MHEC News September 2024

Hello,

Happy fall! Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend the Lumina Foundation’s state policy retreat held in Baltimore, Maryland. It was good to reconnect with so many colleagues and friends from across the country, learning and sharing together. The theme of the gathering, Forward Together, gave state teams a chance to reflect, assess current opportunities and challenges, and align strategic direction for the coming year(s). Lumina let the attendees know that they will be continuing with a revised  national attainment goal and will be sharing their plans regarding the goal in the near future. We’ve heard from many of you that having a goal is helpful, particularly when it comes to developing strategies to improve attainment. When we’ve been visiting with state and higher education leaders, we’ve experienced that the goal has been a great way to generate discussion and ideas.

We always welcome your feedback and suggestions about how we can best meet the needs of your region. If you have something going on that you would like for us to know about and highlight, please let us know.

Here are this month's newsletter highlights:
•    Policy & Research: Need-based Grant Aid
•    Convenings: IT Leadership Series; CC Certificate
•    Contracts: Next Generation ERP RFP Update and Survey
•    Commissioner Appointments: Indiana and Wisconsin
•    Team Updates: NCAN Meet and Greet; SPE Annual Conference

 
Susan G. Heegaard
MHEC President
 

Policy & Research

Need-Based Grant Aid Per Student Decreased in Several Midwestern States

The latest update to MHEC's Interactive Dashboard shows that state need-based grant aid per full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student increased between 2020-21 and 2021-22 in 2 Midwestern states (Kansas and Missouri), but it decreased in the 10 other states while accounting for inflation. However, average need-based grant aid in current dollars (not adjusted for inflation) increased in most Midwestern states during the same period. In addition, average need-based grant aid in Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota remains higher than the regional and national averages. Notably, some Midwestern states have recently taken action to increase grant aid for college students, which is not yet reflected in the data due to a two-year reporting lag. For example, a new need-based Michigan Achievement Scholarship has been offered for qualified students since 2023-24.

State need-based grant aid includes all grant aid distributed through state programs that have financial need as a criterion for student eligibility. This indicator also includes aid awarded through hybrid programs that combine financial need and merit criteria, but funding through programs based solely on academic merit or other factors is excluded. Need-based grant aid programs generally define financial need in terms of a maximum income limit, an expected family contribution (EFC), or the difference between the EFC and cost of attendance. Grant aid amounts include awards to undergraduate students attending any eligible postsecondary institution, including public, private not-for-profit, and private for-profit institutions. An overview of state grant-aid programs and policy options is available online.

Selected finance indicators are also available for MHEC states in the report Higher Education in Focus.
 
Average State Need-based Grant Aid per FTE Student

Source. National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs. (2021, 2022). Annual survey report on state-sponsored student financial aid. Estimates have been adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars using the Consumer Price Index.

 

Convenings

IT Leadership Launchpad Series: Transforming Real-World Challenges into Triumphs

This five-part series features members of MHEC's Technologies Community who will facilitate discussions on real-world challenges faced by higher education information technology (IT) leaders today. Each session, based on insights from MHEC's recent paper Conveying the Value of Information Technology focuses on a key principle for conveying value through thoughtfully designed scenarios. Plan to engage with colleagues and share experiences and gain new perspectives. Collaborate and develop innovative strategies to elevate IT’s strategic role at your campus. Each session will feature a mix of expert guidance, peer problem-solving, and practical takeaways. Leave energized and prepared to amplify IT's impact on your campus. Register below for each session.

 

Creative Commons Certificate Program: Getting an alumna’s perspective and tips!
October 24 | 2:00 p.m. CT
REGISTER

MHEC will host the webinar Creative Commons (CC) Certificate Program: Getting an alumna's perspective and tips! on October 24 at 2:00 p.m. CT. featuring Alumna Cindy Kristof. Ms. Kristof, copyright and scholarly communication librarian at the Kent State University Libraries, will describe her experience in taking the CC Certificate for Academic Librarians course, tips for getting through the course content, and how getting CC certified has helped her work in open education. Jennryn Wetzler, director of learning and training at CC, will provide an overview of the CC certificate courses in open licensing, and how to take advantage of the 15% discount on registration through the CC’s partnership with MHEC.

 

Senior Leaders Open Education Seminar
November 6 | 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. CT
REGISTER

The Open Education Network will host a Senior Leaders Open Education Seminar on Wednesday, November 6. This free, virtual event is for senior leaders in higher education. This event is tailored for provosts, presidents, vice presidents, deans and directors, and board of regents staff. The three-hour seminar will provide valuable insights, tools, and best practices for aligning open education initiatives with institutional, consortial, and statewide strategic priorities. Guided by expert presenters, this session will offer strategies to create sustainable, impactful open education programs and attendees will leave equipped to support and provide clear rationale for open education initiatives. This seminar is also a great opportunity to connect with peers from across regions. Questions may be directed to oer@mhec.org.

 

Contracts

Next Generation ERP RFP Update: Share Your Insights in MHEC's Technology Survey

Please take a moment to help MHEC staff prepare for the EDUCAUSE 2024 conference by completing, a brief, 10-minute survey on ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems, automation, and technology priorities from institutions across the Midwestern region. Institutional feedback will guide MHEC's request for proposal (RFP) evaluators for its Next Generation Higher Education ERP System of Systems (MHEC-RFP-04182024) in making informed recommendations for the proposed RFP solutions of MHEC's Next Generation Higher Education ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) System of Systems (MHEC-RFP-04182024).

The RFP is on track with 15 higher education subject matter experts who are evaluating 12 proposals from system integrators, consulting firms, ERP vendors, and resellers. This solicitation invited proposals from a diverse array of suppliers within the ERP ecosystem — including ERP software vendors, system integrators, consultants in higher education technologies, and resellers — to enhance, upgrade, or implement financial management, human resources, student information systems, and related services, emphasizing vendors with a proven track record of supporting diverse educational institutions and expertise in ERP system management. Recommendations for awards are expected this fall. If you have any questions, contact Nathan Sorensen, director of government contracts.

Commissioner Appointments


Indiana
Charles "Chuck" Johnson
President
Vincennes University
Term: 9/9/2024 to 2/28/2025


Wisconsin

Layla Merrifield (alternate)
President
Wisconsin Technical College System
Term: 9/17/2024 to 8/31/2028

Christopher Patton (alternate)
Interim Vice President for University Relations
University of Wisconsin System
Term: 9/9/2024 to 8/31/2028

 

Team Updates


MHEC Hosts Meet and Greet at NCAN Annual Conference

Samra Asghedom, manager of external relations and strategic initiatives, along with Jonathan McNicholes, manager of policy and stakeholder engagement, attended the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) Annual Conference on September 16-18. MHEC hosted a meet and greet for Midwest attendees in order to share how MHEC is supporting student success and postsecondary attainment. Additionally, MHEC provided 15 travel scholarships for attendees from Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Each person who expressed an interest, were awarded the opportunity to attend based on the work they do related to FAFSA in their respective states. The majority also did not have previous working relationships with NCAN.
NCAN Annual Conference 
Images from the NCAN Annual Conference Midwest Meet and Greet. Represented by Jonathan McNicholes, manager of policy and stakeholder engagement, and Samra Asghedom, manager of external relations and strategic initiatives.

 

State Portal Entity Meeting Hosted in Indiana

Sara Appel director of M-SARA, along with Jonathan McNicholes, manager of policy and stakeholder engagement, attended the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) State Portal Entity (SPE) Annual Conference in Indianapolis. Continuing the 10-year anniversary celebration of NC-SARA, the meeting was hosted in the first state to begin participating in SARA. Ms. Appel was host throughout the convening.
Attendees at the SPE Annual Conference 
Left to Right: Paige Smith; chief compliance and risk officer, University of Wisconsin System; Rebecca Larson; executive vice president, Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities; Cheryl Dowd; senior director, SAN and WCET policy innovations, WCET; Sara Appel, director of M-SARA, MHEC; and Russ Poulin, executive director, WCET.

 

Articles and Resources of Interest

A Focus on Improving the FAFSA® Experience:  Updates, actions, and a path forward for the 2025–26 cycle
U.S. Department of Education | September 2024

Will AI Make College Admissions and Advising Better — or Worse?
Chronicle of Higher Education | September 6, 2024

Why Students Can’t Work on Their Own
Chronicle of Higher Education | August 26, 2024

Report finds professors are burned out, thanks to technology
Inside Higher Ed | August 26, 2024

 

 

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