CONTACT

Tia T. Gordon
Institute for Higher Education Policy
202 861 8227
tgordon@ihep.org

The Institute for Higher Education Policy Announces Study of College Access in Underserved Michigan Communities

Exploring Postsecondary Education Challenges Highlighted in the 2004 Cherry Commission Report

Washington, D.C., Oct. 25, 2006—Responding to the challenges outlined in the groundbreaking 2004 final report from Lt. Gov. John D. Cherry Jr.’s Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth, the Institute for Higher Education Policy is undertaking an important study to explore access to higher education in underserved Michigan communities. The new study will focus on three geographically diverse areas of the state: suburban Macomb County, the Saginaw area, and six rural counties in the northeastern lower peninsula— Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, Crawford, Oscoda, and Alcona.

Supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the study will analyze demographic and educational data, conduct interviews with community and education leaders, and compare the targeted areas to similar communities in other states. The final report also will propose policy alternatives for addressing the specific challenges of access to baccalaureate degrees and institutions in those communities. Among the questions to be explored in the study are:

What do we know about the higher education gaps that exist in specific Michigan communities, especially those related to enrollment in higher education and eventual baccalaureate degree attainment?
What is the type and quality of higher education available in these communities?
What specific barriers exist in these communities that are preventing college enrollment and eventual baccalaureate degree attainment?
To what extent is limited higher education access in these communities attributable to educational factors as compared to economic, social, or cultural factors?
What role can local community leadership play in improving higher education opportunities in these communities, and what role can state leadership play?

The study is being led by President Jamie P. Merisotis and includes several of the Institute’s senior staff who have extensive experience in college access research and state higher education policy development. Regarded as one of the premier independent, non-partisan groups concerned with public policy development in higher education, the Institute’s recent work includes statewide studies of access in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Mississippi. These publications, along with other studies that address higher education access and success, are available on the Institute’s Web site at www.ihep.org.

The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) is an independent, nonprofit organization that is dedicated to increasing access and success in postsecondary education around the world. Established in 1993, the Washington, D.C.-based organization uses unique research and innovative programs to inform key decision makers who shape public policy and support economic and social development. IHEP’s web site, www.Ihep.org, features an expansive collection of higher education information available free of charge and provides access to some of the most respected professionals in the fields of public policy and research.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was established in 1930 “to help people help themselves through the practical application of knowledge and resources to improve their quality of life and that of future generations." To achieve the greatest impact, the Foundation targets its grants toward specific areas. These include: health; food systems and rural development; youth and education; and philanthropy and volunteerism. Within these areas, attention is given to exploring learning opportunities in leadership; information and communication technology; capitalizing on diversity; and social and economic community development. For further information, please visit the Foundation's Web site at www.wkkf.org.

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