The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) welcomes Molly Hall-Martin as our next summer intern.

As SHEEO’s summer intern, Hall-Martin will work on research projects meant to help state policymakers improve student outcomes and advance equity and income mobility. She will also assist SHEEO in our efforts to better translate research for a policy audience.

Molly Hall-Martin (Lower Brule Sioux) is a second year Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa. Her research focuses on the interplay between state and federal governments as well as relationships between state higher education agencies, tribal colleges & universities (TCUs), and tribal governments. Before enrolling at the University of Iowa, Hall-Martin served as the director of student preparation and success for the South Dakota Board of Regents, where she worked with campus and community partners to increase the number of American Indian and underrepresented students enrolling in postsecondary education. She was the state program coordinator for South Dakota College Application Week and served on numerous statewide committees. She also previously worked for Lower Brule Community College (LBCC), a tribal college located in South Dakota. There she coordinated the tribe’s Higher Education and Adult Vocational Technical grant programs and LBCC’s GED program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in American Indian studies from the University of North Carolina and a master’s degree in adult and higher education from the University of Oklahoma. Upon completion of her Ph.D., she hopes to work with state higher education agencies in some capacity, either as a staff member or with an organization that interacts with state agencies.

ABOUT THE STATE HIGHER EDUCATION EXECUTIVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is the national association of the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education. Founded in 1954, SHEEO serves its members as an advocate for state policy leadership, a liaison between states and the federal government, and a vehicle for learning from and collaborating with peers. SHEEO also serves as a manager of multistate teams and as a source of information and analysis on education and public policy issues. Together with its members, SHEEO advances public policies and academic practices that enable Americans to attain education beyond high school and achieve success in the 21^st century economy.

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) welcomes Dr. Tom Harnisch as our new vice president for government relations.

As vice president for government relations, Dr. Harnisch will be located in Washington, D.C., and his primary leadership responsibility will be for planning, implementing, and coordinating SHEEO’s portfolio of federal relations, policy, communication, and advocacy work. This position will monitor new and potential federal action (legislation, rules, and other policies and actions) that have relevance to our membership. The vice president for government relations will also be responsible for bringing these issues to the attention of SHEEO staff and SHEEO’s membership and for articulating their potential impact on our members and the institutions and students they serve.

From 2007 to 2019, Dr. Harnisch worked in a series of roles at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), including as director of state relations and policy analysis. In his role at AASCU, his roles included policy research, analysis, and communication to the AASCU membership and other external stakeholder groups. He helped craft the AASCU Public Policy Agenda and planned the Higher Education Government Relations Conference. His research interests and commentary on higher education finance, access, affordability, and other topics have been cited in over 200 articles, including in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time magazine, Politico, Inside Higher Ed, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University and The George Washington University. 

“We are excited to have Tom join us at SHEEO,” said Rob Anderson, SHEEO president. “His vast experience will serve our states by amplifying their voice and ensuring greater coordination between federal and state policies, which will allow us to meet the needs of our students in the most effective manner possible.” 

ABOUT THE STATE HIGHER EDUCATION EXECUTIVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is the national association of the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education. Founded in 1954, SHEEO serves its members as an advocate for state policy leadership, a liaison between states and the federal government, and a vehicle for learning from and collaborating with peers. SHEEO also serves as a manager of multistate teams and as a source of information and analysis on educational and public policy issues. Together with its members, SHEEO advances public policies and academic practices that enable Americans to attain education beyond high school and achieve success in the 21^st century economy.

A project of the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO)

Contact:  Jim Palmer, Editor, Grapevine
Center for the Study of Education Policy, Illinois State University
(309) 438-2041; jcpalmer@ilstu.edu

Data reported by the states in the latest Grapevine survey (Tables 1 and 2, attached) indicate that initially-approved state fiscal support for higher education in fiscal year 2019-2020 (FY20) totaled approximately $96.6 billion, a 5.0% increase nationwide from fiscal year 2018-2019 (FY19). This is the highest annual increase since Fiscal Year 2014-15 (FY15) and continues a trend of annual increases over the past six years (see chart at right).

In contrast to the relatively high number of states reporting annual reductions in funding from FY15 through FY18, only three states reported funding declines between FY19 and FY20.  Alaska sustained an 11.2% decrease, the result of a gubernatorial decision to substantially reduce funding to the University of Alaska system over the next three years.  Hawaii and New York reported much smaller declines of 2.2% and 0.3%, respectively. Each of these states had previously met or exceeded their pre-recession (FY08) levels of state support.

Of the remaining 47 states, 24 reported increases from FY19 to FY20 ranging from 0.7% (Kentucky and North Carolina) to 4.8% (Georgia and Massachusetts), and 23 reported increases ranging from 5.0% (South Dakota) to 11.4% (Colorado).  Increases in five states—California, Texas, Illinois, New Jersey, and Tennessee—accounted for approximately half (49.8%) of the total national increase in state funding for higher education between FY19 and FY20. Funding increases in each of these five states ranged from $189.2 million in Tennessee to $1.06 billion in California. Together, these five states increased funding for their higher education systems by 7.3%, while the remaining 42 states collectively increased funding by 4.4%.

Two-Year and Five-Year Trends

Over the longer term, total FY20 appropriations to higher education nationwide are 9.5% higher than funding made available two years ago in FY18. Sixteen states reported two-year gains of 10% or more, ranging from 10.0% in Kansas to 23.7% in Colorado. In addition, another 32 states registered two-year increases ranging from 2.7% in Vermont to 9.4% in New Mexico. Only two states reported that they were operating with levels of state fiscal support in FY20 that are lower than the fiscal support available two years ago in FY18:  Alaska, which reported a 9.1% decline from FY18 to FY20, and Kentucky, which reported a two-year decline of 1.7%. Note that the Grapevine data are not adjusted for inflation.

In terms of five-year trends, state support for higher education increased nationwide by 18.8% from FY15 to FY20. Sixteen states reported five-year increases of 20% or more, ranging from 20.3% in New Jersey to 43.9% in Nevada. Another 29 registered five-year gains ranging from 0.5% in Iowa to 18.6% in Maryland.  But five states reported five-year decreases ranging from 1.9% in Kentucky to 21.9% in Alaska.

These longer-term trends reflect a more favorable picture than findings for previous years (see table to the right).  In FY18, higher education systems in 16 states operated at levels of fiscal support that were below the levels of support available two years earlier in FY16, and in 10 states, higher education funding was less than the funding available five years previously in FY13. In FY19, 12 states operated at levels of state funding that were below the funding appropriated two years earlier in FY17, and nine states operated at levels of funding that were below the monies available five years previously in FY14.  

Overall, the results of the FY20 Grapevine survey document continued increases, albeit at modest levels, in higher education funding across most states. It is important to note that the Grapevine data alone do not provide the contextual information needed to compare or rank states in terms of the fiscal health of their higher education systems. For example, although Illinois reported a relatively large (9.8%) funding increase between FY19 and FY20, 66% of that increase represented monies appropriated to strengthen the state’s badly underfunded college and university pension system and were not used to fund instruction for students at higher education institutions directly. Also, the increase reported by Illinois between FY19 and FY20 follows a period of funding declines in previous years, as evidenced by the relatively low five-year increase of 4.8% between FY15 and FY20. These are the sorts of nuances that Grapevine data do not capture.  

Other Jurisdictions

FY20 marks the fourth year Grapevine has included Washington, D.C., in its survey. The data reported by the District of Columbia exclude federal appropriations and reveal one-year, two-year, and five-year gains in local tax support of 3.4%, 15.5%, and 22.9%, respectively. 

About Grapevine

Grapevine data are collected annually as a joint project of the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO). Tables summarizing the results of the FY20 Grapevine survey—as well as annual Grapevine reports going back to fiscal year 1961—can be found at the Grapevine website: https://education.illinoisstate.edu/grapevine/.

In addition to data on state fiscal support for higher education by state, Grapevine tables also detail regional variations in state fiscal support and note trends in state fiscal support per capita and per $1,000 in personal income.

The FY20 data were collected by Sophia Laderman of SHEEO, employing an instrument that consolidates the Grapevine survey with the annual survey used by SHEEO in its State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) project. Data from the Grapevine component of this consolidated instrument were sent to Illinois State University for analysis.

The Grapevine report intends to provide a first, tentative look at state higher education funding in the new fiscal year. The FY20 data represent initial allocations and estimates that are subject to change. SHEEO’s annual SHEF report focuses on the most recently completed fiscal year and offers a more complete examination of trends in total state support for higher education, factoring in enrollment, tuition, and inflation (among other variables). The SHEF report for FY19 will be released this spring by SHEEO.

Grapevine data include both tax and nontax state support for the operation of institutions of higher education as well as for other higher education activities (before the survey for FY10, Grapevine surveys asked for data on state tax appropriations only). States were asked to provide data for the new fiscal year (2020) as well as revisions (if necessary) to data on file for previous fiscal years. In addition to data on funding for four-year colleges and universities, instructions asked states to include:

• sums appropriated for state aid to local public community colleges, for the operation of state-supported community colleges, and for vocational-technical two-year colleges or institutes that are predominantly for high school graduates and adult students;
• sums appropriated to statewide coordinating boards or governing boards, either for board expenses or for allocation by the board to other institutions or both;
• sums appropriated for state scholarships or other student financial aid;
• sums destined for higher education but appropriated to some other state agency (as in the case of funds intended for faculty fringe benefits that are appropriated to the state treasurer and disbursed by that office); and
• appropriations directed to private institutions of higher education at all levels.

States were asked to exclude appropriations for capital outlays and debt service, as well as appropriations of sums derived from federal sources (except for ARRA monies), student fees, and auxiliary enterprises.

Different practices among the 50 states make it impossible to eliminate all inconsistencies or to ensure absolute comparability among states and institutions. In addition, the annual percent changes recorded for each state do not necessarily reflect the annual percent changes in funding for individual institutions within states.

Position located in Washington, D.C.

Overview:

SHEEO seeks to fill the position of vice president of federal relations. SHEEO is the national association of state higher education leaders who serve statewide coordinating and governing boards and other state higher education agencies. SHEEO responds to the changing needs of its members and the state higher education community and regularly pursues new projects that meet our members’ needs and align with the mission of the organization.

The vice president of federal relations will report directly to the president and will hold primary leadership responsibility for planning, implementing, and coordinating SHEEO’s portfolio of federal relations, policy, communication, and advocacy work. This position will monitor new and potential federal action (legislation, rules, and other policies and actions) that have relevance to our membership. The vice president of federal relations will be responsible for bringing these issues to the attention of SHEEO staff and SHEEO’s membership and for articulating their potential impact on our members and the institutions and students they serve. This is a new position; SHEEO has not previously maintained a permanent presence in Washington, D.C. The successful candidate will help develop SHEEO’s portfolio of work in Washington.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Make SHEEO’s leadership aware of new and potential federal action and its impact on our membership.
• Represent the interests of SHEEO’s members to federal policymakers.
• Draft monthly federal updates.
• Plan for, organize, and lead SHEEO leadership and/or membership visits to lawmakers’ and other policymakers’ offices.
• Plan for, organize, and lead any federal advocacy in which SHEEO decides to engage.
• Assist the president in developing and communicating SHEEO positions on new or potential federal actions.
• Serve as liaison between SHEEO and the various Washington, D.C. higher education associations, advocacy groups, think tanks, and foundations.
• Serve on a variety of leadership groups and teams within SHEEO.
• Advise and provide support to the SHEEO president, particularly about matters related to federal policy.
• Plan and implement federal policy projects which support the SHEEO mission, strategic priorities, and the needs of SHEEO members.
• Conduct or direct research and policy analysis on federal higher education public policy.
• Develop and maintain knowledge regarding current activities and future trends in public higher education.
• Manage a portfolio of grant-funded projects. Maintain relationships with funders and seek diversified funding sources.   
• May provide supervision or direction to other SHEEO staff.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• An earned doctoral degree plus at least seven years of progressively responsible leadership experience.
• Additional experience in higher education may substitute for the doctoral degree.
• Expertise in the federal policymaking process and ability to analyze and interpret federal legislation and agency rules.
• Experience working in Washington, D.C. and evidence of existing relationships with federal actors (House and Senate committee staff, U.S. Department of Education staff, higher education association leadership, etc.).
• Experience and analytical expertise in one or more of the following areas related to postsecondary education: academic affairs, data systems, equity, finance, institutional research, and/or student success.
• Demonstrated ability to obtain outside funding for special projects.
• Knowledge of or experience with SHEEO agencies.
• Record of publication in state higher education policy, public policy, or social science.
• Skill in project management.
• Skill in supervisory practices and techniques.
• Fluency in statistics, data visualization, or other specialized skills.

Working Conditions:

This position will be in Washington, D.C. Periodic travel to SHEEO’s headquarters in Boulder, CO, and other national travel will be required.

Salary:

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

Application Process:

Please apply by email to: Christina Whitfield at CWhitfield@sheeo.org and include the following:

• Letter describing how you meet the requirements of the position, addressed to Christina Whitfield, SHEEO, 3035 Center Green Drive, Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80301
• Curriculum vitae
• Names and contact information of three academic or 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. However, priority will be given to those applications received by November 29, 2019.

About SHEEO:

SHEEO serves its members as an advocate for state policy leadership, as a liaison between states and the federal government, as a vehicle for learning from and collaborating with peers, and as a source of information and analysis on educational and public policy issues. SHEEO seeks to advance public policies and educational practices to achieve more widespread access and successful participation in higher education, more new discoveries through research, and more applications of knowledge that improve the quality of human lives.

SHEEO is particularly interested in providing equal employment opportunities and employing a diverse staff. Read more about SHEEO on our website: www.sheeo.org.

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) has released two requests for proposals relating to state authorization. The first, Improving State Authorization Learning Community Request for Proposals, is for states, and the second, State Authorization Research Funding Request for Proposals, is geared toward researchers.

Improving State Authorization Learning Community Request for Proposals:

Due 5 p.m. on December 16, 2019

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to announce the creation of a new project designed to help states evaluate and strengthen their authorization processes to better protect students and improve quality in higher education. This multifaceted project will build on the recommendations provided in a recent SHEEO white paper, produce original thinking on state authorization, and provide a forum for states to work on solutions to common issues with state authorization. 

The creation of a Learning Community for states seeking to improve their role as the central actors in the higher education accountability space will be a core component of this project. The goal of the Learning Community is to support state efforts to evaluate and improve state authorization policies and processes systematically. Through in-person and web-based meetings, state teams will receive professional development, technical assistance, financial support, and peer learning opportunities. SHEEO is seeking letters of interest from states that are prepared to elevate state authorization as a core quality assurance and student protection function.

Thanks to the generous support of Lumina Foundation, the Learning Community will include teams from up to eight states. The Learning Community will meet once in person and three times via webinar over 18 months. Each state will receive a $15,000 grant to help jump-start evaluation and reform efforts. The Learning Community will function as an ongoing network of the state teams, SHEEO staff, and subject-matter experts from other education organizations.

Full Description of Improving State Authorization Learning Community Request for Proposals and Instructions for Submitting

State Authorization Research Funding Request for Proposals

Due 5 p.m. on January 15, 2020

SHEEO’s primary mission is to 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. Central to that mission is equipping states with the skills and information to act when and where necessary. One area that has recently required action is state authorization of postsecondary institutions.

Following the recent surge in institutional and campus closures, the growth in online education programs and providers, and increased concerns about educational quality, SHEEO published a white paper exploring the state role in the postsecondary education regulatory triad that includes the federal government and accreditors. In the white paper, we argue that through the state authorization process, states are the central actors in the higher education public accountability space. To this end, states should evaluate and strengthen their authorization processes to better protect students and improve quality in higher education. While the paper reviews conventional approaches to state authorization and offers recommendations for state agencies to consider, we were unable to find any empirical research on the effectiveness or outcomes of different strategies for state authorization, the process of state authorization, or the experience of individuals involved in state authorization. Without an empirical base of evidence to guide our recommendations, they are not as strong or as specific as they could be.

With generous support from Arnold Ventures, SHEEO is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to fund research projects that investigate state authorization processes, policies, outcomes, and procedures. The immediate goal of these research projects is to provide states with evidence-based recommendations to improve state authorization.

SHEEO seeks to fund up to six research projects at $13,500 each through this RFP. Researchers requiring additional funds for specific research costs, such as original data collection, significant travel, and data access fees, may submit an additional funds request, including a budget outlining these costs. Awardees will receive these dollars directly as an honorarium, and they may seek funding from other sources to supplement the funds. Each project will consist primarily of two elements:

1. an empirical research paper with an abstract and an executive summary; and
2. a corresponding blog post that translates the research for a more general policy audience.

Proposals will be reviewed by a committee consisting of SHEEO staff, state higher education leaders, and external researchers. Successful proposals will propose research that promises to have immediate relevance to improving state authorization of postsecondary education providers and that meets traditional academic standards for quality and rigor.

Full Description of State Authorization Research Funding Request for Proposals

Submit a Request for Proposal

MADISON, Wis.—University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross announced today his intention to retire, capping off his 42-year career in higher education.

Cross, 71, will continue to serve as UW System president until his successor is found after a national search. He notified chancellors, regents, system leadership, and employees of his decision this week.

Columbia, S.C.–The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE), in partnership with The Hunt Institute and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO), will convene education, business and government leaders from across the state for the newly formed South Carolina Higher Education Advisory Committee. Under the new leadership of Dr. Rusty Monhollon, president and executive director of the CHE, the Committee will work to support efforts to drive change in the state’s higher education policy.

The Committee, led by former South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges, includes a diverse group of stakeholders who will develop a set of recommendations that will build on the statewide higher education Public Agenda, which was developed by the CHE in 2017.

Meeting for the first time on October 24 in Columbia, S.C., the Committee will discuss strategies to increase dual enrollment opportunities for all students as well as efforts to help families understand and cover the cost of higher education. The Committee will meet for two additional in-person meetings over the next four months before final recommendations are made.

“The Hunt Institute is excited for this partnership with the Committee and the CHE to help South Carolina make progress toward statewide higher education goals,” said The Hunt Institute’s President & CEO Dr. Javaid Siddiqi. “With Gov. Hodges’ experience and leadership, this diverse group of state leaders can build consensus around the topics and policy issues most in need of immediate action.”

In addition to Gov. Hodges and Dr. Monhollon, the Advisory Committee will include Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson and Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, as well as presidents and faculty of institutions of higher education, regional business leaders, student representatives and members of the K-12 education policy community.

“As we focus on strengthening postsecondary education in South Carolina, we must ensure that we are bringing together diverse perspectives to create meaningful change that supports our students in their postsecondary pathways,” said Dr. Monhollon. “I’m looking forward to working with The Hunt Institute and SHEEO in this collaborative effort.”

“South Carolina and its students benefit when leaders come together to discuss long-term higher education policy solutions,” said SHEEO President Rob Anderson. “We at SHEEO are pleased to support these efforts and join in this critical conversation. This broad-based group of state leaders, students and educators will assist in ensuring that quality postsecondary education opportunities that lead to workforce outcomes will exist for all students moving forward.”

The Hunt Institute has developed the Advisory Committee model to bring together diverse voices during periods of state leader transition and to build consensus around pressing education policy issues. The Institute has implemented the model in two states, including in Virginia, supporting the Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. James Lane in establishing the Virginia is for Learners Advisory Committee. Additionally, through a partnership with Dr. Margie Vandeven, Missouri Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, The Hunt Institute adapted this model to coordinate the Commissioner’s Education Policy Committee.  

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About The Hunt Institute
An affiliate of the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, The Hunt Institute is a recognized leader in the movement to transform public education. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network since it was established in 2001, The Institute brings together people and resources that help build and nurture visionary leadership and mobilize strategic action for greater educational outcomes and student success. For more information, please visit: http://www.hunt-institute.org/

About South Carolina Commission of Higher Education
The CHE is committed to access, affordability, and quality in the state higher education system through coordination, regulation, advocacy and oversight, as directed by the South Carolina General Assembly.  The CHE serves as the coordinating board for SC’s 33 public institutions of higher learning.  It acts both as an oversight entity on behalf of the General Assembly and as an advocate for higher education.  The Commission is responsible for assuring a balance between student and taxpayer interests and institutional policies, aspirations, and needs. For more information, please visit: http://www.che.sc.gov.

About State Higher Education Executive Officers Association
The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is the national association of the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education. Founded in 1954, SHEEO serves its members as an advocate for state policy leadership, a liaison between states and the federal government, and a vehicle for learning from and collaborating with peers. SHEEO also serves as a manager of multistate teams and as a source of information and analysis on educational and public policy issues. Together with its members, SHEEO advances public policies and academic practices that enable Americans to attain education beyond high school and achieve success in the 21st century economy.

California State University (CSU) Chancellor Timothy P. White today announced his plan to retire in 2020. White has served as CSU Chancellor since 2012 and led the university’s restoration and resurgence from Great Recession-era cuts to achieve unprecedented heights for student enrollment and graduation. 

For this report, SHEEO surveyed selected historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and HBCU-adjacent school districts to help state higher education executives (SHEEOs) and nongovernmental organizations understand what drives successful teacher preparation at HBCUs. The report suggests ways to use HBCUs as resources to resolve longstanding racial disparities and inequities in majority-minority school districts. We address partnerships with surrounding school districts, professional development, college preparedness, standardized exams, and quality teacher training.

Full PDF: Strategic Priorities for Historically Black Colleges and Universities with Teacher Preparation Programs

Paul Lingenfelter, president emeritus of the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO), has been awarded the Association for the Study of Higher Education Council on Public Policy in Higher Education Excellence in Public Policy Higher Education Award. The award is intended to recognize excellence in work at the nexus of academic scholarship and policy practice in the field of public policy and higher education. The award committee made decisions based on such factors as a demonstrated commitment to promoting equity, prominence and impact in the field of higher education and in public policy, public scholarship, and excellence in scholarship.

Lingenfelter has been an active and steady voice in the field of public policy for higher education for decades and a leading voice on state higher education finance and state leadership and governance for higher education. For 13 years, Lingenfelter served as the president of SHEEO, the national association of the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education. SHEEO endeavors to serve as an unbiased advocate for state policy leadership, as a vehicle for learning from and collaborating with peers, and as a source of information and analysis on educational and public policy issues.

Under Lingenfelter’s tireless leadership, SHEEO focused on increasing successful participation in higher education; accountability for improving learning; finance; and building more effective relationships between K-12 and postsecondary educators. Under his leadership, SHEEO organized the National Commission on Accountability in Higher Education, created the annual study State Higher Education Finance (SHEF), published More Student Success: A Systemic Solution (among many other publications), and substantially expanded SHEEO’s collaborations with the Council of Chief State School Officers, while providing direct technical assistance, professional development, and consultation to state higher education executive officers from across the country. Lingenfelter has been a constant figure on national commissions, working groups, and committees. He has frequently been called upon to testify before Congress, state legislatures, and executive branch offices.

Rob Anderson, current president of SHEEO, shared this regarding Lingenfelter, “Paul’s thinking, writing, and work regarding the position of the state higher education executive officer and state governance and leadership for higher education generally have been extremely impactful. He has been a constant advocate of the role of the state higher education executive officer and for the professionalization of the position. Paul’s career-long dedication to advocating for and improving state higher education finance, policy, leadership, and governance make him an ideal candidate for the CPPHE Excellence in Public Policy Higher Education Award.”

Through Lingenfelter’s writing and work, he has made significant contributions to the way the field thinks about and understands state higher education finance and policy leadership and governance. Lingenfelter’s development of and work on the SHEF report fundamentally changed the way the field measures and thinks about state funding for higher education. The annual data collection has served as a primary data source for those interested in understanding, explaining, and predicting state funding for higher education. Further, Lingenfelter authored “Proof,” Policy, & Practice, a book of significant scholarship, that takes a critical and informed perspective on policymaking, research, and the use of evidence. His recent chapter, in The State Higher Education Executive Officer and the Public Good, on the history of the state higher education executive officer is the only comprehensive history of state higher education policy, leadership, and governance and will likely serve as the source of record on the topic for some time forward.