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Since 1985, North Dakota has partnered with and benefited from WICHE through regional collaboration, resource-sharing, sound public policy, and innovation.

 

Download the factsheet for North Dakota here.

 

2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR

0 TOTAL SAVED

by North Dakota students through WICHE Student Access Programs

0 SAVED

through WUE

0 SAVED

through WRGP

0 SAVED

through PSEP

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.

PSEP has been transformative in my optometry education, alleviating financial burdens and enabling me to focus on academic excellence. The program has connected me with valuable research collaborations and networking opportunities, establishing a strong foundation for my professional career.

TAYLOR, North Dakota resident, Optometry, Midwestern University, AZ

Improving Lives in North Dakota

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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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

  • Bismarck State College
  • Williston State College

Kaylyn Bondy, Bismarck State College, serves on the Alliance executive committee.

WESTERN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP FORUM – 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS

  •   Minot State University
  •   North Dakota University System
  •  University of North Dakota
  •   Valley City State University

Eric Link, University of North Dakota, 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. Eight cohort members from North Dakota institutions have participated in the Academy since its inception in 2015. Kaylyn Bondy, Bismarck State College, serves as a guest faculty member for the Academy.

WICHE ACADEMY FOR LEADERS IN THE HUMANITIES is a two-year leadership development program for aspiring academic leaders with a background in the humanities. Eric Wolfe, University of North Dakota, is participating in the 2023-2025 cohort.

WICHE Behavioral Health Program (BHP) worked with Sanford Health to begin a doctoral psychology internship program. Sanford has a large national footprint, and it is a leading agency in the advancement of integrated health services (physical and behavioral health). The internship development began primarily with Sanford’s integrated health sites in North Dakota.

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 has one established program in Minot, which to date has served approximately 1,700 rural Veterans.

MOUNTAIN PLAINS RURAL OPIOID TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER (MP ROTAC) develops and shares resources, training, and technical assistance focused on opioid and stimulant misuse in rural areas in Region 8. This is funded through a multiyear grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOID RESPONSE PROGRAM (RCORP) is a multiyear initiative supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to identify treatment barriers and best practices for preventing and treating substance use disorder. In North Dakota, the RCORP program supports one grantee.

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:

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 North Dakota University System also participate in regular collaborative calls with colleagues around the region.

STATE PROJECTS WICHE staff have provided research, analysis, and presentations to North Dakota interim higher education committees, focusing on policies to promote workforce development in high-need occupations, such as teaching and health.

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:

  • Bismarck State College
  • Dickinson State University
  • Lake Region State College
  • Mayville State University
  • North Dakota University System
  • University of North Dakota
  • United Tribes Technical College
  • Valley City State University
  • Williston State College

STATE AUTHORIZATION NETWORK (SAN) helps guide institutions through state regulations around online courses and programs. North Dakota has 15 members. See wcetsan.wiche.edu/member-institutions-organizations for a complete list.

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
Danita Bye

Danita Bye

Board Member, North Dakota State Board of Higher Education

Kyle Davison

* Kyle Davison

Senator, North Dakota Legislature

Brent Sanford

Brent Sanford

Interim Chancellor, North Dakota University System

Legislative Advisory Committee

Kyle Davison

* Kyle Davison

Senator, North Dakota Legislature

Bob Martinson

Bob Martinson

Representative, North Dakota State Legislature

Mark Sanford

Mark Sanford

Representative, North Dakota State Legislature

Ronald Sorvaag

Ronald Sorvaag

Senator, North Dakota Legislature