PACE Director Gerald C. Hayward Passes (1938–2021)

Gerald (Jerry) C. Hayward died at home on September 11, 2021, after many years with Parkinson's disease. PACE remembers Jerry as a tireless fighter for affordable, accessible higher education, and as the first codirector of PACE.

Hayward received his master’s in education from San Francisco State University while teaching high school history and government. He later became an aide to California Senator Al Rodda, and then chief consultant to the state senate's education and finance committees. Hayward’s efforts as a legislative advocate for community colleges helped drive the passage of landmark school finance reforms.

In 1980, Hayward was appointed statewide chancellor of the California Community College system, the nation's largest postsecondary education system. Over the next five years—a time of fiscal cutbacks and eroding confidence in government—he fought for adequate funding while spearheading reform of the community college system. The enduring impact of his work is celebrated yearly with the Gerald C. Hayward Award for Excellence in Education.

In 1982, Hayward directed PACE with Michael Kirst and James Guthrie. Several years later, he became deputy director of the National Center for Research in Vocational Education. He also came to be a founding partner of the consulting firm Management, Analysis and Planning. Hayward served on the boards of EdSource, AVID, and the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning.

Hayward worked prominently on many national and state commissions dealing with education governance and policy. He specialized in education finance for both K–12 and higher education, as well as school-to-career programs, childcare issues, school district organization, and education governance. In addition, he was an expert on computer applications for financial analysis and simulation.

Hayward’s sense of humor and his unassuming leadership style won him many allies and friends. He is greatly missed by his colleagues and friends at PACE.

Text adapted from The San Francisco Chronicle and other sources.