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Partnership Pentagon issues recommendations to improve higher ed policies and programs

HOPE Agenda

The Commission for Higher Education met July 25 at Ball State University. Every Partnership Pentagon recommendation aligns with the HOPE Agenda. (Commission for Higher Education)

About 140 Indiana leaders met over the last year to recommend changes to the state’s higher education policy as deadlines for improvements get closer. 

The Commission for Higher Education’s Partnership Pentagon delivered a final report and a presentation Thursday. The group is made of leaders from five sectors: education, business, government, philanthropy and nonprofits.  

Last year, Commissioner Chris Lowery tasked the group with tackling Indiana’s biggest higher education problems. He wanted to see how the sectors can collaborate for long-term improvements. 

The Partnership Pentagon recommendations highlighted improvements to existing programs, such as giving more resources to the 21st Century Scholars Programs and raising funds for the FAFSA Completion Campaign. The presentation also suggested growing awareness for Indiana’s Credit for Prior Learning Program — giving college credit for learning outside of traditional classrooms.  

Read more: Indiana FAFSA filing increased despite problems with new form 

Some recommendations included more support for marginalized communities. One recommendation said the commission could allow undocumented students to pay Indiana resident tuition rates. Another recommendation said Indiana could expand college enrollment support for formerly incarcerated people. 

A common theme throughout the presentation was expanding partnerships and programs with local businesses. 

The commission doesn’t expect to implement every recommendation. But the recommendations will serve as a guide, especially considering Indiana’s new governor and upcoming legislative session.  

“We will be working with partners over the next several months to think about who may want to lead on some of these efforts,” Senior Associate Commissioner Michelle Ashcraft said at the meeting. “Many of them have already stepped up to do that across all of the sectors.”

She said the recommendations will be shared publicly Monday.  

In all, Ashcraft presented about 45 recommendations aligned with Lowery’s HOPE Agenda to the Commission for Higher Education. Some changes can begin immediately, but others will require policy or legislative changes. 

The HOPE agenda is the driving force behind Indiana’s higher education system. With the HOPE Agenda, Lowery wants Indiana to rank in the top 10 in the U.S. for six areas by 2030: 

  • College-going rates 
  • College attainment for veterans, people with disabilities and people impacted by the criminal justice system 
  • Using Credit for Prior Learning 
  • College completion rates 
  • Social and economic mobility 
  • Growing and starting a business 

“We wanted to have something that users could grab a hold of,” Lowery said at the commission’s meeting Thursday.  

The Commission for Higher Education also works toward another deadline for improvement set about a decade ago. By 2025, state leaders want 60 percent of Hoosiers to have a college degree or credential. Lowery said as of 2022, that number sits at 53 percent. 

Lowery shared other figures and data in his report.  

Indiana ranks 40th in the nation for bachelor degree attainment, dropping lower by one place since 1960. For all forms of education beyond high school — including associate’s degrees and certificates — Indiana ranks 28th. 

Read more: Students, parents advocate for arts classes in wake of Indiana's high school diploma overhaul

A little less than half of college students finish their degrees on time. With extended time, about 68 percent finish their degrees. 

Lowery’s report also showed people with higher college attainment were generally better off than those with just a high school degree. They’re more likely to be employed, they live longer, and their infant mortality rates are lower. 

“People ask me, what keeps me awake at night, and this is some of what keeps me awake at night,” Lowery said. 

Aubrey is our higher education reporter and a Report For America corps member. Contact her at aubmwrig@iu.edu or follow her on X @aubreymwright. 

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