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

WESTERN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP FORUM – 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS

• Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
• University of Alaska Anchorage
• University of Alaska Fairbanks
• University of Alaska Southeast
• University of Alaska System

Denise Runge, University of Alaska, is a member of 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’s postsecondary sector. Nine cohort members from Alaska institutions have participated in the Academy since its inception in 2015.

NO HOLDING BACK The University of Alaska Southeast is one of 12 WICHE institutions that participated in 2022-23 in analyzing data, policies and practices related to transcript and registration holds, contributing toward tools for other institutions to undertake this work.

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. Learn more.

Alaska 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 ACADEMY FOR LEADERS IN THE HUMANITIES is a leadership development program for aspiring academic leaders with a background in the humanities. The two-year fellowship consists of campus-based and external mentoring, a three-day in-person seminar, and an extended project. Ian Hartman, University of Alaska Anchorage, is participating in the 2023-25 cohort.

WICHE Behavioral Health Program (BHP) contracts with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), Division of Behavioral Health, and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, to support the ALASKA PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP CONSORTIUM (AK-PIC) to complete the training of students enrolled at the University of Alaska’s doctoral program in clinical-community psychology, as well as other psychology doctoral students who wish to train and work in Alaska.

WICHE BHP, in collaboration with the Center for Alaska Native Health Research (CANHR) and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), was awarded a NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH) research grant. This project will evaluate the behavioral health aid program focusing on efficacy, implementation, and best practices. As behavioral health workforce issues continue to grow in tribal areas, this research has the potential to significantly influence the development of new programs across the West.

The WICHE BHP was selected through a competitive bidding process to assist the ALASKA PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE (API) in maintaining compliance with regulating agencies through review of policies, health information management, infection control, milieu management, risk management, medical staff credentialing, pharmacy practices, and life safety code and environment of care.

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:

•  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.

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.

CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS NETWORK Staff from the University of Alaska system office and the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education also participate in regular collaborative calls with colleagues around the region.

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:

• Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
• University of Alaska Anchorage
• University of Alaska Fairbanks

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

• Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
• University of Alaska Anchorage
• University of Alaska Fairbanks

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.