2008

  • Western Undergraduate Exchange Enrollment Report Fall 2007

    Headcount of students sent and received through WICHE's Western Undergraduate Exchange with summaries by state, institution, and program. More than 22,000 students were enrolled in 143 WUE institutions for the 2007-08 academic year.

    March 2008 ~ 144pp. ~ Pub #0102:1C:0208:AG:2A333A ~ PDF ~ 719 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Are Your Online Students Really the Ones Registered for the Course? A WCET Briefing Paper

    This is a WCET Briefing Paper on the pending federal legislation concerning the authentication of distance education students. The paper provides an overview of the proposed legislation and describes some strategies to promote academic integrity in distance education (e.g. prevention approaches, compliance approaches). It provides a general overview of ways to promote academic integrity.

    February 2008 ~ 3pp. ~ PDF ~ 30 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Integrating Higher Education Financial Aid and Financing Policy: Case Studies from the Changing Direction States

    policyIntegrating.png

    One of WICHE’s primary activities of the Changing Direction project (funded by Lumina Foundation for Education) was to provide direct technical assistance to states that were seriously considering higher education financing issues in new ways. WICHE chose 14 states for the project and worked closely with each for a two-year period to develop a more comprehensive state policymaking framework and process so that policies related to appropriations, tuition, and financial aid were better aligned, occurred in an environment of collaboration, and supported state goals for higher education. In an effort to chronicle the states’ progress and developments as well as share the lessons learned, this publication offers a compilation of case studies written about the Changing Direction technical assistance states.

    February 2008 ~ 89pp. ~ Pub #2A357 ~ Printed copies available ~ PDF ~ 980 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • A Closer Look at Healthcare Workforce Needs in the West : Medical Education

    workforceMedEd.png

    This report highlights three interrelated workforce issues of importance to physicians and medical schools that prepare individuals for a career in medicine: the shortage of physicians and the planned expansion of medical school enrollment, medical student indebtedness, and primary care physician service with emphasis on care delivery in rural areas. The West’s demographics present unique challenges in educating our future healthcare professionals, and this analysis suggests strategies for how Western states can link their resources to respond, particularly in higher education.

    2008 ~ 16pp. ~ PDF ~ 289 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • A Closer Look at Healthcare Workforce Needs in the West : Oral Healthcare

    workforceOral.png

    The development of the future oral healthcare workforce is a central focus of WICHE, which has a long history of partnering with states to improve access to dental and other professional training via the Professional Student Exchange Program. This report highlights some of the key trends, issues, and challenges the WICHE region is facing with regard to the oral health care workforce.

    2008 ~ 15pp. ~ PDF ~ 1.47 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • A Closer Look at Healthcare Workforce Needs in the West : Pharmacy

    workforcePharmacy.png

    Pharmacy, with more than 230,000 practitioners today, is the third-largest health profession in the United States. Research on the national pharmacist workforce points to a continuing shortage of pharmacists, related to growth in medication use, the aging of the baby boomer generation, and the emergence of more clinical activities within pharmacies. Surveys that track shortage levels showed that there was a slow downward trend in the severity of shortages up until fall 2005, followed by higher shortage levels during the past year. Changes in shortage levels appear to parallel growth in prescription medication usage. WICHE’s Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP) allows students from states that do not have a public school of pharmacy to pay reduced tuition to a cooperating institution in the West. Sending states determine the number of new students to be supported each year. In 2006-07, 40 students from Alaska, Hawaii, and Nevada attended 16 cooperating pharmacy schools.

    2008 ~ 4pp. ~ PDF ~ 180 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Benchmarks: WICHE Region 2008

    policyBenchmarks.png

    This report presents information on the West’s progress in improving access to, success in, and financing of higher education. The information is updated annually to monitor change over time and encourage its use as a current tool for informed discussion in policy and education communities, focusing demographics related to Access, Success, and Finance in the West.

    2008 ~ 4pp. ~ PDF ~ 339 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • How WICHE Determines which Applicants Receive Support

    This document was developed to clarify how WICHE determines which applicants can be supported through its Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP).

    2008 ~ 3pp. ~ PDF ~ 32 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Policy Indicators for Higher Education: WICHE States

    WICHE’s electronic fact book presents regional as well as state-by- state data, with analyses on several fiscal, demographic, economic, and social indicators important to policymakers, educators, and researchers in the West. These indicators are updated periodically as new data become available. Downloadable PDF and Excel files are available from this site.

    2008 ~ Web page ~ LINK

  • Student Exchange Programs Statistical Report, Academic Year 2007-08

    An accounting of enrollment in and financing of WICHE’s student exchanges at undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels for academic year 2007-08.

    2008 ~ 21pp. ~ Pub #01-02-00-5400:KENDALL:1M:2A339A ~ Printed copies available ~ 625 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • The Time is Right for the Internet Course Exchange

    This whitepaper presents how WICHE ICE is a tool that institutions can leverage to operate more efficiently and to advance strategic initiatives during these tight financial times. It is a comprehensive model and set of tools for institutions looking to expand online offerings through collaboration. The more institutions that actively participate in ICE, the more powerful a resource it becomes.

    2008 ~ 4pp. ~ PDF ~ LINK ~ 147 KB~ DOWNLOAD

2007

  • Tuition and Fees in the West 2007-08

    November 2007 ~ 4pp. ~ PDF ~ 138 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • State Inventory of Rural Health Practice Incentives in the Western WICHE States

    workforceInventory.png

    Attracting health, oral health, and behavioral health professionals to rural and underserved areas continues to be an enormous challenge. Lower salaries, high educational debt load, professional isolation, and urban-centric policy barriers in underserved and rural areas are deterrents for professionals. WICHE and its 15 member states want to develop a comprehensive strategy for the regional health care workforce to help recruit, train, and retain professionals to serve the rural areas of the West.

    October 2007 ~ 94pp. ~ PDF ~ 545 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Identifying At-risk Rural Areas for Targeting Enhanced Schizophrenia Treatment

    bhIdentifyingAtRiskRural.png
    Policy Brief

    From the WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research, this policy brief summarizes nationally representative data on community-level risk factors associated with schizophrenia hospitalizations. It examines how socio-economic factors and the makeup of local health care systems affect the rate of schizophrenia hospitalizations. It identifies geographic areas with elevated rates. It also presents a discussion about the findings. It should be of interest to government and private health plan administrators, as well as those responsible for designing mental health delivery systems – anyone interested in creating outpatient treatment programs that may prevent costly hospitalizations.

    September 2007 ~ 2pp. ~ PDF ~ 88 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Can You Hear Us Now? Connecting Minority-Serving Institutions in the West to U.S. Advanced Cyberinfrastructure

    This white paper is the result of the 2006 Lariat Summit, a forum that convened over 40 leaders from the fields of science, education, and cyberinfrastructure to develop strategies and recommendations for connecting minority-serving institutions in the West to national broadband networks. This document is a first step towards developing both the will and the resources to ensure that minority-serving institutions are among the “connected” institutions in the West.

    August 2007 ~ 39pp. ~ PDF ~ 6.5 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • State Grant Aid and Its Effect on Students' College Choices

    policyStateGrantAid.png

    WICHE commissioned this paper to help policy leaders and decision makers understand the impact of selected state financial aid programs on students’ choices – choices of which college to attend, where to attend college, and even whether to attend college at all. As the paper shows, states have created grant-aid programs for a variety of reasons and through a variety of funding sources. Among the most popular and growing forms of state grant-aid programs are those that blend financial need with certain academic benchmarks for students’ high school course of study (to aid academic preparation for college) and benchmarks for continued academic progress in college (to aid in persistence to degree). Through an examination of grant-aid programs in 11 states, this analysis identifies the start date for the programs and describes the qualifications for eligibility, the legislation that established the programs, and the policies and political environments involved in creating them. In addition, the authors discuss programmatic impacts on students’ choices and make several recommendations to states that are considering creating grant-aid programs.

    June 2007 ~ 40pp. ~ Pub #2A363 ~ Printed copies available ~ PDF ~ 472 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • WUE FAQs for Participating Institutions

    Q and A format, a helpful and informative document highlighting questions about WUE frequently-asked by counselors, educators, and administrators of participating colleges and universities.

    June 2007 ~ 5pp. ~ PDF ~ 35 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Preventing Hospitalization in Depressed Rural Patients

    bhPreventingHospitalization.png
    Policy Brief

    From the WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research, this study examines whether depressed rural primary care patients are more likely than urban patients to be hospitalized; it investigates whether differences in hospitalization rates can be explained by differences in the utilization of specialty outpatient care; and it looks at whether rural patients face more “insurance barriers” to outpatient care. This study should be of interest to policy makers and administrators seeking to develop better delivery systems for rural mental health services. It should also be of interest to insurers, self-insured employers and other payers seeking the most effective use of health care expenditures.

    May 2007 ~ 2pp. ~ PDF ~ 100 KB~ DOWNLOAD

    • ADDITIONAL DETAILS, LINKS, AND DOWNLOADS +
      Executive summary

      1p ~ PDF ~ 9 KB ~ DOWNLOAD

  • The Emerging Policy Triangle: Economic Development, Workforce Development and Education

    policyEmerging.png

    This report, funded through a grant from the Ford Foundation, seeks to better inform legislators and other key policymakers about the confluence of forces bearing down on higher education and the resulting impacts to state goals and priorities. Using an array of data, the report highlights the ways in which a state’s stock of human capital is depleted and replenished through education, migration, and the aging of the workforce (i.e., retirements). This edition includes profiles for all 50 states and international comparative data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showing how well the United States and its individual states fare in comparison to other countries on measures of educational attainment. These data provide a benchmark for action, given the interrelatedness and heightened competition of an increasingly global economy. In addition, they are sobering evidence that more attention must be paid to how states can better harness the resources of their higher education systems to assure that they remain competitive in the decades to come.

    May 2007 ~ 124pp. ~ Pub #2A364 ~ PDF ~ 1 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Advancing Campus Efficiencies: A Companion for Campus Leaders in the Digital Era

    This publication provides straightforward advice and nontechnical information to help college and university administrators respond to calls for greater accountability and students’ increasing expectations for technology-supported services. The book draws upon WCET's more than 15 years of work on the effective use of technology to increase quality and efficiency in higher education.  Authored by WCET staff and recognized leaders among its membership, Advancing Campus Efficiencies is a pragmatic and practical tool for deans, vice presidents, and presidents of private and public colleges and universities. The book is available for $40 through Anker Publishing. To order, follow the link below.

     

    April 2007 ~ 236pp. ~ Pub #ISBN: 978-1-933371-13-9 ~ Printed copies available ~ LINK

  • Thinking Outside the Box: Policy Strategies for Readiness, Access, and Success

    policyThinking.png

    Too often, when one state engages in successful “outside-the-box” policymaking, other states simply adopt that solution wholesale – as if it were a one-size-fits-all “policy-in-a-box.” This publication describes a number of policy strategies – both inside-the-box and outside-the-box – and discusses how they address various possible policy purposes. Thinking Outside the Box provides a systematic discussion of policy alignment around readiness, access, and success and examines them in the light of four policy tools: finance, regulation, accountability, and governance. This latest publication is supported by Lumina Foundation for Education in WICHE’s Changing Direction project.

    March 2007 ~ 60pp. ~ Pub #2A362 ~ Printed copies available ~ PDF ~ 354 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Western Undergraduate Exchange Enrollment Report Fall 2006

    Headcount of students sent and received through WICHE's Western Undergraduate Exchange with summaries by state, institution, and program. More than 21,500 students were enrolled in 134 WUE institutions for the 2006 academic year.

    March 2007 ~ 142pp. ~ Pub #0102:1C:1204:AG:2A333A ~ PDF ~ 700 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Strategies for Improving Student Success in Postsecondary Education

    policyStrategies.png

    State and federal policy need to provide greater incentives, both to students and to the institutions that serve them, to enhance the likelihood of student success. In this paper Art Hauptman adds substantially to the body of work that has been supported by Lumina Foundation for Education in WICHE’s Changing Direction project, which has focused on how states can intentionally change finance policies– appropriations, tuition, and financial aid– to expand access to success, particularly for the most at-risk young adults.

    January 2007 ~ 26pp. ~ Pub #2A361 ~ Printed copies available ~ PDF ~ 1.2 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Student Exchange Programs Statistical Report, Academic Year 2006-07

    An accounting of enrollment in and financing of WICHE’s student exchanges at undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels for academic year 2006-07.

    January 2007 ~ 19pp. ~ Pub #0122006400:KENDALL:5C:2A339A ~ 1.6 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • A Closer Look at Healthcare Workforce Needs in the West : Health Information Technology

    workforceHIT.png

    With significant, industrywide advancements in health information technology (IT), institutions of higher education in the West will be called upon to provide a new generation of health IT graduates. New academic programs must be developed, existing programs will need to be retooled, and student recruitment strategies will be required to meet the health IT workforce demands of the future.

    2007 ~ 6pp. ~ PDF ~ 902 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • College in the West for Less

    WUE poster: College in the West for Less. Full color, 11x17 inches. **To request printed copies,call 303.541.0270.

    2007 ~ PDF ~ 455 KB~ DOWNLOAD

    • ADDITIONAL DETAILS, LINKS, AND DOWNLOADS +

      Also available: full-color POSTCARDS (print four per page and trim) ~ 3.7 MB DOWNLOAD

  • WICHE ICE Implementation Guide

    ice.png

    WICHE's Internet Course Exchange (ICE) enables institutions to meet student, state, and workforce needs cost-effectively by exchanging high quality, Internet-delivered courses and programs.The WICHE ICE Implementation Guide is designed to provide more detail on the processes outlined in WICHE ICE Operations Manual — How to Begin, Developing a Timeline, Questions to Consider.

    2007 ~ Web page ~ LINK

2006

2005

2004

  • Linking Tuition and Financial Aid Policy: The Gubernatorial Perspective

    policyLinkingTuition.png

    This survey of governor’s education policy advisors was commissioned as part of Changing Direction and as a companion piece to a previously published survey, Linking Tuition and Financial Aid Policy: The State Legislative Perspective. These two publications collectively are designed to provide insight into the perspectives of key state policymakers, and this survey specifically is intended to contribute to the existing base of knowledge by examining the perceptions of governors and their advisors about critical decisions and their role in higher education financing policy. Exploring their viewpoint will hopefully lead to better, more informed decisions on these important issues.

    October 2004 ~ 22pp. ~ Pub #2A351 ~ PDF ~ 3.6 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • What is 'Changing Direction'? A Project Overview

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    September 2004 ~ 6pp. ~ PDF ~ 650 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Serving American Indian Students: Participation in Accelerated Learning Opportunities

    benallyServingAmIndStudents.png

    This study is designed to address the disparity in access to and participation in academically challenging courses — although the percentage of students from ethnic minority groups participating in AP has risen in recent years, these groups still remain underrepresented. It examines American Indian student participation in AP programs and other accelerated learning opportunities and develops a context for understanding American Indian student access and participation in several Western states.

    March 2004 ~ 36pp. ~ Pub #2A349 ~ PDF ~ 346 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Tuition and Fees in Public Higher Education in the West, 2003-2004: Detailed Tuition and Fees Tables

    policyTF0304.png

    Since 1980, WICHE has collected tuition and fees data annually from public four-year and two-year institutions in its 15 member states. The data are provided by staff at system offices or at state higher education governing and coordinating board offices. Each year, the staff are asked to provide current tuition and fees data for resident and nonresident undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in public four-year colleges and universities, and for resident and nonresident students in public two-year colleges. In addition, staff are asked to verify and, if necessary, correct previously reported data.

    The 2003 survey was mailed to state governing and coordinating board staff in June 2003. Staff were asked to provide tuition and fees data for 2003-2004, and to verify and revise, if necessary, the reported data for 2002-03, 1998-99, and 1993-94. All surveys were returned by October 2003. The survey data were reviewed for possible errors, and problems were discussed with the staff in the appropriate office.
    This year's breakdown of institutions by Carnegie Classification used A Classification of Institutions of Higher Education: 2000 Edition (Carnegie Foundation, 2000).

    February 2004 ~ 71pp. ~ Pub #2A346B ~ PDF ~ 416 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • A History of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education: The First 40 Years

    genFirst40Years.png

    This history of the first 40 years of the organization, compiled and written by Dr. Frank Abbott, describes its origins and takes us from those early developmental years into its impressive growth and success under the leadership of Harold Enarson and Robert Kroepsch. It reports on the tumultuous and nearly devastating times at the end of the Kroepsch era, then describes the substantial accomplishments of Phil Sirotkin in restoring both focus and credibility to the organization in the late 1970s and 1980s.

    2004 ~ 292pp. ~ Pub #2A348B ~ PDF ~ Printed copies available ~ 1.3 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Technology Costing Methodology CD-ROM

    wcetTCM.png

    The Technology Costing Methodology (TCM) project, a collaboration between WCET and NCHEMS, is an authoritative tool for analyzing costs of instructional approaches that make heavy use of technology. This CD-ROM includes all of the procedures, spreadsheets, and tools to conduct your own analysis.

    2004 ~ CD ~ LINK

2003

  • Are Western States’ Tax Structures Adequate?

    boydAreWesternStatesTaxStructuresAdequate.png

    This report examines tax structures in the Western states – a special concern of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education – and focuses on revenue adequacy and its relationship to other tax policy goals.

    October 2003 ~ 88pp. ~ Pub #2A349 ~ 1.38 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Financial Aid and Student Persistence

    policyInsights.png

    October 2003 ~ 4pp. ~ PDF ~ 890 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Financing In Sync - Policy Brief

    policyInsights.png

    October 2003 ~ 4pp. ~ PDF ~ 890 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Tuition and Fees Policies in the Nation's Public Community Colleges

    policyTFCommunityColleges.png

    This report briefly examines the circumstances in which community colleges function; broadly reviews the various types of state-level community college tuition and fees policies, and analyzes how those policies relate to the environment in which they are created, including their relationship to state financial aid policies. Finally, the report discusses several issues for policymakers to watch over the next several years as well as policy implications. States vary significantly in terms of the depth and breadth of community college tuition and fees policies, and as a result, this examination focuses on six key areas: (1) State Philosophies and Tuition and Fees Policies; (2) Authority to Set Tuition and Fees; (3) Tuition and Fee Waivers and Scholarships; (4) Residency Requirements; (5) Reciprocity Agreements; and (6) Fee-Specific Policies.

    September 2003 ~ 22pp. ~ Pub #8A24 ~ Printed copies available ~ PDF ~ 1.4 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Informing Public Policy: Financial Aid and Student Persistence

    This is one of a series of the Changing Direction documents produced to foster greater understanding of key issues related to establishing stronger alignment of financial aid and financing policies. The primary objective of this report is to shed light on the topic of institutionally and statefunded grants to students attending public higher education institutions. While there has been a fair amount of research conducted on state financial aid, much less is known about how institutional grants are used in public colleges and universities. This study uses data from a nationally representative survey of the U.S. Department of Education to analyze the characteristics of students receiving these grants and whether the awarding of these grants is related to persistence and degree attainment. A secondary objective is to familiarize state and institutional policymakers with the type of data available from the federal government that could be used for conducting their own analyses of student persistence.

    August 2003 ~ 40pp. ~ Pub #8A21 ~ Printed copies available ~ PDF ~ 2.2 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Integrating Financial Aid and Financing Policies: Case Studies from Five States

    policyIntegrating2003.png

    These case studies of Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Missouri, and Oregon were designed to help equip policymakers and higher education leaders from all sectors more effectively address key public policy issues concerning the structuring of financing and financial aid to achieve goals of access to quality higher education. The overarching question the project hoped to address through the case studies and other project activities was: How can policymakers at all levels – most particularly those at the state level – more effectively integrate tuition, financial aid, and appropriations policies in ways that promote student participation and completion? The results of the states’ work are linked back to the overall goals and objectives of the Changing Direction project in an effort to illustrate how the integration of public policies around financing and financial aid might be approached.

    August 2003 ~ 42pp. ~ Pub #8A23 ~ Printed copies available ~ PDF ~ 2.9 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Linking Tuition and Financial Aid Policy: The State Legislative Perspective

    policyLinkingTuition-Legislative.png

    Realizing the importance of state legislatures in discussions relating to issues on financial aid and financing in higher education, WICHE commissioned the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) to create and administer a survey of state legislators to explore linkages between state funding and state student financial aid policy. The survey is part of a major project, Changing Direction: Integrating Higher Education Financial Aid and Financing Policies, supported by Lumina Foundation for Education, that examined how to structure financial aid and financing policies and practices to maximize participation, access, and success for all students. Because state legislators are key players in the education policymaking process, their insights contributed significantly to the overall work of this project.

    August 2003 ~ 21pp. ~ Pub #8A22 ~ Printed copies available ~ PDF ~ 1 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Virtual College & University Consortia

    wcetVirtualCollege.png

    WCET and the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) jointly sponsored this 2002-2003 study to examine the goals, functions, challenges, and outcomes of statewide virtual universities across the U.S. This is a complete and seminal work on the state of these statewide support organizations, written by Rhonda M. Epper and Myk Garn.

    August 2003 ~ 67pp. ~ PDF ~ 818 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Registered Nursing Shortages: Public Policy, and Higher Education in the Western States

    policyInsights.png

    June 2003 ~ 6pp. ~ PDF ~ 98 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Policies in Sync: Appropriations, Financial Aid and Financing for Higher Education

    policyPoliciesInSync.png

    This compilation of four papers is Changing Direction’s initial look into a system comprised of integrated financial aid and financing policies and includes: (1) Financing in Sync: Aligning Fiscal Policy with State Objectives; (2) The Governance Context for State Policies on Appropriations, Tuition, and Financial Aid; (3) Informing the Integration of Tuition, Student Financial Aid, and State Appropriations Policies; and (4) Information Sources for Answering Key Financing and Financial Aid Policy Questions: Current Practice and Future Possibilities. Each paper examines a different aspect—a conceptual framework, governance, data as a tool to integrate policy, and what states need to know to design integrated policies—all of which are critical to this alignment.

    April 2003 ~ 74pp. ~ Pub #8A20 ~ PDF ~ 1.1 MB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Online Advanced Placement Courses: Experiences of Rural and Low-Income High School Students

    wcaloOnlineAdvancedPlacement.png

    The purpose of this special study was to examine rural and low-income students’ experiences with online Advanced Placement (AP)
    courses.  In April and May 2002, 30 students, their mentors and school administrators were interviewed at four rural high schools in two Western states about their experiences with online AP courses.

    March 2003 ~ Pub #8A10 ~ PDF ~ DOWNLOAD

  • Legislative & Board Overview 2002

    policyInsights.png

    January 2003 ~ 8pp. ~ PDF ~ 890 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Pathways To and Through College: Linking Policy with Research and Practice

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    January 2003 ~ 6pp. ~ PDF ~ 756 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Tuition and Fees in the West 2002-03

    policyInsights.png

    January 2003 ~ 4pp. ~ PDF ~ 193 KB~ DOWNLOAD

2002

  • The Changing Nature of Accountability

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    This issue of Western Policy Exchanges summarizes a policy forum hosted by WICHE, The Changing Nature of Accountability, held Nov 13-14, 2001, in Broomfield, Colorado. Ninety policymakers from 18 states and the District of Columbia examined complex issues, including evolution of accountability measures in different states, negotiation of accountability structures between legislatures and institutions, ways in which student performance is assessed, and the costs of accountability.

    March 2002 ~ 6pp. ~ PDF ~ 152 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • WCALO: A REGIONAL APPROACH TO EXPANDING ACCESS

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    This issue reports on WICHE's Western Consortium for Accelerated Learning Opportunities (WCALO), which began in October 2000 to better assist Western states with their efforts to increase participation in postsecondary education by underrepresented populations. WICHE collaborated with the Colorado Dept. of Education to compete for a grant from the U.S.Dept. of Education’s Advanced Placement Incentive Program (APIP).

    March 2002 ~ 6pp. ~ PDF ~ 63 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • WCALO: A Regional Approach to Expanding Access

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    In 2001-2002, the Western Consortium provided a unique opportunity to build K-12 and higher education collaboration around accelerated-learning options such as Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment, and concurrent enrollment. This project was supported through a federal grant from the Advanced Placement Incentive Program.

    March 2002 ~ 6pp. ~ PDF ~ 63 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • Guidelines for Creating Student Services Online

    These guidelines were the result of the U.S. Department of Education's FIPSE-funded project "Beyond the Administrative Core". The guidelines assist colleges and universities in planning and implementing online student services. Additional documents:

    2002 ~ Web page

2001

  • Tuition and Fees in Public Higher Education in the West : Detailed Tuition and Fees Tables

    policyTF0102.png

    Since 1980, WICHE has collected tuition and fees data annually from public four-year and two-year institutions in its 15 member states. The data are provided by staff at system offices or at state higher education governing and coordinating board offices. Each year, the staff are asked to provide current tuition and fees data for resident and nonresident undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in public four-year colleges and universities, and for resident and nonresident students in public two-year colleges. In addition, staff are asked to verify and, if necessary, correct previously reported data.

    The 2001 survey was mailed to state governing and coordinating board staff in June 2001. Staff were asked to provide tuition and fees data for 2001-2002, and to verify and revise, if necessary, the reported data for 2000-01, 1996-97, and 1991-92. All surveys were returned by October 2001. The survey data were reviewed for possible errors, and problems were discussed with the staff in the appropriate office. This year's breakdown of institutions by Carnegie Classification used A Classification of Institutions of Higher Education: 1994 edition (Carnegie Foundation, 1994).

    November 2001 ~ 67pp. ~ Pub #2A336A ~ PDF ~ 665 KB~ DOWNLOAD

2000

  • WPE: Where We Stand Now

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    WICHE’s Western Policy Exchange, funded in part by the W.K. Kellogg and Ford foundations, supports roundtables and forums that bring policymakers and educational leaders together to discuss a wide range of higher ed topics.

    September 2000 ~ LINK

1999

  • Forces Impacting Financial Aid

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    On May 26-27, 1999, WICHE and the Arizona Board of Regents recently hosted a workshop addressing financial aid as part of the Western Policy Exchange project. The WPE Financial Aid Workshop explored state and institutional financial aid issues within the context of access and affordability. Thirty-eight participants from the 15 WICHE states, and Washington, D.C., came together in Phoenix, Arizona to address financial aid concerns.

    July 1999 ~ Web page ~ LINK

  • Policy in Transition: Working Toward Systemic Change in Higher Education in the West

    wpePolicyInTransition1999.png

    With a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation for the Western Policy Exchange (WPE) project, WICHE coordinated a public policy decision-making process to examine and shape the public interest in higher education. Policy in Transition summarizes some of the major policy issues confronted by higher education, how the Western states have faced these issues, and what strategies they have used to implement change.

    June 1999 ~ 21pp. ~ Pub #2A326 ~ PDF ~ 297 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • State Roundtable Case Studies: Idaho and South Dakota

    wpeRoundtablesIdSdBender1999.png

    The Western Policy Exchange (WPE) project began in 1996, partially funded by a three-year grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, carrying out a coordinated approach of multistate forums in the 15 state WICHE region as well as individual state specific “state roundtables” in a quest to foster partnerships of educators, policymakers, and state decision makers to advance systemic change/reforms in higher education. In an effort to understand the role, dynamics, and perceived consequences of the state roundtable process, WICHE commissioned case studies of Idaho and South Dakota, since they represent some of the comparative differences among the participants.

    April 1999 ~ 29pp. ~ Pub #2A324 ~ PDF ~ 213 KB~ DOWNLOAD

  • State Roundtable Highlights 1997-98

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    This issue of EXCHANGES addresses the policy roundtable experiences of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Washington during 1997 and 1998.

    April 1999 ~ Web page ~ LINK

  • Policy in Transition: Information Technology's Impact on the Financing of Higher Education

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    On December 2-3, 1998, in Portland, Oregon, this Western Policy Exchange workshop drew over 150 policymakers from 21 states and the District of Columbia to discuss the growing cost of using information technology to address access, instructional, and operational needs in the states demands. This summary focuses on the major problems addressed and creative solutions offered during the forum.

    February 1999 ~ Web page ~ LINK

1998

  • State Roundtable Highlights

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    The state roundtable process is aimed at fostering sustained discussion of higher education policy issues within individual states and facilitating the exchange of ideas and practices among states. Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, and South Dakota were selected to participate in the first year of roundtable activities. This issue of EXCHANGES summarizes roundtable meetings held in each state and highlights several themes and future directions.

    March 1998 ~ Web page ~ DOWNLOAD

1997

  • Fostering Postsecondary Student Success: Transitions, Transfer, and Articulation

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    From May 27-29, 1997 WICHE, with the Education Commission of the States and the State Higher Education Executive Officers, held a western policy forum on the theme, "Fostering Postsecondary Student Success: Transitions, Transfer, and Articulation" in Seattle, Washington. This issue of Western Policy Exchanges highlights part of the dialogue that emerged in the sessions.

    June 1997 ~ Web page ~ LINK

1996

  • Transforming Higher Education: New Structures for Finance, Governance, Delivery, and Productivity

    westernPolicyExchanges.png

    WICHE sponsored a regional policy workshop, "Transforming Higher Education: New Structures for Finance, Governance, Delivery, and Productivity" on August 22-24, 1996 in San Diego, California. This Western Policy Exchange report summarizes the workshop's plenary discussions among 260 legislators, legislative aides, governors' aides, college presidents, trustees, faculty leaders, and state higher education executives.

    November 1996 ~ Web page ~ LINK

  • Letters to the Field

    Letters to the Field are informational newsletters published periodically. Topics include recent developments in the field of rural mental health as they apply to isolated "frontier" rural areas.

    ~ LINK

    • ADDITIONAL DETAILS, LINKS, AND DOWNLOADS +
      Letter to the Field No. 1

      New Rural Mental Health Services Resource Center Being Established
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 2

      Focusing on "Frontier": Isolated Rural America
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 3

      Telemental Health Services In U.S. Frontier Areas
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 4

      Access to Mental Health Services in Frontier America
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 5

      The Role of Rural Primary Care Physicians in the Provision of Mental Health Services
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 6

      Frontier Mental Health Strategies: Integrating, Reaching Out, Building Up and Connecting
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 7

      Delivering Mental Health Services to the Seriously Mentally Ill in Frontier Areas: Evidence from Five States
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 8

      General Models for Delivering Mental Health Services to the Seriously Mentally Ill in Frontier Areas
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 9

      Managed Behavioral Health Care in the Frontier
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 10

      The Role of Rural Primary Care Providers in the Provision of Mental Health Services: Voices from the Plains
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 11

      The Availability of Health and Mental Health Providers by Population Density
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 12

      Cost Dynamics Of Frontier Mental Health Services
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 13

      Client Outcomes And Costs In Frontier Mental Health Organizations
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 14

      Effective Management Strategies For Frontier Mental Health Organizations
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 15

      Surveillance of Demand for Mental Health Services in Frontier Areas
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 16

      Organization and Delivery of Mental Health Services to Adolescents and Children in Frontier Areas
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 17

      Delivering Mental Health Services to Children and Adolescents in Frontier Areas: Parent and Provider Views
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 18

      Low Density Counties with Different Types of Sociodemographic, Economic and Health/Mental Health Characteristics
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 19

      Telemental Health Services in Frontier Areas: Provider and Consumer Perspectives
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 20

      Mental Health Service Utilization in Rural and Non-Rural Areas
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 21

      Aging, Mental Illness, and the Frontier
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 22

      Defining and Describing Frontier Areas in the United States: An Update
      December 2000 ~ LINK

      Letter to the Field No. 23

      Problems Faced By Consumers Of Mental Health Services Out In A Frontier Community
      December 2000 ~ LINK

  • WICHE Newscap

    wicheNewscap.png

    Bimonthly news capsules that highlight recent activities of WICHE staff and programs.

    ~ Web page ~ LINK