2020 September e-news

MHEC recognizes the difficult time postsecondary institutions are experiencing in the Midwest and across the nation.  Feedback is welcome on how MHEC might be helpful from a regional perspective to institutions and states. We have sections on our website with COVID-19 Resources and options for COVID-19 Supplies.

MHEC Supports the FAFSA Simplification Act

MHEC, along with the other regional higher education compacts and the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), sent a letter to U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (TN) in support of advancing the simplification of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and enacting the reform this year. The signatories of the letter expressed the importance due to the pandemic and the concerning dips in FAFSA filing rates.

POLICY & RESEARCH

MHEC Pursues Creation of Comprehensive Learner Record Advisory Group

MHEC is in the process of forming a Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR) Advisory Group which is one of several MHEC activities related to digital credentialing, e-transcripting, and CLR. The advisory group will provide additional feedback to the RFP Committee and work with state action teams to help states move toward the use of e-transcripts, CLR, and more. These activities include an ongoing partnership with Credential Engine, a 14-year long contract for e-transcripting services, and evolving regional and state level communities of practice working to improve the capacity of each MHEC state to move toward digital credentialing and credential transparency. The advisory group will include individuals from a variety of constituencies (i.e., educational agencies such as K-12, state higher education executive offices, institutions, data and IT fields) within MHEC states. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Jenny Parks, vice president at (612) 677-2779.

State Credential Transparency Action Teams Forming

MHEC continues its collaboration with Credential Engine, moving forward with plans to create state credential transparency action teams, building on and leveraging existing Credential Engine state partner teams and overlapping with the new CLR Advisory Group. All these groups are concerned with helping states move toward greater levels of digital credentialing, e-transcripting, data interoperability, and credential transparency, and it will work well to have them explore these opportunities together and holistically. MHEC and Credential Engine are working to secure funding support and resources to see that the work continues and momentum is not lost. These teams will also help MHEC explore potential contracting opportunities for products and services that can support states’ progress along the digital credentialing path. For more information about MHEC’s evolving work with Credential Engine, please contact Jenny Parks, vice president, at (612) 677-2779.

MHEC Collaboration with Regional Higher Education Compacts Continues for Open Educational Resources

Collaborations with the other regional higher education compacts (New England Board of Higher Education, Southern Regional Education Board, and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education) continues with Open Educational Resources (OER) currently at center stage. OER-(Free, openly licensed, learning materials that are available on the Internet to faculty and students and can be adapted and retained by learner.) The four compacts have agreed upon a national framework to support OER implementation and to coordination among the compacts. Each compact is committed to an 18-month plan that will include a region-wide assessment of OER work, research on specific OER issues, and an increased focus on particular OER constituencies. MHEC’s research will concern the development of recommended practices for tracking and calculating cost savings attributable to OER use, and the MHEC focal constituency will be community colleges and the development and use of OER materials for Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses and programs. Please see the line-up of OER-related webinars scheduled for this fall. For more information about MHEC’s work with OER, please contact Jenny Parks, vice president, at (612) 677-2779.

CONVENING

Upcoming MHEC Webinars

Thursday, September 24, 2020
2:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. CDT
Reducing Equity Gaps and Creating Resilience with Open Educational Resources
 

The Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources (CCCOER) will share how higher education institutions can work together on open education policy, professionalism, stewardship, and sustainability across regional and state boundaries to find solutions to common challenges. CCCOER is leading conversations with regional leaders of open education (RLOE) to support statewide and national projects for expanding access while creating resilience and sparking innovation at institutions of higher education.
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Thursday, October 1, 2020
2:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. CDT
Midwest States Tackle Broadband
 

Join the Midwestern Higher Education Compact to learn how various Midwest states and cities are addressing the broadband needs in their communities with innovation. Our speakers will share a variety of solutions: addressing the needs via legislation, through community outreach and partnerships, and through using data to drive partnerships to support those with the greatest needs.
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Thursday, October 8, 2020
2:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. CDT
SkillsCommons: Free and Open Online Library of CTE Instructional Materials and Program Support Resources
This webinar will demonstrate how you can easily search, find, and download instructional materials as well as program outreach, student advising materials, program evaluation materials and more support resources.  Showcasing how SkillsCommons can create customize portals and repositories to support regional needs will be included as well as how the online resources can support teaching “hands-on” skills and knowledge during the current COVID pandemic.
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Thursday, October 29, 2020
2:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. CDT
5 Books in 4 Years – How Do We Do It?!
Creating any open educational resource (OER) can be daunting, but five books in four years? That’s ambitious! The first book produced by Open RN, "Nursing Pharmacology," was released in June 2020 – one year after the work began. In this conversational webinar with colleagues from the Open Resources for Nursing Grant Project will discuss the development process they used to create the nursing OER textbooks for the Open RN project, and plenty of time will be provided for Q & A.

MHEC Presents to North Dakota Higher Education Committee

MHEC President Susan Heegaard had the opportunity to provide a MHEC update to North Dakota legislators on Monday, September 14, when she presented before the Higher Education Committee led by Rep. Mark Sanford, chairman. Ms. Heegaard provided a brief MHEC update on North Dakota's participation in MHEC programs, contracts, and research. Additionally, she provided an update and resources on the response of higher education institutions to COVID-19 and how the pandemic has created significant challenges and has also spurred opportunity and innovation, as well as areas of higher education and COVID-related legislation from across the nation.

MHEC Annual Commission Meeting to be Held Virtually November 9 and 10

MHEC commissioners will convene for their business meeting on the morning of Monday, November 9, and for policy and research updates on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 10. Topics to be addressed will be a post-election update, federal higher education updates, responses to the pandemic including how the fall has unfolded and plans for the spring, equity and other trends in higher education, as well as the concept of foresight with a focus on what the student experience will need to be moving toward 2025.

PROGRAMS

MHEC Announces Request for Proposal for MHECare Student Health Insurance Solutions, with New Request for Virtual Mental Health Services On September 3, MHEC announced its Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit from prospective provider(s) proposals that will offer institutions in MHEC member states services to support MHECare – its student health insurance solutions collaborative.

In 2012-13, MHECare began providing student health insurance for campuses that offer students a school-sponsored plan with the flexibility to tailor plans specifically to meet the needs of their students underwritten by a national carrier. Institutions that are unable to offer a school-sponsored plan, are able to provide an option through MHEC for private student health insurance exchanges which allows campuses to offer students multiple coverage options, provide support from insurance experts, and save valuable administrative time. Proposals are also being solicited from prospective provider(s) who can provide students with virtual mental health services.

Managing the procurement process is Jennifer Dahlquist,  vice president, who can be reached at (612) 677-2762. The prospective provider(s) deadline for submitting an Intent to Respond Form is on September 16, A mandatory pre-bid meeting takes place on September 24, and proposals are due on October 5.

MHEC's Property Insurance Program Renews through Market Challenges

MHEC’s Master Property Program (MPP) renewed on July 1, following a challenging renewal. Commercial property insurance rates have been rising since 2017, with dramatic acceleration starting in 2019 that has persisted into this year. Factors that are helping drive this year's MPP rate increases include MHEC-specific losses, market conditions including the impact of COVID-19, risk quality and potential for loss and exposure due to natural catastrophes including hail, tornadoes, flooding, and earthquake.

MPP participation includes over 180 campuses with total insured values exceeding $83 billion. The MPP continues to offer a unique dividend fund feature where a portion of premiums paid is available to be returned to members depending on loss experience. Since 1994, the program has returned over $21 million to its members and is well-positioned to deliver significant dividends to many members in the future.

The program is also available to postsecondary institutions of MHEC’s sister compact regions in the New England Board of Higher Education, the Southern Regional Education Board, and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. For more information about the program, please contact Carla Ahrens, property program manager, at (612) 677-2776.

CONTRACTS

Digital Credentialing Solutions RFP (e.g. e-Transcripts)

MHEC is forming a working group of subject-matter experts to evaluate a competitive solicitation for digital credential solutions this fall. MHEC has published the Digital Credentialing Solutions brief to provide background and a starting place for understanding the unfolding shift from traditional transcripts to comprehensive learner records.  MHEC continues to seek ways in which we can support this transition. MHEC’s current e-Transcript Initiative (ETI) provider is Parchment (MHEC-01272014). The ETI services offer a mechanism to facilitate the transfer of student information in a consistent format between public and private high schools to public and private colleges and universities. The ETI also facilitates the transfer of student information among all participating postsecondary institutions. In addition to the traditional print and digital transcript, the solicitation will also be seeking solutions that include information about non-classroom learning experiences and credentials earned via industrial training, field work, military service, volunteer experience, and more. The goal is to continue the engagement with a wide range of stakeholders so MHEC can build on and expand efforts to improve the vital credential and competency data connections that tie education, jobs, and the economy together. For more information on this upcoming solicitation visit MHEC's anticipated upcoming technology solicitations for additional details. 

ARTICLES AND RESOURCES OF INTEREST

A ‘closing argument’ for the national goal of 60% of adults having more than a high school diploma by 2025
Lumina Foundation | September 15, 2020

Spring Planning Has Begun. Here’s What Colleges Are Thinking So Far.
The Chronicle of Higher Education | September 11, 2020

When Re-Opened Campuses Close, Students Need to Figure Out Where to Go
Diverse | September 11, 2020

Education Finance in the Time of COVID-19
NCSL | September 10, 2020

State Agencies and Systems of Higher Education Leading for Equity
SHEEO | 2020

MHEC Career Opening: Policy and Research Manager