2017: Every Learner Everywhere forms

Every Learner Everywhere, a network of partner organizations that advocates for equitable outcomes in higher education through advances in digital learning, is formed and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

2016: Guam joins

Guam joins WICHE’s Pacific Islands membership.

2016: Joseph Garcia is appointed president

Joseph Garcia is appointed the president of WICHE.

2015: The Western Academic Leadership Academy launches

The Western Academic Leadership Academy, a year-long program designed to develop the leadership skills and functional knowledge needed by vice provosts, deans, and other academic leaders to move to the next level at four-year institutions, launches.

2015: Together With Veterans is founded

Together With Veterans, a community-based suicide prevention program for rural Veterans, is founded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and is carried out by a collaboration between WICHE, the Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention.

2013: WICHE supports the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement

WICHE becomes the fiscal agent for grants from Lumina Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the development of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) and implementation operations at each of the regional compacts and a new NC-SARA coordinating group.

2012: The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands joins

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is the first to join WICHE under the shared Pacific Islands membership open to all U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States.

2011: Interstate Passport® is developed

An initial grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and subsequent funding over several years from Lumina Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, and ECMC Foundation, enable the Forum and Alliance members to work with WICHE staff to develop and scale the Interstate Passport®.

2011: The State Authorization Network is created

The State Authorization Network (SAN) is created by WCET to serve institutions and organizations nationwide by providing support to navigate regulatory compliance for out-of-state activities of postsecondary institutions.

2010: The Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders is founded

With support from the Western Academic Leadership Forum, the Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders is founded. The Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders is founded with seed funding from the Forum. Its members are the chief academic officers of the community and technical schools along with their associated system and state agencies located in the 15 WICHE states and the U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States.