CSU trustee nominees stress housing, access and AI concerns in Rules Committee hearing

Two nominees for the California State University Board of Trustees told the Senate Rules Committee they would focus on student access and basic needs if confirmed.

Kelly Dermody, who described herself as the child of two educators and a lawyer focused on removing barriers to access, said, "It is my hope that if you approve me to be a trustee, that at CSU, I would make as my priorities, access for students and families across the state." Andrea Evans, who said her professional work "revolves around homelessness and housing issues," told senators she would apply that expertise to decisions tied to the housing bond and student housing. Both nominees emphasized cross-system collaboration on enrollment and a data-driven approach to artificial intelligence in education. "We really need to...make sure that our students and our faculty are able to access AI as a tool, not as a replacement," Evans said.

Committee members asked about tuition increases scheduled for coming years and what metrics the nominees would use to evaluate outcomes. Dermody and Evans said they would want to review data on student success, faculty retention and budget allocations before endorsing or opposing specific tuition changes. The committee recorded initial roll calls and left votes open for absent members to add on before final add-on tallies confirmed Dermody’s referral to the full Senate and Evans’s approval in committee.