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November 2025

Greetings,

We just wrapped up the 2025 Annual Commission Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, a terrific gathering of our commissioners, staff, guest speakers, and presenters.

We were welcomed by the Honorable Jim Tressel, Ohio Lt. Governor and former Ohio State University football coach, who encouraged us to continually think about how we can be great for our students. We also heard about the growth and transformation of Cleveland from Baiju Shah, head of the Greater Cleveland Partnership.

Our presentations included:

• A federal update from Dr. Tom Harnisch from SHEEO
• Midwest perspectives from Laura Tomaka, Council of State Governments
• The impact of quantum computing on higher education from Ray Harishankar, IBM Quantum
• Restoring American confidence in higher ed institutions from Zach Hyrnowski from Gallup 
• Using PSEO to explore midwestern student migration and workforce outcomes from Dr. Gina Johnson, PSEO Coalition and Data EmpowerED Consulting.

We honored four individuals who have provided exemplary leadership and service to MHEC: Tim Flakoll received our highest honor, the Phillip Sirotkin Award, and Jennifer Armour, Craig Jackson, and Angela Neria received Outstanding Service Awards. See the article below for full details. We also recognized Katie Chock, MHEC's senior director of convenings and operations, for her ten years of service.

Mike Duffey, who has served as MHEC's chair for the past two years, turned over the gavel to Rep. Katie Stuart, thanking his colleagues for helping MHEC "create enduring value." The Commission also elected Tim Mihalik as vice chair and Rep. Jacob Bossman as treasurer.

Our visit included tours of the famous Playhouse Square, an entertaining presentation about the creation of Superman, and a tour of the amazing Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We are deeply grateful to our Ohio commissioners, led by Mike Duffey, for helping arrange such a wonderful introduction to Cleveland and the State of Ohio.

This edition of MHEC News is full of other important updates on our programs, contracts, and initiatives, including the announcement of MHEC's first Innovation Grant. Read on to learn more.

With thanks,

Susan G. Heegaard

President

Pictured: MHEC Commissioner Jerry Cirino welcomes MHEC to a special evening at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

MHEC Leaders Honored at Annual Commission Meeting

MHEC honored four higher education leaders at its Annual Commission Meeting earlier this month. Tim Flakoll, who has served as a Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) commissioner for more than 20 years, received the Phillip Sirotkin Award. Sirotkin was the early visionary behind the regional higher education compact in the Midwest.

“Tim has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to higher education and students across the Midwest,” said MHEC President Susan Heegaard. “He played a key role in North Dakota becoming the second state to join the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, which increases student access. He also has been a tireless advocate for open educational resources and has drawn on his experience as a North Dakota legislator to offer valuable insight for higher education policy. Receiving MHEC’s highest award is a testament to Tim’s outstanding contributions and leadership.” Read the full announcement.

Outstanding Service Awards went to Jennifer Armour, associate director of academic affairs for the Kansas Board of Regents; Craig Jackson, executive director of technology infrastructure and research computing at Illinois State University; and Angela Neria, associate vice president of technology and chief information officer for Pittsburg State University in Kansas. Read the full announcement.

Pictured l-r: Craig Jackson, Tim Flakoll, Jennifer Armour, Angela Neria

LATEST NEWS

Student Health Insurance Contract Expands Cost Savings

MHEC is pleased to share that higher education institutions and systems who use its student health insurance contract with UnitedHealthCare StudentResources will receive additional savings when they renew for 2026-2027. 
 
Written into MHEC's contract with UnitedHealthCare is the opportunity for renewing members to receive more favorable rates as the program achieves growth targets. Participation in MHEC's student health insurance contract has grown by more than 30,000 participants since 2020, with 28 institutions enrolling more than 76,000 participants in 2024-2025. Institutions use MHEC's contract to provide health insurance for international students, domestic students, and/or graduate students, depending on their needs.  
 
"Higher education institutions find our contract for student health insurance valuable because it saves them time, ensures high quality administration through stringent performance guarantees, meets their state's procurement guidelines, and offers virtual mental health benefits above-and-beyond typical plans," says Breanne Hegg, vice president of programs, contracts, and communications. "We are pleased that our contract will provide even more value, with the additional cost-saving benefits for renewing members." 
 
There are many higher education institutions in the region who contract with UnitedHealthCare StudentResources but do not participate as part of MHEC's program. For more information on MHEC's student health insurance program, please contract Breanne Hegg.  

New Report Explores Impact of Graduate Degree Attainment in the Teacher Workforce

A new report from MHEC examines national and Midwest state trends in teacher graduate degree attainment with an emphasis on master’s degrees, highlighting differences by urbanization, school socioeconomic status, and program major. It looks at rates of alignment between teachers' graduate degrees and their classroom teaching assignment and offers an overview on the effects of graduate education on student and teacher outcomes.

The report offers several options to improve policies and outcomes related to teacher graduate education. This topic is important as states and districts work to strengthen teacher preparation, professional development, and overall instructional quality.

MHEC Announces First Innovation Grant to Multi-Partner Collaborative in Wisconsin

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) has awarded a multi-partner collaborative a $250,000 strategic impact and innovation grant to lead the creation of a Wisconsin College and Career Attainment Network. The initiative aims to align postsecondary education and workforce development efforts for better outcomes for all Wisconsinites.

The grant is the first awarded in a new MHEC program to support high-impact, collaborative initiatives that address state needs and that align with the MHEC’s vision to strengthen postsecondary education and advance regional economic vitality. Each of MHEC’s 12 member states can apply for a grant for up to $250,000.

This initiative, advanced by all Wisconsin MHEC Commissioners, responds to pressing challenges facing the state, especially declining enrollment due to low birth rates and an aging demographic. The initiative will also advance a unified approach aimed at increasing college-going rates to support Wisconsin’s workforce needs.

Read the full announcement for details about the Wisconsin initiative.

Insurance Coverage for Mental Health Remains Inadequate for Some College Students

The latest update to MHEC's Interactive Dashboard introduces an indicator examining the limitations of health insurance coverage as part of its new series on the mental health of college students at selected public four-year institutions in the Midwest.

In 2023-24, nearly half (47%) of insured students received mental health treatment during the past year. However, 13% of those treated reported that their insurance coverage was inadequate for meeting their mental health needs. Service or provider coverage issues were most common among those with student plans (13%) and individual plans (12%). Concerns about high co-pays or deductibles were most frequently reported by students with employer plans (15%) and individual plans (15%). In contrast, only a small share of students reported exclusions for preexisting or specific mental health conditions, generally not exceeding 3% across plan types.

Understanding insurance coverage adequacy is essential for identifying financial and structural barriers that may limit students’ ability to access timely and continuous mental health care. Even when students are insured, gaps in coverage related to cost-sharing, provider networks, or benefit exclusions can discourage help-seeking or disrupt ongoing treatment. Addressing these barriers can support student well-being, academic success, and long-term health outcomes.

This indicator uses data from the Healthy Minds Study survey. In 2024, 12,689 public four-year students responded to the survey, representing 12 public four-year institutions across six Midwest states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, and Ohio. This indicator was developed as part of a collaboration between MHEC and the Healthy Minds Network.

Webinar: Bridging Education and Work: How Credential Transparency Serves Learners and Employers

November 19, 11 am CT

As higher education and workforce needs continue to evolve, transparency and alignment are more critical than ever. This session will highlight how Credential Engine and regional/state/institutional partners are working together to advance strategies that connect credentials, skills, and jobs across the region.

Technologies Community Coffee Chat: Lemonade from Lemons – How We Are Navigating the Unexpected in our SIS Implementation

November 20, 10 am CT

Webinar: Defining and Enhancing Value and ROI in Higher Education: State Approaches to Economic Mobility and Economic Prosperity

December 2, 2 pm CT

The definition of a college education's value is rapidly evolving, leading states to seek better ways to align funding with student outcomes. Join us for a comprehensive overview of a multi-state exploratory cohort focused on developing and implementing robust higher education value propositions.

MSEP Helps Students Discover Options for Postsecondary Education

A recent story about a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student illustrates the opportunities that the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) offers in eight MHEC states (Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin). Through MSEP public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for specific programs; private institutions offer a 10% reduction on their tuition rates.

To learn more about MSEP, visit the MSEP section on MHEC's website, or download a flyer about the program.

Acting major Maikla Wilson pursued a new purpose at UW-Stevens Point after finding the institution through MSEP. Read her story.

Regional Technology Leaders Connect at MHEC's EDUCAUSE Breakfast

In November more than 50 Midwestern technology leaders gathered for a breakfast hosted by MHEC during the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference in Nashville, TN. "The MHEC Breakfast creates an important space for leaders to come together and meet one another, while also learning more about the MHEC Technologies Community and technology contracts," said Dirk Huggett, chair of the Technologies Community and assistant CIO, administration, at the North Dakota University System. "The Technologies Community is a valuable resource to the region, helping leaders learn from each other and share knowledge and ideas through virtual and in-person events."

The event was hosted by the Technologies Community and MHEC staff Breanne Hegg, vice president of programs, contracts, and communications; Nathan Sorensen, senior director of government contracts; and Ben Coder, programs and contracts manager.