California State University, Northridge will confer an honorary doctorate of fine arts on entertainment executive, educator, philanthropist and Northridge alumnus Jim Berk during the university’s commencement ceremonies this month.

Predicting that California’s public higher education system will be drastically different 50 years from now, top CSU officials and a state elected leader told Cal State Northridge faculty, staff and students to prepare for change and let local and national elected officials know how important the CSU system is to the future of the state.

Demontray “Dee” Hankins was placed in foster care when he was a two-month old baby. He had lived in 12 different homes by the time he turned 12-years-old. Some thought he was a lost cause. However, when Hankins was a junior in high school, he received a call from an organization offering him a college scholarship. That changed his life.

Cal State Northridge’s Annual Juried Art Student Exhibition features graduate and undergraduate students using all of the visual arts from animation and photography to website design and video.

Before Josefina “Josie” Carbajal MA ’04 (Education Administration), ’96 (Liberal Studies) made a career as an advocate for work-study students, she was one herself.

Award-winning producer Don Hahn ’75 (Music) proved dreams come true; celebrated opera singer Carol Vaness MA ’76 (Music), Hon. D ’98 (Fine Arts) received rave reviews; and successful entrepreneur and business executive Irv Zakheim ’71 (Physical Education) proved teamwork pays on April 16 as the newest recipients of Cal State Northridge’s Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Don Hahn (Music, Class of ’75) has produced multiple blockbusters for Disney Animation, including “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Mr. Hahn was one of three honorees at the 2011 Distinguished Alumni Awards. (Video directed by Krishna Narayanamurti)

It is a simple question, but its answer has ramifications well beyond the walls that define California State University, Northridge. What is the future of higher education in California and the rest of the nation?