MHEC June 2025 News
Greetings from MHEC,
One of the things I have most admired about MHEC is how we gather people from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and locations to discuss, debate, and learn in an environment of civility and respect. I write these words in the aftermath of the horrific shootings of two widely respected Minnesota legislators and their spouses. Minnesota will feel the loss of Rep. Melissa Hortman deeply. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family and Sen. John Hoffman and his family. Many members of the MHEC community have reached out to share their mutual shock and sadness, and I thank you for modeling the care and behavior our country needs.
Our recent Executive Committee Meeting in Detroit was yet another example of a collaborative gathering to do business, share ideas, and discuss promising strategies for higher education. We all came away cheerleaders for the city of Detroit and its amazing renaissance! We are grateful for our commissioners from Michigan who helped us design such a terrific convening. Read on for more details about that event and other important work at MHEC.
Susan G. Heegaard
President
Report on the MHEC Executive Committee Meeting
MHEC commissioners and staff gathered in Detroit June 2-3 for the annual Executive Committee Meeting. MHEC is grateful to Michigan commissioners Brandy Johnson and Daniel Hurley for their leadership in making this convening unique and interesting. We also appreciate the support of our other Michigan commissioners: Rep. Greg Markkanen, Sen. Sean McCann, Ms. Emma Young, & Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea.
At the meeting the Commission:
- Approved the budget for FY26;
- Adopted an updated strategic plan with five key priorities;
- Considered recommendations from the Ad Hoc Programmatic Investment Committee and approved a related budget that will provide grants of up to $250,000 for each MHEC state to address critical and timely needs;
- Discussed a new captive insurance initiative, which MHEC will continue to explore in the next year;
- Discussed a recent assessment of the Midwest Student Exchange Program
Dr. Jason Pontius, associate chief academic officer from the Iowa Board of Regents, shared a fascinating presentation on the use of data to track earnings, retention, and return on investment. Dr. Jeff Strohl, director of research at Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce, presented on shifting demographics and the strategic pathways to secure the Midwest's workforce.
Attendees also enjoyed a tour of the Henry Ford Rouge Factory, where they observed the assembly of cars from a catwalk prior to a dinner featuring keynote speaker Jeanette Pierce from the City Institute on the impressive revitalization of Detroit.
Pictured: Henry Ford Rouge Factory, Legacy & Electric Vehicle Gallery
Research Update
From Parents to Medicaid and Employers: How College Students Get Health Insurance
The latest update to MHEC's Interactive Dashboard introduces an indicator tracking health insurance coverage as part of its new series on the mental health of college students at selected institutions in the Midwest.
In 2023-24, among students aged 18–25, the vast majority (86%) reported receiving health insurance through a parent’s plan, reflecting provisions in the Affordable Care Act that allow dependents to remain on parental coverage until age 26. Smaller percentages of students in this age group were covered by Medicaid (8%) or by institution-sponsored student health plans (5%). In contrast, among students aged 26 and older, the most common sources were their own employer (33%), Medicaid (30%), and a spouse’s employer (18%). The share of students without any insurance coverage ranged from 3% among younger adults to 7% among those 26 and older.
As colleges and universities work to strengthen mental health services, understanding students’ patterns of health insurance coverage is increasingly important for identifying where service gaps may emerge. Age is a particularly important factor: as students turn 26 and lose coverage under a parent’s plan, many shift to Medicaid, institutional student plans, employer-based coverage, or in some cases, forgo insurance altogether. Tracking these changes, especially among adult learners, can help institutions assess insurance adequacy, affordability, and provider network access for mental health services.
This indicator uses data from the Healthy Minds Study survey. In 2024, 12,689 public four-year students responded to the survey, representing twelve public four-year institutions across six Midwest states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, and Ohio. This indicator was developed as part of a collaboration between MHEC and the Healthy Minds Network.
Source. Healthy Minds Network. (2024). Healthy Minds Study - Student survey. Note: The sum of item percentages may exceed 100% as students were able to select multiple sources.
Resources from Recent Webinars
Dual Enrollment Funding Models: Where Does Your State Stand?
May 20, 2025
Jennifer Zinth, author of the 2025 update to the College in High School Alliance's Funding for Equity report, highlighted strategies that expand access while maintaining program quality and sustainability.
Preparing for NC-SARA Policy Changes: Essential Insights for Professional Licensure Programs
May 21, 2025
This webinar provided an opportunity for participants to engage with experts from Higher Education Licensure Pros about upcoming changes to NC-SARA policy.
Updates on MHEC's Strategic Priorities
Advancing innovation, efficiency & effectiveness
The work MHEC has done to improve data quality and operational efficiency was featured in a CLA case study, recently presented at the Minnesota Nonprofit Finance Conference. MHEC's transformative journey to modernize its data governance and technology environment led to implementation of integrated financial software, standardized reporting, a streamlined customer relationship manager system, and an efficient co-sourced staffing model. Read more.
Commissioner Appointments
Indiana
Dr. Matt Butler
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer
Term: 5/14/2025; serves at the pleasure of the Governor; Indiana Governor's Designee
Missouri
Rep. Chris Brown
Missouri General Assembly
State Representative; Chairman, Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee
Term: 5/23/2025 to 7/1/2026
North Dakota
Mr. Brent Sanford
North Dakota University System
Interim Chancellor
Term: 5/21/2025 to 6/30/2027
Reappointed Commissioners (as of 7/1)
David Ford (IA)
Joanna Hofer (IA)
Tim Mihalick (ND)
Other MHEC News
Carrie Wandler has been promoted to Senior Director of Policy Initiatives at MHEC.
The Journalist's Resource recently recommended MHEC's interactive dashboard as a quality tool for journalists to find data on a range of student achievement indicators. Read the story.
Articles and Resources of Interest
Congress Opens the Credential Floodgates
Inside Higher Education | June 16, 2025
Why Skepticism About College Is Hard to Shake
The Atlantic | June 4, 2025
New Data Shows Attendance Fosters Student Success
Inside Higher Education | June 13, 2025