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October 2025

Greetings,

The MHEC staff are busy preparing for the Annual Commission Meeting next month in Cleveland. It has been a joy to work with our Ohio commissioners to plan the agenda, which includes tours of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Playhouse Square!

The Commission meeting will also include updates on the exciting launch of our state innovation grants. If you missed this news last month, MHEC commissioners approved grants of up to $250,000 for each member state for innovative projects that address state needs and align with MHEC's strategic priorities. The first few applications are already in and it's exciting to see the thoughtful and unique ideas our states have to tackle challenges and leverage opportunities in postsecondary education.

In other news, this month we welcome our new vice president for policy and research, John Burczek Dreier. Read on to learn more about John, as well as news about our Commissioners, contracts, programs, and more.

With thanks,

Susan G. Heegaard

President

LATEST NEWS

Compact Awards New Master Agreement to Baker Tilly

MHEC is pleased to announce that it has awarded a new master agreement to Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP (Baker Tilly) through the Next Generation Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System of Systems RFP. The agreement is effective October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2028.

This competitively sourced contract provides MHEC’s 12 member states with access to expert guidance and services that advance ERP modernization. The agreement also extends to institutions in all four regional higher education compacts (MHEC, NEBHE, SREB, and WICHE), broadening its impact nationwide.

Through this agreement, MHEC reaffirms its commitment to helping member states modernize responsibly, balance innovation with sustainability, and build long-term institutional capacity. This contract is expected to support more reliable systems, ease administrative burdens, and create better experiences for students, faculty, and administrators across participating states nationwide.

Baker Tilly will offer guidance and support across the entire ERP lifecycle, from readiness assessments and strategic planning through vendor selection, implementation oversight, and post-launch evaluation. Additional services include business process redesign, change management, organizational alignment, and project assurance to keep large-scale transitions on track.

Need-based Grant Aid Per Student Increased in Several Midwestern States

The latest update to MHEC's Interactive Dashboard shows that state need-based grant aid per full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student increased between 2021-22 and 2022-23 in eight Midwest states (Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin) while accounting for inflation. In addition, average amounts of need-based grant aid in Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota remain higher than the regional and national averages. Notably, some Midwestern states have recently taken action to increase grant aid for college students, which is not yet reflected in the data due to a two-year reporting lag. For example, a new need-based Michigan Achievement Scholarship has been offered for qualified students since 2023-24.

State need-based grant aid includes all grant aid distributed through state programs that have financial need as a criterion for student eligibility. This indicator also includes aid awarded through hybrid programs that combine financial need and merit criteria, but funding through programs based solely on academic merit or other factors is excluded. Need-based grant programs generally define financial need using income thresholds; the FAFSA Student Aid Index (formerly expected family contribution or EFC); an unmet-need calculation such as the difference between the SAI/EFC and cost of attendance; or proxies such as Pell eligibility and participation in means-tested benefits. Grant aid amounts include awards to undergraduate students attending any eligible postsecondary institution, including public, private not-for-profit, and private for-profit institutions. An overview of state grant-aid programs and policy options is available online.

Selected participation indicators are also available for MHEC states in the report Higher Education in Focus. 

John Burczek Dreier Named Vice President for Policy and Research

MHEC Joins National Conversation on Postsecondary Alignment with Workforce

Carrie Wandler, MHEC’s Senior Director of Policy Initiatives, recently represented the Midwest at Convergence 2025: Credential Innovation in Higher Education in Washington, D.C. The event, co-hosted by the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), brought together national leaders to explore the future of postsecondary learning and workforce alignment.

Carrie moderated a session featuring the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which highlighted its work advancing flexible recognition pathways for non-credit credentials. She also co-hosted the highly interactive “Ask Me Anything” Policy Table, engaging with peers on scaling solutions that help states respond to fast-changing labor market demands.

Key learnings for the Midwest included the need to expand recognition of non-credit learning to meet workforce needs, the power of regional collaboration to improve cross-state transferability of skills and credentials, and strategies for better linking higher education and employers. These insights will inform MHEC’s ongoing efforts to influence the national credentialing conversation and ensure emerging solutions reflect the region’s workforce and policy priorities.

MHEC Dual Enrollment Workshop Spurs Legislative Action

This past July, MHEC convened higher-ed institutions, K–12 leaders, policymakers, and community partners on the topic of dual enrollment, which allows high school students to take college courses and receive college credit. By providing a structured space for shared learning and coordinated planning, MHEC helped participants align policy and practice to turn promising ideas into actionable reforms and accelerate implementation across states.

In Wisconsin, the MHEC workshop spurred policymakers to develop legislation to make dual enrollment more accessible for all students. This development is a testament to the value of bringing stakeholders together to move from discussion to action.

Listen to the Wisconsin Public Radio story about the proposed legislation.

October 21, 2:00–3:00 p.m. CT

One of the most pressing barriers to dual enrollment access, enrollment, and attainment is the patchwork nature of how dual enrollment is funded. States vary widely in their models. In this webinar, Sharmila Mann and Krista Kaput from Bellwether will share insights and lessons learned from their 2025 report, Sharing the Cost: Insights from States Funding Dual Enrollment to Expand Access. The report includes case studies on California, Idaho, Minnesota, and Texas, highlighting how state funding models can serve as levers for expanding access, participation, and attainment in dual enrollment.

Lemonade from Lemons: How We are Navigating the Unexpected in our SIS Implementation

November 20, 10:00–10:50 a.m. CT

Our monthly Technologies Community Coffee Chat will feature a presentation conducted by Angela Neria, chief information officer at Pittsburg State University in Kansas. Angela will share Pittsburg State’s collective approach to navigating the unexpected in their Student Information System implementation. This Coffee Chat is open to attendees beyond MHEC’s Technologies Community. For more information about the Technologies Community and how to access this event, please contact Benjamin Coder.

EDUCAUSE: MHEC-hosted Breakfast

October 28, 7:30 a.m. CT

MHEC will host a breakfast at the annual EDUCAUSE conference in Nashville this month. This annual conference brings together leaders in higher technology and technology providers from around the world. If you are interested in attending MHEC's breakfast, please contact Benjamin Coder.

New Commissioners

Emily Goldman (IL)

Pamela Ammar (KS)

Reappointed Commissioners

Marci Francisco (KS)

Ken Rahjes (KS)

Barbara Ballard (KS) alternate

Renee Erickson (KS) alternate