Indiana has addressed some of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities 2015 Top 10 higher education policy issues. Overall, the AASCU sees national higher educational policy at a standstill by pointing to example of “the unlikely Congressional passage this year of the overdue reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). Among all the higher education policies and programs ripe for reform, there exists a tremendous need and opportunity for Congress to use the HEA reauthorization to align state and federal higher education financing and incentivize states to re-invest in public higher education.” Indiana educators have worked with all 10 issues through the years. The 2015 focus includes issues of undocumented students and performance-based learning.

Tuition Policies

State appropriations for higher education

Campus sexual assault

Veteran education benefits

Undocumented students

Guns on campus

Secondary-postsecondary education standards alignment

State student aid programs

Performance-based funding

Free community college

“Three states specifically prohibit in-state tuition rates for undocumented students—Arizona, Georgia and Indiana, and two states—Alabama and South Carolina—prohibit undocumented students from enrolling at any public postsecondary institution, according to the NCSL.”

“Spurred by the need to improve completion rates and address longstanding gaps in degree attainment among traditionally-underserved populations, states have shifted from enrollment- to performance-based funding (PBF) for public colleges and universities over the last several years. In 2014, new PBF systems were enacted in Colorado, Iowa and Missouri. Governors in Indiana and Montana have already expressed their support for integrating PBF metrics into their higher education funding formulas this year…”.

http://www.aascu.org/policy/publications/policy-matters/Top10StatePolicyIssues2015.pdf