Digital Center for Innovation, Transformation and Equity

The Digital Center for Innovation, Transformation and Equity ("Digital Center") represents a strategic approach to supporting Vision 2030 for the California Community Colleges, including leading in innovation, harnessing the power of generative AI, public and private technology partnerships, and transforming our ability to serve students as they move into an AI-powered workforce. The Digital Center itself represents a strategic shift, recognizing no entity can do this alone. The State Chancellor is tapping Foothill-De Anza Community College District and its reputation for technology and transformation to be its Principal Partner. Both the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and Foothill-De Anza Community College District are bringing resources to the table to launch the Digital Center. Learn more in the Resolution of the Board of Governors California Community Colleges Number 2024-17. Additional California Community College districts will be invited to join as Founding Parnters, to reinforce the effort by bringing additional regional perspectives to shape the direction of the center and to collaboratively resource it as a startup.

Creating Opportunities

The Digital Center will create opportunities to modernize systemwide infrastructure and practices in ways that elevate and accelerate systemwide outcomes as described in Vision 2030 and below.

Leveraging creative partnerships with state agencies, industry leaders, etc. to support California Community College learners and the state’s workforce. Some examples of recent Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) signed by the Chancellor’s Office include United Domestic Workers, the state department of Healthcare Access and Information (HCAI), and NVIDIA.
Creating nimble, data-informed pilots of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and other emerging technology to determine efficacy and scalability.
Informing systemwide strategy for common infrastructure, such as introducing new ways to build on projects like the Common Cloud Data Platform (CCDP) demonstration project.
Incorporating AI, using the shared infrastructure to counter financial aid fraud, and creating similar added value to address current system gaps.

Supporting the HUMANS Approach

As generative AI evolves and expands rapidly, the Digital Center will work to support the HUMANS-centered approach to AI outlined by the AI Council, to ensure our most vulnerable populations are centered in the opportunity generative AI creates and working to identify ways to be responsible users with an eye to environmental challenges posed by AI. We commit to:

Professional development to de-mystify AI, reducing fear and showing the opportunity AI presents for our students. We are already beginning to leverage partnerships with institutions like Carnegie Mellon, California Education Learning Lab, and statewide experts to adapt and make available professional development opportunities to the over 55,000 faculty in our system.
Ensuring ethical and secure use of AI by students and our community colleges is an important component, and the Digital Center will help us formulate policies and practices that align with those values.
Carefully choosing partners that take environmental stewardship seriously is one way that the Digital Center will support the green agenda. Additionally, our colleges are hubs of innovation and can assist industry in providing ideas and expertise to support companies’ own advancements in this area, as California is the leader.

A Hub for Innovation and Transformation

The creation of the Digital Center creates a hub for our colleges, our industry partners, and philanthropy to jointly contribute to the innovation and transformation of our system. The Digital Center is unique as it harnesses the world’s epicenter for big tech, Silicon Valley, pairing it with community colleges and other organizations that serve some of the most vulnerable in our society. Initial reactions have been enthusiastic, with a recognition from industry partners that this is a unique approach, and that California is once again leading.

Adapting to Meet Student Needs

As the needs of California’s workforce change to incorporate AI literacy and new types of skills, the California Community Colleges will respond and adapt to meet those needs. The Digital Center will position us at the forefront of innovation; our students and Californians will benefit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How would you summarize the goals of the Digital Center?

The Digital Center is designed to enable the system to quickly adapt and innovate. A fundamental component involves prototyping, piloting, and assessing technological innovations to scale effective partnerships, strategies, technologies, and practices across California community colleges. It aims to provide equitable technology access to students, faculty, staff, and administrators, removing barriers and enhancing opportunities for student success. Additionally, the Digital Center will serve as a hub for evaluating new technologies and partners based on their impact on student learning, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with the values and principles of California community colleges.

Who are the Principal Partners of the Digital Center?

The State Chancellor has tapped Foothill-De Anza Community College District, known for its expertise in technology and successful track record leading statewide initiatives, to be its principal partner and fiscal agent.

What role will professional development play in the Digital Center?

Professional development will be a key component, reducing fear and showcasing the opportunities AI presents for students. A key component will be offering professional development statewide to help faculty keep pace with advancements and increasing student and industry expectations around AI.

How will the Digital Center ensure ethical and secure use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

The Digital Center will help formulate policies and practices that align with ethical and secure use of AI by students and community colleges, and ensure those policies and practices are met across any pilots of AI tools. The Digital Center will also identify ways to be responsible users with an eye on environmental challenges posed by AI.

What is the background of the Digital Center's establishment?

On July 22, 2024, the California Community Colleges Board of Governors passed Resolution 2024-17, authorizing the establishment of the Digital Center for Innovation, Transformation, and Equity. The Foothill-De Anza Community College District was asked to join with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and serve as the principal partner and fiscal agent.

How is the Digital Center currently structured and funded?

To stand up the Digital Center, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, as principal partners, are initially leveraging in-kind contributions of existing staff time. Future resourcing will include founding partner districts that will contribute expertise and resources, as well as a mix of additional funding sources including direct funding from state agencies and strategic partner districts, grants, private sector and philanthropic contributions.

Last Updated 12/17/24