2005: SHEPC is formed

Funded by a low-interest loan from the Ford Foundation, WICHE, NCHEMS, and the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) join together to form the State Higher Education Policy Center (SHEPC) and purchase office space, a shared learning center, and meeting facilities, in Boulder, Colorado, where they reside today.

2004: WICHE partners with MHEC

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) invites WICHE to partner in the Master Property Program to help institutions reduce insurance premiums and improve coverages. WICHE later partners with MHEC to offer MHECare, providing institutions affordable student health insurance options, MHECtech, a cost-saving purchasing program spanning an array of technologies to benefit hundreds of institutions, and a cybersecurity purchasing option.

2000: David Longanecker is appointed executive director

David Longanecker is appointed the executive director of WICHE. In 2007, a vote by the Commission changes his title from WICHE executive director to WICHE president.

1995: The Legislative Advisory Committee forms

The Western Policy Exchange, a multiyear initiative, begins with support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. The WICHE Legislative Advisory Committee is created as a component of the Exchange to inform the Commission and its staff about significant higher education legislation and to provide input on WICHE initiatives.

1993: The Compact for Faculty Diversity launches

With funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts, Ford Foundation and an anonymous gift, the Compact for Faculty Diversity launches at WICHE as the fiscal agent for a unified program with the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to increase the numbers of underrepresented minorities who complete doctoral degrees and enter college and university teaching.

1990: Richard Jonsen is appointed executive director

Richard Jonsen is appointed the executive director of WICHE.

1989: WCET forms

WCET – the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies launches to address the practice, policy, and advocacy of distance education.

1988: South Dakota joins

South Dakota joins WICHE.

1988: The Western Undergraduate Exchange forms

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which allows students to choose from hundreds of undergraduate programs outside their home state and pay no more than 150 percent of that institution’s resident tuition rate, launches with 640 students enrolled at 56 colleges and universities at 10 states.

1985: North Dakota joins

North Dakota joins WICHE.