WICHE brings together senior academic leaders to foster dialogue about issues facing individual institutions through its leadership and professional development networks.

WESTERN ALLIANCE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE ACADEMIC LEADERS – 2-YEAR INSTITUTIONS

• Central New Mexico Community College
• New Mexico Military Institute
•   New Mexico State University Alamogordo
•   San Juan College

Orlando Griego, New Mexico Military Institute, serves on the Alliance executive committee. Amardeep Kahlon, Central New Mexico Community College, serves on the Alliance executive committee.

WESTERN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP FORUM – 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS

•  Eastern New Mexico University
•  New Mexico Highlands University
•  New Mexico State University
• Nothern New Mexico State College
• University of New Mexico
• Western New Mexico University

James Holloway, University of New Mexico, serves on the Forum executive committee.

WESTERN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP ACADEMY is a yearlong professional development program for academic leaders aspiring to become chief academic officers in the WICHE region. Six cohort members from New Mexico institutions have participated in the Academy since its inception in 2015.

WICHE offers student health and technology contracts through a COST-SAVINGS PROGRAM with the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) to colleges and universities, K-12 school districts, local and state municipalities, and nonprofit organizations with an education emphasis. Last year, entities that used these contracts saved 9% over what they otherwise would have outside this joint purchasing arrangement. The total savings in New Mexico was $40,219. Learn more.

WICHE ACADEMY FOR LEADERS IN THE HUMANITIES is a two-year leadership development program for aspiring academic leaders with a background in the humanities. Anna Nogar, University of New Mexico, is participating in the 2024-2026 cohort.

New Mexico participates in the STATE AUTHORIZATION RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT (SARA) through WICHE. This voluntary agreement provides reciprocity for the state authorization of distance education. WICHE Commissioners have been strong advocates for protecting the state voice in important governance decisions affecting this agreement and staff continue to support participating states and improving student protections while bolstering access.

WICHE Behavioral Health Program (BHP) works with partner agencies to develop a broad and relevant training program to support the preparation and retention of doctoral-level psychologists through the NEW MEXICO PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP CONSORTIUM (NM-PIC). The WICHE BHP facilitates the program’s development, ensures it meets American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation standards, and assists in the accreditation process. The NM-PIC is comprised of three sites and is currently working with its fourth cohort of interns.

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 16 total communities in the WICHE region, representing 11 Western states. The TWV program supports three communities in New Mexico: Chaves County, San Juan County, and Taos County, and has served more than 7,600 rural Veterans.

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 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.

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:

•  Tuition and Fees in the West includes tuition, fees, and enrollment data about 350+ public institutions in the West.
• Benchmarks: WICHE Region presents information on the West’s progress in improving access to, success in, and financing of higher education.
•   Data on over 35 indicators in WICHE’s Regional Fact Book for Higher Education in 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.

CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS NETWORK Staff from the New Mexico Higher Education Department also participate in regular collaborative calls with colleagues around the region.

STATE PROJECTS WICHE is working with institutions in three states, including New Mexico, to study programs aimed at addressing rural nursing shortages and identify promising approaches.

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. WCET members include:

• Central New Mexico Community College
• Eastern New Mexico University
• Navajo Technical University
• New Mexico Highlands University
• New Mexico State University
• Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
• University of New Mexico
• Western New Mexico University

State Authorization Network (SAN), helps guide institutions through state regulations around online courses and programs. SAN members include:

• New Mexico State University (NMSU)
• NMSU Alamogordo Community College
• NMSU Carlsbad Community College
• NMSU Doña Ana Community College
• NMSU Grants Community College
• Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
• University of New Mexico

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 poverty-affected students, for whom the high cost of textbooks can be a barrier to postsecondary success.