WICHE brings together senior academic leaders to foster dialogue about issues facing individual institutions through its leadership and professional development networks.

WESTERN ALLIANCE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE ACADEMIC LEADERS – 2-YEAR INSTITUTIONS

• Mitchell Technical College
• Western Dakota Technical College
•  Southeast Technical College
•  Lake Area Technical College
•  South Dakota Board of Technical Education

Barb Kleinjan, Lake Area Technical College, serves on the Alliance executive committee.

WESTERN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP FORUM – 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS

•   Black Hills State University
•   Northern State University
• South Dakota Board of Regents
• South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
•   South Dakota State University
•   University of South Dakota

Pam Carriveau, South Dakota Board of Regents, serves on the Forum executive committee.

WESTERN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP ACADEMY is a year-long professional development program for academic leaders aspiring to become chief academic officers in the WICHE region. Sixteen cohort members from South Dakota institutions have participated in the Academy since its inception in 2015.

South Dakota participates in the STATE AUTHORIZATION RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT (SARA) through WICHE. This voluntary agreement provides reciprocity for the state authorization of distance education. WICHE Commissioners have been strong advocates for protecting the state voice in important governance decisions affecting this agreement and staff continue to support participating states and improving student protections while bolstering access.

WICHE Behavioral Health Program (BHP) partners with the Human Services Center (HSC) and Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health Services (LCBHS) to develop the SOUTH DAKOTA PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP CONSORTIUM (SD-PIC). The WICHE BHP ensures the program meets the accreditation requirements of the American Psychological Association (APA), provides technical assistance, and supports the internship program through the accreditation process.

The WICHE Behavioral Health Program (BHP) provides consultation and technical assistance to the South Dakota Division of Behavioral Health regarding the implementation of their INDIVIDUALIZED MOBILE PROGRAMS OF ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT (IMPACT). This work includes conducting quality assurance reviews of IMPACT programs using a modified tool that is based on the SAMHSA evidence-based practice of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) as well as ongoing technical assistance to IMPACT teams on the delivery of services.

MOUNTAIN PLAINS RURAL OPIOID TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER (MP ROTAC) develops and shares resources, training, and technical assistance focused on opioid and stimulant misuse in rural areas in Region 8. This is funded through a multiyear grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOID RESPONSE PROGRAM (RCORP) is a multiyear initiative supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to identify treatment barriers and best practices for preventing and treating substance use disorder. In South Dakota, the RCORP program supports one grantee across two sites.

Knocking at the College Door is the leading U.S. resource for projections of high school graduates. Released in December 2024, the newest edition is essential for postsecondary policymakers, planning and workforce efforts, and economic development.

DATA EXPERTS WICHE staff provide analysis on finance, financial aid, articulation and transfer, strategic planning, student demographics, and more, as well as host peer-to-peer calls of state, system, and institutional chief academic officers to identify areas of potential collaboration and resource sharing across the West.

DATA RESOURCES WICHE offers curated data and policy resources to support better-informed decision-making. WICHE’s research projects and collaborations cover postsecondary completion, health workforce development, behavioral health in postsecondary education, open educational resources (OER), state finance, prior learning assessment, and more:

•  Tuition and Fees in the West includes tuition, fees, and enrollment data about 350+ public institutions in the West.
• Benchmarks: WICHE Region presents information on the West’s progress in improving access to, success in, and financing of higher education.
•   Data on over 35 indicators in WICHE’s Regional Fact Book for Higher Education in the West.

Created by the WICHE Commission in 1995, the LEGISLATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (LAC) works to strengthen state-level postsecondary policymaking across the West. Members are legislators appointed by each state, territory, or freely associated state in the WICHE region; they meet annually to explore emerging policy issues and develop strategies for interstate collaboration.

CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS NETWORK Staff from the South Dakota Board of Regents also participate in regular collaborative calls with colleagues around the region.

WCET- The WICHE Cooperative for Education Technologies is the leader in the practice, policy, and advocacy of digital learning in higher education. Its growing membership includes institutions, higher education agencies and systems, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and corporations in all U.S. states and several Canadian provinces. WCET members include:

• Black Hills State University
• Dakota State University
• Northern State University
• South Dakota Board of Regents
•  South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
• South Dakota State University
• Southeast Technical Colleges
• University of South Dakota
• Western Dakota Technical College

Additionally,  the State Authorization Network (SAN), which helps guide institutions through state regulations around online courses and programs, includes the following members:

• Black Hills State University
• Dakota State University
• Lake Area Technical College
• Mitchell Technical College
• Northern State University
• South Dakota Board of Regents
• South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
• South Dakota State University
• Southeast Technical College
• University of South Dakota
• Western Dakota Technical College

WICHE has convened the OERWEST NETWORK, which is part of a nationwide collaborative to scale the development and adoption of free course materials. Open educational resources (OER) have shown promise in improving student outcomes, particularly for students whom the high cost of textbooks can be a barrier to postsecondary success.

TECHNOLOGY AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR TRANSFER SUCCESS PROJECT offers two-year grants to partner institutions to create technology solutions to assist transfer students. In South Dakota, the partnerships are: Dakota State University and Lake Area Technical College, and Northern State University and Southeast Technical College.