ICAS provides solutions to higher educational issues facing the state involving the California Master Plan for Higher Education which focuses on access, transfer, articulation, general education, and educational quality. ICAS advises the academic senates and leaders of all three public higher education segments and the policymakers in California. ICAS seeks to educate Californians on topics for higher education and the development of our workforce. ICAS involves our K-12 partners in making recommendations for postsecondary student preparation for college.
While each of the academic senates of the three ICAS partners provides vigorous leadership for faculty in their own segments, ICAS members also collaborate on policy positions and publications to the degree that such cooperation has the potential to improve intersegmental cooperation and better serve the students and people of California.
Issues subject to cooperation among ICAS members include advising California high school students on preparation for California higher education (ICAS competency statements), facilitating admission and transfer (support for IGETC Standards and now Cal-GETC Standards), and keeping California higher education affordable (including the growing issue of textbook affordability).