Demographic Change in the West: Choices, Challenges, and Opportunities
This session featured a discussion with the Chair of Utah’s Senate Education Committee and focused on the state’s upcoming legislative priorities for higher education and a reflection on their key legislative accomplishments and challenges over the last session.
Moderator:
Spencer Jenkins, assistant commissioner, Utah State Board of Regents
Speakers:
Senator Ann Millner, Utah
In 2016 WICHE released its latest iteration of high school graduate projections, detailing projections by state through 2032. The data showed slowing growth in the number of graduates in the West through the mid-2020s, followed by a decrease in the overall number of graduates. During this period, growth is anticipated to be largely driven by a decrease in the White student population and growth in the Hispanic youth population, with variation across the Western states. The session explored trends for the Western states and policy approaches states and institutions are taking to respond to these changing demographics.
Moderator:
Joseph Garcia, president, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Speakers:
States across the West have set ambitious postsecondary attainment goals to meet the evolving needs of their workforce. Yet, what will meeting these goals actually take? Higher education finance experts were joined by one of WICHE’s LAC members to discuss the projected costs states will face in achieving attainment goals and the state’s role in financing sustainable higher education systems to serve a new generation of students.
Moderator:
Dennis Jones, president emeritus, National Center for Higher Education Management Systems | Higher Education Funding Policy: The Role of Legislatures in Better Aligning Funding to Achieve State Priorities
Speakers:
With cost of attendance rising steadily over the last decade, there is legitimate concern among students, families, policymakers, and others about the impact on students pursuing higher education – especially those from low-income backgrounds. The question of what an “affordable” postsecondary education means is now more important than ever. This session examined different perspectives on what an affordable higher education can and should look like and possible strategies for addressing rising costs for students.
Moderator:
Demarée Michelau, vice president, Policy Analysis and Research, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Speakers:
Institutions across the West are striving to prepare students from diverse backgrounds for high-quality jobs. Leaders in the region shared programs and practices they are using to ensure success for all of their students and the lessons they have learned along the way.
Moderator:
Joseph Garcia, president, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Speakers:
Open Educational Resources “OER” hold great promise for reducing student costs for attendance, yet successfully implementing OER requires navigating a complicated array of considerations. This session provided an overview of North Dakota’s journey through OER implementation, including the challenges, successes, and implications for other states in the West.
Moderator:
Russell Poulin, director, Policy and Analysis, WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET)
Speakers:
This session presented highlights and trends from the 2017 legislative sessions and during the subsequent facilitated discussion, LAC members shared their perspectives.
Speaker:
Christina Sedney, policy analyst, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education | PRESENTATION