The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and tragically, many other Black Americans have left many Americans outraged and in pain and sparked a movement of protest across the country. At SHEEO, we stand with those fighting against racism, racial violence, white supremacy, and the racial injustices in our country and affirmatively declare that Black lives matter.

SHEEO’s vision reads, “Together with its members, SHEEO will promote an environment that values higher education and its role in ensuring the equitable education of all Americans, regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic factors.” We stand behind our vision and are reflecting on how we can work together to combat and dismantle racism through our work. We stand with the Black community and those peacefully working to advance equity and opportunity. As a staff, we will work together to help make systems of higher education places of learning and community for Black students, faculty, and staff, and places free of institutional and systemic racism.

For words to be meaningful, they must be followed by specific action. We have much work to do and will develop an inclusive plan that details how we will move forward. For now, we offer our strong support to our members who are working on plans to address systemic racism, advance equity in educational opportunity, and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Written by Denise Pearson and Kelsey Heckert

The United States leads the world in the number of incarcerated persons per 100,000.1
In today’s global economy, these numbers represent huge wastes in human capital, especially when you consider the inequitable nature of the American criminal justice system, as witnessed by the disproportionate racial and ethnic composition, types of crimes, and length of prison sentences represented within this population. Regardless of the pathway to prison, most incarcerated people will eventually return to the communities from which they came, so one of the important questions may be, how does society want them to show up? Broken or made whole? Angry or hopeful? Employable or unemployable? Role model or counterexample?

The essence of this paper is linked to a favored quote by the late Nelson Mandela, who said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” These words are as profound today as they were in 1990 when he addressed an audience of Boston high school students. Furthermore, education in America remains one of the best investments individuals and governments can make, which should include investment in prison-based education programs. These types of efforts are cost-effective, reduce recidivism, improve employment prospects, increase civic engagement, and can disrupt generational poverty. Despite Second Chance Pell programs and other evidence supporting the multilayered value of postsecondary (coursework beyond high school) education for incarcerated populations, barriers and challenges persist. Fortunately, leaders of state agencies and systems of higher education are increasingly exploring
the feasibility of these programs for their states.

This paper presents preliminary findings from a survey SHEEO administered to its members in 2018. It advocates for postsecondary education for incarcerated persons as a relevant policy issue at federal and state levels in current political environments. Key findings and recommendations were informed by responses from 38 percent of SHEEO’s membership. States responding to the survey were Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. Non-member organizations included Truckee Meadows Community College (NV); University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Bismarck State College (ND); and the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. The paper is organized around three main categories: access, program delivery, and reentry of program participants into society, with the following key performance indicators.

Read the Full White Paper

“We applaud House leaders for introducing a federal stimulus bill that recognizes the budgetary challenges confronting states and their higher education systems today. The HEROES Act is sweeping in size and scope. Without an intervention of this size, states will make deep cuts to programs and services, including slashing critical investments in public higher education. These cuts will threaten educational quality, make college less affordable, and only serve to deepen and extend the economic pain ahead. The HEROES Act is a bold effort to ensure the next generation of students continues to have access to high-quality, affordable public college opportunities.

Public colleges and universities have played a critical role in the response to the pandemic, including performing cutting-edge research and training the next generation of health care professionals. These institutions are economic drivers that will be at the forefront of efforts to revitalize the economy and put people back to work. We urge Congress to recognize the contributions of these institutions during this difficult time and pass legislation commensurate to the unprecedented budgetary challenges confronting states in the months and years ahead.”

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Located in Washington, D.C.

Position Description:

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) seeks a talented professional to support our efforts to develop state data and information resources and to provide technical assistance and professional development to SHEEO agency researchers and policy analysts. The ideal candidate for this position will be enthusiastic about working with higher education data, understand how data can inform policy and practice, and use this enthusiasm and knowledge to inform our members and the community about current practices and future trends in public higher education.

SHEEO serves the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education and their staffs. Founded in 1954, SHEEO promotes an environment that values higher education and its role in ensuring the equitable education of all Americans, regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic factors. Together with its members, SHEEO aims to achieve this vision by equipping state higher education executive officers and their staffs with the tools to effectively advance the value of higher education, promoting public policies and academic practices that enable all Americans to achieve success in the 21st century, and serving as an advocate for state higher education leadership. For more information, visit www.sheeo.org.

Key Responsibilities Include:

SHEEO is seeking diverse applicants who are qualified to undertake the following responsibilities:

• Assisting in the development, administration, and analysis of SHEEO’s “Strong Foundations” survey of state postsecondary systems.
• Developing technical assistance and professional development materials for state-level data practitioners.
• Contributing to agenda development for SHEEO’s national convenings of data practitioners, researchers, and policy analysts.  
• Creating resources to communicate data and research results to multiple audiences.
• Developing and maintaining knowledge regarding current activities and future trends in public higher education.
• May represent SHEEO at state, regional, and national meetings and conferences.
• Contributing to reports, white papers, and policy briefs.
• Responding to information requests and providing other member services.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field plus at least two years of experience in a role that requires similar skills. A master’s degree may serve as a substitute for one year of experience. 
• Experience with or knowledge of state postsecondary data systems.

• Knowledge of external data resources such as IPEDS, NPSAS, or U.S. Census Bureau.
• Successful completion of coursework or demonstrated experience in statistics.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
• Basic knowledge of Tableau or other data visualization programs.
• Ability to creatively analyze and visualize data and present it to non-technical audiences.
• Ability to establish priorities and coordinate work on multiple projects.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of state higher education policy and issues.
• Experience developing or providing professional development or technical assistance resources.
• Experience conducting education, social science, public policy, or other research.
• Knowledge of SPSS, Stata, R, or another statistical program.
• Knowledge of Qualtrics or another survey platform.

Salary:

Salary will be commensurate with successful candidate’s level of education and experience. SHEEO provides excellent staff benefits. 

Term:

This is a two-year contract position. Contract may be renewed or extended at the end of the two-year term.

Application Process:

Please apply by email to dszczesny@sheeo.org and include the following:

1. Letter describing how you meet the requirements of the position, addressed to Dr. Christina Whitfield, SHEEO, 3035 Center Green Drive, #100, Boulder, CO 80301.
2. Resume or curriculum vitae.
3. Names and contact information of three professional references. (References will not be contacted until you have given permission for us to do so.)

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but full consideration will be given to those received by June 8, 2020. This position is based in Washington, D.C. SHEEO is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and believes that recruiting and developing a diverse and inclusive staff is vital to the success of the organization.   

Located in in Washington, D.C.

Position Description:

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) seeks a senior policy analyst to support our efforts to promote innovative state higher education policies and procedures. The senior policy analyst will collaborate with other higher education organizations and promote best practices among SHEEO member agencies. The ideal candidate will have experience with student success initiatives and a commitment to closing equity gaps in higher education.  

SHEEO serves the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education and their staffs. Founded in 1954, SHEEO promotes an environment that values higher education and its role in ensuring the equitable education of all Americans, regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic factors. Together with its members, SHEEO aims to achieve this vision by equipping state higher education executive officers and their staffs with the tools to effectively advance the value of higher education, promoting public policies and academic practices that enable all Americans to achieve success in the 21st century, and serving as an advocate for state higher education leadership. For more information, visit www.sheeo.org.

Key Responsibilities:

SHEEO is seeking diverse applicants who are qualified to undertake the following responsibilities:

• Supporting innovative state- and system-level practices, including those related to advising, academic readiness, digital learning, and pathways.
• Developing strategies to bring these practices to scale in multiple states and systems.
• Identifying and promoting best policies and practices related to closing equity gaps in higher education.
• Identifying and promoting best policies and practices related to improving student success and employment outcomes for students, and addressing the needs of the workforce.
• Collaborating with other higher education organizations to advance transformational policies and practices.
• Advising SHEEO member agencies regarding key performance indicators for student success.
• Developing and maintaining knowledge regarding current activities and future trends in public higher education.
• May represent SHEEO at state, regional, and national meetings and conferences.
• Contributing to reports, white papers, and policy briefs.
• Responding to information requests and providing other member services.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• A master’s degree in a relevant field plus at least five years of experience in a role that requires similar skills.
• A doctoral degree may serve as a substitute for two years of experience.
• Experience with or knowledge of state- or system-level student success initiatives.

• Ability to establish priorities and coordinate work on multiple projects.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• An identifiable commitment to advancing equity and student success in higher education.

Preferred Qualifications:

• State- or system-level experience in student success, workforce alignment, or equity and diversity.
• Knowledge of state higher education policy and issues.
• Experience analyzing quantitative and/or qualitative data.
• Experience working with higher education associations or foundations.

Salary:

Salary will be commensurate with successful candidate’s level of education and experience. SHEEO provides excellent staff benefits. 

Term:

This is a two-year contract position. Contract may be renewed or extended at the end of the two-year term.

Application Process:

Please apply by email to dszczesny@sheeo.org and include the following:

1. Letter describing how you meet the requirements of the position, addressed to Dr. Christina Whitfield, SHEEO, 3035 Center Green Drive, #100, Boulder, CO 80301.
2. Resume or curriculum vitae.
3. Names and contact information of three professional references. (References will not be contacted until you have given permission for us to do so.)

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but full consideration will be given to those received by June 8, 2020. This position is based in Washington, D.C. SHEEO is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and believes that recruiting and developing a diverse and inclusive staff is vital to the success of the organization.   

The impacts of COVID-19 on public higher education revenues and enrollment are unknown and potentially severe. Amidst this uncertainty, the State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report offers a comprehensive look at where states stand as they enter this complex funding environment.

BOULDER, Colorado —

In fiscal year 2019, state and local support for higher education topped $100 billion for the first time in history. At the same time, public higher education finance has never been more precarious. Institutions face increased costs, loss of tuition revenue, and unknown enrollment for the coming academic year. Meanwhile, reductions in state budgets firmly indicate sweeping cuts are coming for higher education.

A 2.4% increase in per-student education appropriations marks the likely end of a seven-year recovery in higher education funding

On a per-student basis, education appropriations (a measure of state and local funding for general operations and financial aid at public institutions) increased $195 above inflation in the last year. While states’ efforts to increase funding for higher education should not be discounted, many public institutions are still without the necessary funding to appropriately weather the coming economic decline.

Despite seven years of moderate increases in per-student funding for higher education, only seven states have fully recovered from funding declines during the last recession. Nationally, education appropriations remained 8.7% below pre-recession levels in 2008, and states have only recovered about two-thirds (63.5%) of the total decline seen during the Great Recession.

This year, with generous funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is launching a brand new, fully interactive, SHEF website. The new SHEF website currently features an animated overview of higher education finance, customizable visualizations, and data downloads throughout the interactive report and issue briefs, with even more interactive tools to be released in the coming months.

“States have many budget priorities, and often higher education is the first place to be cut,” said Robert E. Anderson, president of SHEEO. “Public higher education is entering a period of economic uncertainty in an unstable position. Without adequate state funding, and with huge uncertainty surrounding fall enrollment and tuition revenues, public institutions will lack the resources they need to properly serve their students in the coming year.”

“We do not know what will happen in the coming months, but it is vital that we continue to support higher education,” said Carlos E. Santiago, commissioner of higher education for Massachusetts and chair of SHEEO’s executive committee. “SHEF provides important context about the financial landscape of public higher education heading into the current crisis and is a valuable resource to assist state policy leaders in making what we know will be very difficult funding decisions.”

Additional findings from the 2019 SHEF report include:

• Enrollment remained largely stable for the third year in a row: 2019 is the eighth straight year of full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment declines following substantial enrollment increases during the Great Recession. However, these annual enrollment declines have been less than 0.5% for the last three years. There were just under 11 million FTE enrolled students in 2019.
• Financial aid accounts for an ever-growing portion of state and local funding: State public financial aid (a part of education appropriations) increased 4.0%, reaching an all-time high of $808 per FTE. State aid has increased 34.1% since the start of the Great Recession.
• Thanks to increases in financial aid, net tuition revenue declined for the first time in over a decade: Following rapid increases in net tuition revenue in every state during the Great Recession, net tuition revenue declined by $6 per FTE in 2019.
• Total education revenues reached $15,000 per student for the first time: Total revenues for public institutions increased 1.3%, reaching an all-time high of $15,018. This trend does not hold for all institutions or states. Many institutions have been unable to increase tuition revenue to off­set historical declines in state funding, and 16 states have not surpassed pre-recession total education revenues.
• Over time, the student share has increased in all states: The share of total revenues that come from student tuition dollars has increased from 20.9% in 1980 to 46% today. Student share generally rises during economic recessions and levels off during recoveries. In the coming recession, student share will likely surpass 50%.

If the last two recessions are any indication, funding for public higher education will decline more than any other budget area over the next few years. Over time, recessions have led to deeper declines and shallower recoveries in state funding. In 2019, public institutions received, on average, $1,800 less in per-student funding than prior to the tech bust in 2001.

“There are great differences across states and between types of institutions, and many public institutions have already increased efficiencies and raised tuition revenues as much as possible,” said Sophia Laderman, senior policy analyst at SHEEO and primary author of the report. “Those colleges are often the same ones that rely the most on state funding and serve students with the greatest financial need. While funding cuts may be necessary, it is essential that state leaders are cognizant of each institution’s dependence on state funding and access to alternative revenue sources.”

While these findings are crucial to understanding the broad strokes of national finance trends in higher education, it’s important to note that national trends mask considerable variation across the states. The full SHEF report paints a more complete picture of differences in public higher education finance across states.

Explore the SHEF website to read the full report and customize the adjustable data visualizations. The SHEF website also includes issue briefs that focus on state recovery from the Great Recession, regional differences in higher education finance, and changing trends in the allocation of state financial aid.

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About the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association serves the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education and their staffs. Founded in 1954, SHEEO promotes an environment that values higher education and its role in ensuring the equitable education of all Americans, regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic factors. Together with its members, SHEEO aims to achieve this vision by equipping state higher education executive officers and their staffs with the tools to effectively advance the value of higher education, promoting public policies and academic practices that enable all Americans to achieve success in the 21st century, and serving as an advocate for state higher education leadership.

Written by, Denise Pearson, Jason Lee, and Brandon Bishop

Leaders of state agencies and systems of higher education (SHEEOs) are in unique positions to expand higher education’s positive impact on the human condition through an intentional and systematic focus on educational equity. The opportunities and challenges are noteworthy, and the authors of this paper sought to identify these. It is also the goal of this paper to provide SHEEOs and their staffs with information to support their efforts to ensure positive postsecondary outcomes for all students in their respective states, regardless of race or ethnicity. In essence, this is the fundamental aim of equity in higher education. It’s instructive to mention that an important impetus for this paper — States Leading for Equity — is the consistent focus on equity-oriented
proposals and sessions at SHEEO’s annual policy conferences.

Read Full White Paper

“We applaud Congressional leaders and Administration officials for working together to reach a bipartisan deal on a federal stimulus package. As higher education works to address the financial fallout stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, we welcome partnership and resources from the federal government. This stimulus package provides urgently needed financial assistance and administrative flexibility during this difficult time.

The financial shortfalls facing higher education, however, will far exceed the funding levels in this package. More work needs to be done to ensure colleges and universities can meet the urgent needs of their students, maintain their workforce, help the economy recover, and sustain their commitment to providing high-quality, affordable educational opportunities. We look forward to partnering with the federal government to meet the evolving challenges posed to institutions and their students by COVID-19 and use the capacity of colleges and universities to help in the national response and recovery.” 

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