SHEEO welcomes a new slate of officers and executive committee members

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The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to announce the 2026-27 slate of officers and new incoming executive committee members, including incoming committee Chair Aaron Thompson, President of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. Chair-Elect is Shannon Gilkey from the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner. Other officers include Treasurer Geoffrey Landward from the Utah System of Higher Education and Past-Chair Ginger Ostro from the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

SHEEO is the national association serving the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards responsible for state postsecondary education across the country. SHEEO works to assist its members in developing and sustaining excellent systems of higher education and to advocate for postsecondary infrastructure and initiatives that bolster support and opportunities for student success and workforce alignment. The Executive Committee helps guide SHEEO’s federal priorities and strategies for promoting an environment that values higher education and the critical role of state-level higher education leaders.

“The role of our Executive Committee is crucial to SHEEO’s mission,” said SHEEO President Rob Anderson. “This team of highly knowledgeable individuals provides essential feedback and direction for how we operate as an organization and what we prioritize. Their background and expertise shape our efforts – we’re thankful for the extra time they dedicate to helping our organization be member-driven.”

SHEEO also welcomed four new members to the Executive Committee for the new fiscal year – Laurel Ballard from the Wyoming Community College Commission, Elizabeth Mauch from the Vermont State Colleges System, Chad Sampson from the Arizona Board of Regents, and Ken Warden from the Arkansas Division of Higher Education. 

“Postsecondary education remains one of the most powerful drivers of economic mobility and community prosperity,” said Aaron Thompson, President of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. “In Kentucky, we’ve shown that bold, statewide strategies can raise attainment and open doors for students who’ve too often been left out. As Committee Chair, I’m committed to helping SHEEO amplify the role states play in connecting students to opportunity, and I’m grateful to build on the strong foundation Ginger Ostro and the committee have established.”

Other Executive Committee members include: 

  • Ben Boggs, Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development 
  • Mike Duffey, Ohio Department of Higher Education
  • Steven Gentile, Tennessee Higher Education Commission 

Learn more about SHEEO’s membership and current work at https://sheeo.org. 

SHEEO Announces 2026 Excellence Awards Recipients

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Montana, Rhode Island, Utah recognized

WASHINGTON – The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to announce recipients of the 2026 SHEEO Excellence Awards. The awards recognize the leadership, dedication, and innovation of exceptional SHEEOs, agency staff, and agencies at a time when state postsecondary policy is increasingly linked to student success, social mobility, and states’ workforce and economic prosperity.

  • The Exceptional Leader Award recipient is Clayton Christian, Commissioner of Higher Education, Montana University System.
  • The Exceptional Agency Award goes to the Utah System of Higher Education.
  • The David L. Wright Memorial Award recipient is Andrea Spargo, Research Specialist, at the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner.

Reflecting on the SHEEO Excellence Awards, Dr. Robert Anderson, SHEEO President, said: “It is truly our pleasure to honor and recognize the commitment and resilience of our state higher education executive officers, their agencies, and the dedicated professionals who serve within them. The recipients of this year’s SHEEO Excellence Awards play a crucial role in shaping systems to better serve students and advance our nation’s postsecondary landscape.”

Exceptional Leader Award

The Exceptional Leader Award is presented to a current state higher education executive officer from a member agency who has shown exceptional leadership, a commitment to higher education, a contribution to the greater good, and service to the SHEEO association.

This year’s recipient of the Exceptional Leader Award, Clayton Christian, is the Commissioner of Higher Education, Montana University System. Clayton has helped lead the Montana University System to advance innovative initiatives in college access, research, workforce education, transfer pathways, dual enrollment, and performance funding. He provides strategic leadership for the Montana University System, serving more than 45,000 students through Montana’s 16 public colleges and universities.

Under Commissioner Christian’s leadership since 2012, state support for the Montana University System has nearly doubled, providing lasting investments in campus base budgets across the state. This continued growth in state investment reflects strong confidence in the Montana University System and its role in educating students, supporting communities, and advancing Montana’s workforce and economy.

Sponsored research across the System has more than doubled during Christian’s tenure, increasing from $192 million to $465 million in annual expenditures. During that period, Montana ranked sixth nationally in research growth. Contributing to that success was a landmark initiative championed by Commissioner Christian, when he successfully worked with the Legislature to establish the state’s first dedicated investment in university research—a $15 million appropriation that helped strengthen Montana’s research capacity and competitiveness.

Under Christian’s leadership, the Montana University System developed and implemented Montana 10, an evidence-based student success initiative designed to improve retention and degree completion. The program combines data-informed advising, strategies that promote academic momentum, efforts to reduce the cost of earning a degree, and intentional engagement in campus life. MT10 has become a national model for improving student outcomes through research-driven practice.

Annual participation in dual enrollment has grown fivefold during Christian’s time as Commissioner, and the state’s year-to-year retention rate increased from 72 percent to 79 percent. Clayton led the development of a nationally recognized ‘Grow Your Own’ teacher and nursing pathways, leveraging common course numbering, 2+2 partnerships, and distance education to allow more students to earn degrees while remaining in their home communities.

Commissioner Christian’s career is marked by humble leadership, innovation, and steady improvements to strengthen public confidence in higher education.

“Congratulations to Commissioner Christian on being recognized with the 2026 State Higher Education Executive Officers Association Exceptional Leader Award,” Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said. “As Montana’s Commissioner of Higher Education, Clay has been a partner in ensuring strong leadership at our colleges and universities to support the long-term success of students both in and out of the classroom. Thank you for your dedicated service and leadership.”

“Congratulations to Commissioner Christian on this outstanding achievement,” said Loren Bough, Chair of the Montana Board of Regents. “Clay has provided thoughtful, collaborative, and steady leadership that has strengthened the Montana University System and expanded opportunities for students across our state. We are grateful for his service and proud to see his work recognized with this well-deserved national honor.”

Exceptional Agency Award

The Exceptional Agency Award is presented to a member agency whose innovative actions, policies, or practices advanced student success in their state; which displayed exceptional governance practices; overcame exceptional challenges; or displayed other meritorious attributes. SHEEO has selected the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) as this year’s awardee.

Recent initiatives in Utah reflect USHE’s continued commitment to students, the state’s future workforce, and institutional stability.

Through a strategic system realignment, Utah’s board has committed to establishing a new framework for enhanced region-based integration and collaboration. By generating efficiencies and prioritizing higher education access and success for students, the new framework will ultimately help USHE operate as a more cohesive System. This initiative, which was codified in the Utah legislature this year, will strengthen coordination between institutions and create opportunities for more horizontal and vertical integration of USHE institutions.  

A recent strategic reinvestment exercise, codified in 2025 created an opportunity for degree-granting institutions in the Utah System of Higher Education to reallocate 10% of their instructional line-item budget over a three-year period, with an emphasis on providing additional investment to programs or institutional needs based on innovation, workforce alignment, and strategic value to the state. As USHE enters year two of the strategic reinvestment exercise, many USHE institutions are ahead of statutory implementation timelines and targets, and their year two strategic reinvestment plans are expected to entail nearly $23 million in net reinvestment in instruction and research. In March 2026, the Board built off this framework to extend the strategic reinvestment initiative to USHE technical colleges. 

The Utah System has prioritized the affordability and value of a USHE education by developing and executing a rigorous new tuition and fee-setting process over the last several years. Board leadership, the Commissioner’s Office, and institutional leaders have worked together to prioritize keeping costs manageable for students and families while continuing to foster access and excellence. 

The Board and Commissioner’s Office have invested in strengthening relationships and proactively collaborating with partners in Utah’s executive branch and legislature. In January 2026, Utah’s political and educational leaders reaffirmed the state’s commitment to students, academic excellence, and public accountability by signing a historic joint resolution between the Board, Commissioner, USHE institutional presidents, the Utah Governor, Senate president, and House speaker.

Finally, Utah has implemented recent initiatives to reaffirm higher education’s crucial role in serving as a marketplace for ideas and open inquiry, protecting and fostering free speech and academic freedom, introducing students to a variety of viewpoints, and helping students hone the skills needed for civil dialogue. 

It is these actions and initiatives that make Utah a fitting choice for the Exceptional Agency Award. 

Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Geoffrey Landward reflected, “Our work is centered on helping Utah students achieve their potential while fostering a thriving state. That means building a system designed to cultivate centers of excellence, expand access, and ensure our colleges and universities create transformative value for students, employers, and communities. We believe higher education in Utah can achieve even greater things, and every step we take unlocks more of that promise for the people and places we serve.”

“Our country’s continued success depends on developing the talent, innovation, and workforce that will shape our future. I’m grateful for the leadership of USHE that made receiving this award possible and for their ongoing commitment to making higher education more accessible and valuable for every Utahn,” said Utah Governor Spencer Cox. “Investing in higher education creates opportunities for individuals and families and helps keep Utah’s economy strong for generations to come. We are truly honored and proud that the Utah System of Higher Education is receiving this recognition.” 

“Higher education has the power to transform lives and strengthen not just our own communities, but our country as a whole. We are honored to be recognized nationally for innovation in higher education system design and hope that our efforts inspire other institutions as they focus on expanding access, increasing value, and aligning education with workforce needs. We are building a stronger system that achieves greater success for students, families, and communities across Utah through our aligned and vibrant vision for higher education,” said Utah Board of Higher Education Chair Amanda Covington.

David L. Wright Memorial Award

The David L. Wright Memorial Award is named in honor of the late David Wright, an esteemed colleague and leader in state higher education who served in the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, and the Florida Governing Board. This award recognizes a current SHEEO agency staff member from a member agency who embodies the exceptional commitment, work ethic, and ethical practices of David Wright and who has made outstanding contributions to their agency. This year’s David L. Wright Memorial Award is presented to Andrea Spargo, Research Specialist, at the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner.

Spargo carries forward David Wright’s legacy with thoughtfulness and dedication — demonstrating the very qualities this award celebrates: ethical leadership, tireless work ethic, and a lasting impact on higher education policy.

Spargo is an educational researcher with more than 20 years of experience in data collection, management, and advanced analysis across K–12 and postsecondary systems. Her expertise in translating complex data into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences has been invaluable to Rhode Island and to success in building cross-agency collaboration. Those who work with her consider her an asset to their teams, heralding her ability to apply thoughtful logic and analytic skills to vague and ill-defined projects, bringing order to chaos.

Among the many projects Spargo has led or developed are Rhode Island’s attainment dashboard, population profiles, and a now-popular annual report focused on key metrics related to education, workforce training, and earnings tailored to municipal audiences. She collaborated with the Department of Labor and Training to develop the first statewide talent pipeline analysis, aligning graduate output with workforce demand, and she serves as the data lead for Workforce Pell implementation. Spargo’s accomplishments span far beyond this short list – a testament to the work ethic and dedication she has shown throughout her time in Rhode Island.

Additional accomplishments include:

  • Spargo co-authored the “Roadmap for Postsecondary Attainment in the Ocean State”, creating an annual benchmark for analyzing population characteristics, educational attainment, enrollment, completion, and affordability.
  • She evaluated the institutional performances of Rhode Island’s three institutions of higher education in the areas of graduation/completion, workforce development, and mission-specific metrics and produced an annual report for each Institution of Higher Education as part of a performance funding assessment.
  • She coordinates the annual private, non-degree school data collection, managing the data element template, and co-facilitating information sessions to ensure institutions understand what is being asked and why. 
  • Spargo is a key contributor to the Direct Admissions pilot, where she will use RILDS-prepared data to make eligibility determinations for RI’s rising seniors, placing her at the precise intersection of data infrastructure and student access. 
  • Launched the state’s inaugural college-going report, providing critical information about high school college-going patterns and information by student groups, sparking a multi-year campaign to address college-going challenges coming out of the pandemic.  

“The David L. Wright Memorial Award honors someone whose commitment, work ethics, and ethical practice have made a lasting difference in the field of state higher education. Andrea Spargo is that person. She has spent more than a decade as a quiet pillar of Rhode Island’s higher education landscape, building data and research infrastructure that makes good policy possible, earning the trust of every partner she has worked with across RI’s Institutions of higher education, government, and business; doing it all with a spirit of service that is, simply, who she is. She has built a reputation that precedes her into every room she enters,” said Shannon Gilkey, Commissioner of Postsecondary Education, Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner. “Because of Andrea’s influence on Rhode Island higher education, the state provides a more affordable, equitable, and impactful system of delivery that Rhode Islanders will continue to access for many years to come. Andrea personifies the importance of SHEEO offices across the country for the work she conducts, the way she conducts it, and the impact she has on our communities. 

During the 2026 Annual Meeting on July 14, SHEEO also recognized outgoing Executive Committee Board Chair Ginger Ostro, Executive Director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, for her leadership and service to the SHEEO Executive Committee over the last year.

Learn more about SHEEO Excellence Awards, including past winners: https://sheeo.org/membership/sheeo-awards/

Now seeking nominations for the 2026 David L. Wright Memorial Award

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The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association is excited to announce the ninth annual SHEEO Excellence Awards program to recognize the leadership, dedication, and innovation in exceptional SHEEOs, agency staff, and agencies. 

We request nominations for the following award:

  • The David L. Wright Memorial Award – This award is named in honor of the late David Wright, an esteemed colleague and leader in state higher education, who served in the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, and the Florida Governing Board. This award recognizes a current SHEEO agency staff member, from a member agency, who embodies the exceptional commitment, work ethic, and ethical practices of David Wright, and who has made outstanding contributions to their agency.

We are thrilled to have the opportunity to recognize the excellent work of our members and are eager to receive your nominations. Nominations are due by Friday, May 1, 2026. Any questions can be directed to Jessica Duren at jduren@sheeo.org.

Additional information, including the nomination form, and awards timeline, can be found here. 

Economic and workforce development tops policy priorities for state higher education leaders in 2024

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In a survey distributed in November 2023, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) asked state higher education leaders to identify their top policy issues going into 2024. States face a multitude of higher education policy issues each year, with some topics consistently among the top priorities for policymakers while others represent emerging public policy concerns driven by the current higher education landscape. SHEEO’s report details the top 10 state policy priorities for 2024 according to state higher education leaders. The report also includes additional honorary mentions—topics consistently making headlines and generating important conversations among the higher education community. 

Economic and workforce development ranked as the number one priority for the second year in a row among higher education leaders. Last year, economic and workforce development tied with K-12 teacher workforce as number one. This year, K-12 teacher workforce fell to number nine. Governors and legislators throughout the country are looking to the state’s higher education system to train and educate the future workforce. SHEEOs have worked closely with their state business communities to develop educational opportunities and financial aid programs linked to in-demand jobs in their states.

Ranking number two for 2024 policy priorities is state operating support for public colleges and universities, rising from number four. The budgetary news in many states remains positive heading into 2024 legislative sessions, with continued surpluses and robust reserve funds. The sustainability of these surpluses, however, remains an open question. Diminishing federal relief funds, combined with sharp state tax cuts and growing needs for investments across state governments will put pressure on many state budgets in the year ahead. While state operating support for public colleges and universities has increased in most states over the past two decades, state operating support decreased in more than half of all states from fiscal years 2020-2022, when adjusted for inflation.

Rounding out the top five priorities are (3) higher education’s value proposition, (4) college affordability, and (5) state funding for financial aid programs. All top five issues ranked within the top 10 in 2023. Other issues in the top 10 include (6) public perception of higher education, (7) college completion/student success, (8) enrollment declines, (9) K-12 teacher workforce, and (10) adult/nontraditional student success. Tied for eleventh are FAFSA completion and institutional accountability/effectiveness in higher education. Both issues were new to this year’s report due to current events and headlines. 

“While this isn’t an exhaustive list of issues states are facing, it is telling for policy priorities for the year ahead,” said Tom Harnisch, SHEEO’s vice president for government relations. “Politically, we anticipate higher education will continue to face questions over relevance and value, along with more bills and messaging on hot button issues heading into the 2024 election cycle.”

The full State Priorities for Higher Education in 2024 report can be found online at https://sheeo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Policy-Issue-Survey.2024.pdf. 

ABOUT SHEEO: The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) serves the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education and their staffs. Founded in 1954, SHEEO is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2024. 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.

New SHEEO report explores higher education executive officers’ views on college affordability and the role of a state-federal financing partnership

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A new report from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) examines the views state higher education executives have on the federal government’s role in college affordability and policy proposals to make college tuition free. 

Growing concerns over student debt have led to a series of sweeping policy proposals from the higher education community over the last decade to align state and federal higher education financing policy. The existing framework, one in which states primarily subsidize institutions and the federal government primarily supports students, is increasingly seen as inadequate for making college affordable.

This new report includes results from interviews of state higher education executive officers (SHEEOs) and a survey of SHEEO membership. In their responses, SHEEOs expressed their concerns over college affordability but had a range of views on factors driving increased tuition prices, including inflation, labor costs, and declines in state subsidies.

SHEEOs welcomed greater coordination with the federal government through incentives and investments in state-driven college affordability plans, but federal tuition-free proposals received a mixed response. SHEEOs remain concerned about the sustainability of tuition-free programs and believe more targeted approaches, such as supporting need-based financial aid, could better withstand longer-term budgetary and political challenges. SHEEOs were also wary of burdensome federal mandates and would like flexibility in a partnership amid the wide variation in state political and economic contexts.

SHEEOs were generally in favor of some form of state-federal partnership to address college affordability. Seventy-four percent of surveyed participants wished to see greater coordination between the states and the federal government to make college more affordable.

“SHEEOs had differing thoughts on how a state-federal partnership should look,” said Tom Harnisch, SHEEO vice president for government affairs. “There was some consensus among participants that the ‘devil is in the details’ when it comes to states being incentivized to participate.”

Overall, SHEEOs’ perspectives shared concern for college affordability, the desire for a state-federal partnership that allows flexibility, and a preference for targeted tuition-free college policies over those open to all students.

Read the full report and learn more at https://sheeo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/state-federal_partnership.pdf. 

West Virginia’s Sarah Tucker named SHEEO Executive Committee Chair

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West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Chancellor Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker has been named the chair of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) Executive Committee.

Dr. Tucker is Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) and Chancellor of the Community and Technical College System (CTCS). She is the first person to simultaneously hold these two roles – and the first woman to serve as CTCS Chancellor. 

Tucker previously served the SHEEO Executive Committee as treasurer during 2021-22, and chair-elect during 2022-23.

“It’s with great pleasure we announce Dr. Sarah Tucker as the executive committee chair,” said Dr. Robert Anderson, president of SHEEO. “Dr. Tucker has been a great thought-partner and colleague to SHEEO throughout her tenure in West Virginia. Her depth and breadth of experience will continue to serve our community well, and we are thrilled to work with her and our entire Executive Committee in service of our students.”

SHEEO, the national association of the chief executives of statewide governing boards and coordinating boards for postsecondary education, works to assist its members and states in developing and sustaining excellent systems of higher education. The Executive Committee is responsible for shaping SHEEO’s federal priorities and strategies and for leading its communications with Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and other federal agencies. 

“I am honored to serve as the new executive committee chair of the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education. “There are remarkable achievements happening across the country that are paving the way for more people to continue their education and succeed throughout their lives. By bringing state higher education leaders together around policies and strategy, SHEEO creates even more of these opportunities. At a time when education and training are more important than ever, I am looking forward to serving in this role to help advance higher education on a national stage and bring even more new ideas to West Virginia.”

Dr. Tucker became Interim Chancellor of HEPC in April 2019 and Chancellor in June 2020. Under her leadership, West Virginia adopted its first-ever statewide dual enrollment program, launching as a pilot in 2023 to provide free college courses for high school students across the state. Under her leadership as CTCS Chancellor since 2015, West Virginia has made enormous strides in taking community and technical education to the next level. A hallmark of her championship on behalf of West Virginia’s students was the State Legislature’s passage of a free community college bill in March 2019. As a result of her hard work and state leaders’ forward-looking investment, the WV Invests program now provides students with last-dollar-in grants that cover the full costs of tuition and fees at the state’s nine community and technical colleges.

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The full SHEEO Executive Committee is as follows:

Officers:

Chair: Sarah Tucker, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission

Past Chair: Ben Cannon, Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission

Chair Elect: Clayton T. Christian, Montana University System

Treasurer: Ginger Ostro, Illinois Board of Higher Education

Members:

Brian Bridges, New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education

Allison Garrett, Oklahoma State System of Higher Education

Shannon Gilkey, Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner

Harrison Keller, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Chris Lowery, Indiana Commission for Higher Education

Dennis Olson, Minnesota Office of Higher Education

Noe Ortega, Massachusetts Department of Higher Education

Aaron Thompson, Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education