2021 June MHEC News

POLICY & RESEARCH

MHEC Report Explores Relationship between Technology Adequacy and Student Perceptions of Success

Many students experienced academic challenges while engaging in online learning, according to several surveys fielded during the pandemic. The recent MHEC report, The Digital Divide Among College Students: Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Emergency Transition, examined how technology access in Indiana and Ohio influenced students’ academic experience and success during this period.

As the figure below shows, survey respondents with inadequate technology were more likely than their peers to agree that, after the switch to online learning, coursework became more challenging, and that they had a harder time meeting deadlines. Moreover, 28% of students without adequate technology felt successful as a college student, compared to 46% of students with adequate technology.

Source: Jaggars, S. S., Motz, B. A., Rivera, M. D., Heckler, A., Quick, J.D., Hance, E. A., & Karwischa, C. (2021). The Digital Divide Among College Students: Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Emergency Transition. Midwestern Higher Education Compact.

For additional survey results, methodology, and state policy recommendations, see the full report, The Digital Divide Among College Students: Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Emergency Transition.

MHEC Supports Three Institutions with Career Technical Education Open Educational Resources Projects

MHEC has selected three projects to receive support through the Rebus Textbook Success Program, an initiative to equip institutional teams of faculty, librarians, instructional designers, and other interested stakeholders with the tools they need to make high-quality compilations of Open Educational Resources (OER). The three projects will produce OER for career and technical education courses and fill gaps in available OER content to address the needs of incarcerated students. Participating institutions are Alpena Community College, in partnership with Bay College (Michigan), University of Wisconsin Extended Campus (Wisconsin), and University of Wisconsin-Madison (Wisconsin). Learn more about each of these projects.

Join Action Team to Improve Credential Transparency

The Midwest Credential Transparency Alliance (MCTA) is launching a Pathways Action Team to provide a forum for MHEC members to collaborate on improving the transparency of credential pathways. Defining a regional vision for pathways will be the team's first step. Please [complete this quick sign-up <https://mhec.eventsair.com/21mctakickoff/pathwayssignup/Site/Register>] to indicate your interest in participating in the Pathways Action Team. Feel free to share this information with anyone in your organization or institution who may also be interested. The first meeting of this new group is Thursday, July 15, from 3-4 p.m. CT. Please sign-up even if you are unable to attend the July meeting.

CONVENINGS

WEBINAR: 2021 Emerging Issues and Policies Regarding Military-Connected Students

June 24, 2021 1:00 p.m. CT

Lauren Augustine
Student Veterans of America .

Join MHEC and Lauren Augustine, vice president of government affairs, Student Veterans of America, to learn more about the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 that was signed into law P.L.116-315. We will also discuss other emerging issues and policies that affect military-connected students in postsecondary education.

WEBINAR: An Introduction to Ease Learning July 15, 2021 11:00 a.m. CT

Laurie Pulido
Ease Learning

Join MHEC and Laurie Pulido, CEO of Ease Learning, to learn more about MHEC's [new contract for instructional design and instructional training services. The webinar will provide an overview of the wide range of learning design and out-sourced help desk services offered to higher education institutions. We will share a brief demonstration of Skillways, the company’s recently launched software that works in conjunction with existing Learning Management Systems. Examples will include the software's ability to scale and deliver programs that optimize outcomes and completion rates and contribute directly to the institution's long-term sustainability in the form of higher retention rates and increased enrollments.

WEBINAR: Creating More Consistency in Cost Savings and ROI Metrics to Build the Case for OER August 18, 2021 1:00 p.m. CT

Katie Zaback
Zaback Consulting

Join MHEC and Katie Zaback, of Zaback Consulting, for a discussion on the current progress of a national group of leaders in Open Educational Resources (OER) who are exploring recommendations for reporting cost savings and return on investment of OER for students, institutions, and states. They will discuss what they have learned and provide some initial findings from the research that will help inform the final release in early 2022. They will also provide a framework that organizations can adapt to their own context.

Resources Available from Past Events

OER in Dual and Concurrent Enrollment Programs: Current Practice and Best Practice
This webinar presented early findings from a current study funded by the MHEC and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to examine current use of Open Educational Resources in dual and concurrent enrollment courses, and best practices and lessons learned from states and dual enrollment partnerships pioneering these efforts.

Teacher Credentialing: Options and Opportunities
This session showcased state and multistate efforts underway to increase access to graduate courses for high school teachers. The panelists discussed their work to expand access to graduate credits needed to meet regional accreditors' requirements for concurrent enrollment instructors.

CONTRACTS

New Contract for Creative Commons Learning Opportunities

MHEC has a new contract with [Creative Commons (CC) for existing and custom CC licensing for professional learning opportunities. This contract offers a 15% discount to staff and institutional members of MHEC and its sister compacts: the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). This contract is effective from June 2021 through June 2022. CC is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to helping build and sustain a thriving commons of shared knowledge and culture. Through workshops, consultations and the CC Certificate, CC helps community members develop open licensing expertise, and a deeper understanding of recommended practices for sharing.

MHEC Announces Four Contracts for Security Services

Last fall, MHEC went through a Request for Proposal process to establish a portfolio of contracts for security services (Security Threat Intelligence Products and Services, Security Information and Event Management, Managed Security Services, Security Consulting Services, and Security Awareness Training). The first contracts from that process are now available on MHEC's website. Additional contracts are pending and the website will be updated as vendor contracts are finalized.

BerryDunn (consulting);
CampusGuard (consulting and training);
Infosec (training); and
RK Consultancy Services, Inc. (consulting).

Two Contract Renewals Signed

Commvault from Arrow Electronics, renewed through June 30, 2022
Xerox, renewed through June 30, 2025

COMMISSIONER NEWS

MHEC Executive Committee Holds Hybrid Meeting in Des Moines

MHEC hosted its June Executive Committee meeting as a hybrid gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 7-8. Vice Chair Rick Carfagna, who is a state representative from Ohio and also serves as the assistant majority floor leader, stepped in as acting chair and led the meeting. Commissioners were welcomed by Iowa commissioners Regent Nancy Boettger and Past Chair Olivia Madison. All 12 member states were represented for the meeting either virtually or in person. The other officers include Chair David Eisler, Ferris State University (MI); Treasurer Devinder Malhotra, chancellor, Minnesota State.

Kathie Obradovich, editor-in-chief for the Iowa Capital Dispatch , gave an engaging presentation about the history, culture, and politics in Iowa as well as a perspective on the state of newspapers and news in our country. Kathy Leggett, policy advisor for Future Ready Iowa, shared important information on closing Iowa’s skills gap and the state’s attainment goal. MHEC has also begun a strategic planning process, and commissioners were engaged in discussion by Kathy Graves and Brigitte Parenteau of Parenteau Graves. A Strategic Planning Committee has been named to engage in a process through the summer and early fall with a report and recommendations to be delivered to the full Commission at the fall November meeting. The committee members include: Chair, David Eisler (MI), Molly Baumgardner (KS), Bill Pink (MI), Devinder Malhotra (MN), Kayla Hahn (MO), Mike Duffey (OH), and Janelle Toman (SD) as well as MHEC staff Susan Heegaard, president, Jennifer Dahlquist, vice president, and Jenny Parks, vice president. Updates will be provided in the upcoming weeks. Available [recordings and presentations <https://www.mhec.org/convening/executive-committee-meeting-0>] from the Executive Committee meeting have been posted to the MHEC website.

Commissioners took action to approve the FY22 MHEC budget, as well as approving a one-year contract extension for SAS, through November 30, 2022. Commissioners also approved a contract renewal for President Susan Heegaard.

ARTICLES AND RESOURCES OF INTEREST

Current Term Enrollment Estimates
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center | June 10, 2021

Case Studies: How 11 States Are Using Emergency Federal Funds to Make Improvements in College and Career Access That Will Endure Beyond the Pandemic
The 74 | June 3, 2021

College Enrollment and Retention in the Era of Covid
College Board | June 2021

FACT SHEETS: The Benefits of College in High School Programs and What the Research Says About College in High School Programs
College in High School Alliance | June 2021

Grant Opportunity: Broadband Infrastructure Program 
Grants.gov

How to get more rural kids to college? Universal broadband would help
The Hill | May 29, 2021

Report: State Funding of Higher Education, Financial Aid Directly Impacts Student Outcomes
NASFAA | May 24, 2021

Understanding Access to and Participation in Dual Enrollment by Locale and Income Level
Institute of Education Sciences | May 2021