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Since 2012, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) has partnered with and benefited from WICHE through regional collaboration, resource-sharing, sound public policy, and innovation.

 

Download the factsheet for CNMI here.

 

2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR

0 TOTAL SAVED

by CNMI students through WICHE Student Access Programs

0 SAVED

through WUE

0 SAVED

through WRGP

WICHE’s Student Access Programs

WICHE operates three Student Access Programs that together saved students $671 million in 2024-25. Each program supports students at each level of postsecondary education: undergraduate, graduate, and professional healthcare studies.

  • Students gain from increased choice and savings.
  • Schools gain by optimizing enrollments.
  • States and Pacific Island members gain by growing the skills of those they serve and strengthening their workforce.

Improving Lives in CNMI

WICHE works collaboratively to expand educational access and excellence for all residents of the West. By promoting innovation, cooperation, resource sharing, and sound public policy, WICHE strengthens higher education’s contributions to the region’s social, economic, and civic life. Learn more about our mission.

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WESTERN ALLIANCE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE ACADEMIC LEADERS The Alliance is a consortium of leaders at community colleges, technical schools, and systems and state governing and coordinating boards associated with two-year institutions.

The WESTERN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP ACADEMY is a yearlong professional development program for academic leaders aspiring to become chief academic officers in the WICHE region’s postsecondary sector.

Thanks to collaboration with the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC), one of four U.S. regional higher education compacts, WICHE-region educational institutions, nonprofits, and public education entities can benefit from three programs: MHECtech, which provides competitively bid purchasing contracts for an array of hardware, software, and technology services; MHECare, which provides a student health insurance plan and teletherapy services; and a MHEC Cyber Insurance Program, which offers risk transfer and advisory solutions. Learn more.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE

WICHE worked with local leaders in the CNMI to develop a partnership between Northern Marianas College (NMC) and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF) to address a significant shortage of social workers. Through the program, students in the CNMI earn credits for the first two years of a social work bachelor’s degree program at NMC and complete the rest of their program virtually through UAF.

TOGETHER WITH VETERANS (TWV) – RURAL VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM enlists rural Veterans and local partners to reduce Veteran suicide in their own community. Funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and administered by the WICHE BHP, TWV provides individualized coaching, tools, training, technical assistance, and resources, supporting 38 rural communities — with 16 communities in the WICHE region.

WICHE BHP has been working with the PACIFIC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COLLABORATING COUNCIL (through a TTI grant from NASMHPD) to incorporate and adopt the necessary policies and procedures to provide oversight of a Behavioral Health Aid (BHA) program. This program aims to be consistent with the BHA program developed through the Alaskan Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) with adaptation to island-based behavioral healthcare. Upon adoption, CNMI will work with the ANTHC training system and WICHE BHP to implement the BHA program.

For the past several years, WICHE’s Behavioral Health program has provided substantial benefits and TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE across the region. This includes the development of undergraduate and graduate opportunities and articulation agreements with other institutions and other innovative efforts that can help to meet critical workforce needs of the region.

WICHE is supporting the development of a partnership between the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) and the Pacific Behavioral Health Collaborating Council (PBHCC). Through this partnership, PBHCC will become the certifying body for BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AIDES, a training program that will prepare indigenous, community-based behavioral health workers. WICHE will continue to support the development of this program, which is expected to provide strong benefits to Pacific communities through increased availability of behavioral health care.

WICHE staff continue to work with federal partners to ensure federal policy recognizes and accounts for the unique nature of the Pacific region.

Knocking at the College Door is the leading U.S. resource for projections of high school graduates. Released in December 2024, the newest edition is essential for postsecondary policymakers, planning and workforce efforts, and economic development.

DATA RESOURCES

WICHE offers curated data and policy resources to support better-informed decision-making. WICHE’s research projects and collaborations cover postsecondary completion, health workforce development, behavioral health in postsecondary education, open educational resources (OER), state finance, prior learning assessment, and more:

POLICY EXPERTS

WICHE staff provide analysis on finance, financial aid, articulation and transfer, strategic planning, student demographics, and more, as well as host peer-to-peer calls of state, system, and institutional chief academic officers to identify areas of potential collaboration and resource sharing across the West.

Created by the WICHE Commission in 1995, the LEGISLATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (LAC) works to strengthen state-level postsecondary policymaking across the West. Members are legislators appointed by each state, territory, or freely associated state in the WICHE region; they meet annually to explore emerging policy issues and develop strategies for interstate collaboration. Each U.S. Pacific Territory and Freely Associated State appoints one member to the LAC.

CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS NETWORK WICHE has convened staff from across the West in a collaborative network to identify challenges and promising practices to help address workforce shortages in the health sector. Through this effort, WICHE members are able to share innovative approaches and collaborate to solve the complex challenges in this sector. Recognizing the unique challenges and policy and practice issues in the Pacific, WICHE is offering an additional forum for key staff from the region’s institutions to discuss common challenges and policy issues.

WCET – The WICHE Cooperative for Education Technologies is the leader in the practice, policy, and advocacy of digital learning in higher education. Its growing membership includes institutions, higher education agencies and systems, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and corporations in all U.S. states and several Canadian provinces. Northern Marianas College is a member.

WICHE has convened the OERWEST NETWORK, which is part of a nationwide collaborative to scale the development and adoption of free course materials. Open educational resources (OER) have shown promise in improving student outcomes, particularly for students whom the high cost of textbooks can be a barrier to postsecondary success.

WICHE Commissioners

*indicates Executive Committee member
Frankie Eliptico

* Frankie Eliptico

Representing CNMI, Vice President, Administration and Advancement, Northern Marianas College

Rodney Jacob

Rodney Jacob

Representing Guam, Attorney, Partner, Calvo Jacob & Pangelinan LLP

Kalani Kaneko

Kalani Kaneko

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senator, Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands

Legislative Advisory Committee

Kalani Kaneko

Kalani Kaneko

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senator, Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands

Tina Rose Muña Barnes

Tina Rose Muña Barnes

Senator, Guam Legislature