Aaron Horn is the associate vice president of research at the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC), where he leads multiple research initiatives that inform higher education policy and practice in the Midwest. His portfolio focuses on affordability and finance; college readiness and success; pathways and credentials; and data and performance. Aaron’s published research has spanned such topics as student and faculty mental health, state funding outcomes, educational performance indicators, high-impact practices, student development, and scientific integrity. Prior to his career in higher education research, Aaron worked in the field of mental health, supporting adolescents and adults in diverse settings, including group homes, youth programs, psychiatric clinics, and homeless shelters. He holds a B.A. magna cum laude in Psychology from St. John’s University, an M.A. in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Minnesota.
Aaron joined MHEC in 2012.
Selected Publications
Anderson, M., Horn, A. S., Risbey, K., Ronning, E., & DeVries, R. (2007). Research misconduct among those who should know better. Academic Medicine, 82(9), 853-860.
Francis, P. C., & Horn, A. S. (2017). Mental Health Issues and Counseling Services in US Higher Education: An Overview of Recent Research and Recommended Practices. Higher Education Policy, 30(2), 263-277.
Hendel, D. D., & Horn, A. S. (2008). The relationship between academic life conditions and perceived sources of faculty stress over time. Journal of Human Behavior in Social Context, 17(1, 2), 61-88.
Horn, A. S. (2012). The cultivation of a prosocial value orientation through community service: An examination of organizational context, social facilitation, and duration. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41(7), 948-968.
Horn, A. S., & Fry, G. W. (2013). Promoting global citizenship through study abroad: The impact of destination, program focus, and duration on the propensity for international volunteerism. Voluntas, 24, 1159-1179.
Horn, A. S., Hendel, D. D., & Fry, G. W. (2007). Ranking the international dimension of top research universities in the United States. Journal of Studies in International Education, 11(3-4), 330-358.
Horn, A. S., Hendel, D. D., & Fry, G. W. (2012). The empirical basis for adopting a civic rationale for internationalization. Higher Education, 64(2), 161-175.
Horn, A. S., Horner, O. G., & Lee, G. (2017). Measuring the effectiveness of two-year colleges: a comparison of raw and value-added performance indicators. Studies in Higher Education. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1349741
Horn, A. S., Horner, O. G., Tandberg, D. A., Toutkoushian, R. K., & Williams-Wyche, S. N. (2023). The Effect of State Appropriations on College Graduation Rates of Diverse Students.
Journal of Education Finance, 49(1), 26-64.
Horn, A. S., & Lee, G. (2017). Evaluating the accuracy of productivity indicators in performance funding models. Educational Policy. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904817719521
Horn, A. S., & Lee, G. (2016). The reliability and validity of using regression residuals to measure institutional effectiveness in promoting degree completion. Research in Higher Education, 57(4), 469-496.
Horn, A. S., & Tandberg, D. A. (2018). Indicators of educational quality for postsecondary accountability systems. In H. P. Weingarten, M. Hicks, & A. Kaufman (Eds.), Assessing quality in postsecondary education: International perspectives (pp. 3-26). McGill-Queen's University Press.
Rasmussen, C. J., Horn, A. S., & Reinert, L. J. (2015). The Midwestern Higher Education Compact: Advancing education through collaboration and resource sharing. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 39(10), 896-900.
Stolz, I., Hendel, D. D., Horn, A. S. (2010). Ranking of rankings: Benchmarking twenty-five higher education ranking systems in Europe. Higher Education, 60(5), 507-529.