We sold it, on eBay. Oh, that's not quite what I meant. It's free to sell on there. Free to sell? Easy too. Sold Benny's bike, your guitar, my jacket. You sold my guitar? Shall we talk about Benny? When it's this easy to sell for free,
0:39.5	you can't help but say you on it's eBay.
0:41.9	Things people love.
0:43.2	T's and C's Apply, Exclusive vehicles.
0:46.3	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal.
1:05.0	It is the day after Labor Day.
1:08.0	Schools everywhere are now back in session. Today we're going to focus in on California's
1:13.4	higher education system, but not the schools that have gotten all the focus of the Trump administration
1:18.6	and media. Instead, we're talking with the presidents of San Francisco State, St. Mary's College,
1:25.1	and the Community College, West Valley, about how they're managing
1:28.7	the challenges of funding cuts and shrinking student population.
1:33.5	That's all coming up next, right after this news. Welcome to Forum. I'm Alexis Madrigal. You know, sometimes we have a panel of journalists because we want people who are outside a given phenomenon or institution to be able to give
2:02.5	their outside perspective. This morning is different. We wanted people at the very highest level of
2:08.7	higher education to have more of an insider's conversation, one that allows us to listen in
2:14.2	on college presidents as they make sense of their own situation in this country and in this region right now.
2:20.7	Joining us, we've got Roger Thompson, president of St. Mary's College of California. Welcome.
2:26.2	Good morning. Thank you.
	...

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