The University of Hawaiʻi hosted WICHE’s biannual meeting on November 14–15 at the East-West Center, convening leaders from 16 states and Pacific jurisdictions to tackle higher education and workforce challenges. Hawaiʻi students saved $27.7 million in the 2023–24 academic year through Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education’s (WICHE) tuition savings programs, which also brought more than 4,000 out-of-state students to study in Hawaiʻi.
As a WICHE member, Hawaiʻi students can receive discounted tuition at many institutions and programs throughout the West. And through WICHE, UH offers discounted tuition for some out-of-state students, diversifying its student body while boosting Hawaiʻi‘s economy. UH Mānoa welcomed the most out-of-state students through the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program (3,350), followed by UH Hilo (363) and UH West Oʻahu (11).
Meeting highlights
The commission meeting previewed WICHE’s 11th edition of its Knocking at the College Door analysis, set to be released December 11 (register for the free public webcast). The report and online dashboards include national-, regional- and state-level data and analyses about high school graduate projection numbers, offering critical insights for policymakers, educational leaders, and other decision-makers to address enrollment shifts and workforce needs.
Discussions focused on the growing enrollment pressures and funding challenges faced by higher education institutions, alongside strategic priorities such as expanding tuition savings programs, fostering cost-saving partnerships on technology contracts and mental health services, advancing digital learning, distance education impacts, supporting Indigenous student success, and mental health workforce needs.
Part of the commission meeting focused on the WICHE Behavioral Health Program’s workforce initiative supporting pre-doctoral psychology students. Since 2013, WICHE has been instrumental in establishing the Hawaiʻi Psychology Internship Consortium, which earned a 10-year American Psychological Association accreditation and has graduated 90 psychologists, with over 50% retained one year post-graduation.
President Lassner commended for leadership
UH President David Lassner, a Hawaiʻi WICHE commissioner since 2015 and the WICHE Commission chair in 2022, was commended for his leadership in advancing equity-focused initiatives. Lassner, who will retire on December 31, reflected on his 40-year career at UH and his role in fostering collaboration across the region.
“The University of Hawaiʻi is proud to partner with WICHE to enhance educational opportunities for students from Hawaiʻi and the West,” Lassner said. “WICHE is also a valuable community for the exchange of ideas and sharing of solutions to the challenges facing higher education in our region including the Pacific.”
WICHE President Demarée Michelau praised UH’s dedication to expanding student access to higher education and credited Lassner’s leadership with advancing the commission’s mission.
“As a champion of affordable education and innovation, President Lassner has left a legacy that will inspire future generations,” Michelau said.
The meeting reaffirmed UH’s regional leadership in educational access and collaboration while highlighting the importance of data-driven strategies like the Knocking at the College Door report to shape a resilient future for higher education.
