College Completion Initiatives: Discussing the key actors and influences MICHELLE ASHA COOPER, President Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) Washington, DC In September 2008, Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D., became the second president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP)—one of the nation’s most effective voices in championing access and success for all students in post- secondary education. Cooper is recognized as a well respected practitioner, researcher, and policy advocate helping to reaffirm IHEP's role of ensuring equal educational opportunities for all students. Cooper led the development of IHEP’s new policy agenda to align the organization’s future work through four priorities: (1) elevating effective pathways for increased access and success, (2) enhancing college affordability and institutional finance, (3) promoting meaningful accountability and transparency, (4) supporting critical communities and critical institutions serving 21st century students. An expert on various higher education issues, Cooper is well versed in higher education access and success (domestic and international), with special emphasis on equitable reform of higher education, financial aid simplification and policy, student success outcomes, institutional accountability, diversity and equity, and other national higher education trends and policies. DAVID A. LONGANECKER, President Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), Boulder, CO Previously he served for six years as the assistant secretary for postsecondary education at the U.S. Department of Education, developing and implementing national policy and programs that provided more than $40 billion annually in student aid and $1 billion to institutions. Prior to that he was the state higher education executive officer (SHEEO) in Colorado and Minnesota. He was also the principal analyst for higher education for the Congressional Budget Office. Dr. Longanecker has served on numerous boards and commissions and has written extensively on a range of higher education issues. His primary interests in higher education are: access and equity; promoting student and institutional performance; finance; the efficient use of educational technologies; and internationalizing American higher education. He holds an Ed.D. from Stanford University, an M.A. in student personnel work from the George Washington University, and a B.A. in sociology from Washington State University.
