{"id":135103,"date":"2026-03-25T17:29:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T20:29:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tech.einnews.com\/article\/901722958"},"modified":"2026-03-25T17:29:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T20:29:49","slug":"march-25-new-indiana-law-updates-ivy-tech-governance-doubles-down-on-workforce-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/03\/25\/march-25-new-indiana-law-updates-ivy-tech-governance-doubles-down-on-workforce-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"March 25: New Indiana law updates Ivy Tech governance, doubles down on workforce mission"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Indiana\u2019s largest public postsecondary institution is getting a statutory overhaul thanks to a new law signed this month updating the mission and governance structure of Ivy Tech Community College.<\/p>\n

Lawmakers and Ivy Tech leadership said the changes are meant to ensure the statewide community college system continues preparing Hoosiers with the skills needed for in-demand careers \u2014 while keeping the institution closely aligned with Indiana\u2019s broader education and workforce priorities.<\/p>\n

The updates also come as state officials continue to scrutinize college degree offerings and push for learners to earn high-value credentials, as early as high school.<\/p>\n

The legislation, Senate Enrolled Act 254, passed both chambers of the General Assembly unanimously during the 2026 session and was signed into law March 5 by Gov. Mike Braun. The measure takes effect July 1.<\/p>\n

Authored by Sen. Greg Goode, a Republican from Terre Haute, the law rewrites portions of the Indiana Code governing Ivy Tech\u2019s mission, governance structure and campus oversight while formally cementing the college\u2019s role as the state\u2019s \u201cworkforce engine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis legislation is the intersection where we can craft public policy in a bipartisan way,\u201d Goode said. \u201cAs an organization evolves, we want to make sure that our state statute that supports (Ivy Tech\u2019s) mission continues to evolve, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

State leaders have increasingly pushed schools and colleges to demonstrate how programs lead to real job opportunities for graduates. In recent years, Hoosier education officials have ramped up efforts to better connect high school coursework, college credentials and workforce training with the needs of employers across the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cHigher education has taken a lot of hits over the last several years,\u201d Mary Jane Michalak, senior vice president of legal and public affairs for Ivy Tech, told lawmakers earlier this year. \u201cIvy Tech wants you to know that we are listening to you and that we are being responsive to the needs of the state of Indiana \u2014 both employers, as well as our students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Changes to Ivy Tech\u2019s mission, governance<\/h3>\n

Senate Enrolled Act 254 updates Ivy Tech\u2019s statutory mission to explicitly center workforce alignment and employer demand.<\/p>\n

Under the new law, the college is directed to serve as \u201cthe workforce engine for the state of Indiana by aligning postsecondary academic curriculum with employer needs and ensuring that all academic degree offerings provide a pathway to direct entry into the workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statute also formally recognizes Ivy Tech as an open-access institution serving high school students, adult learners and graduates, and adds dual credit and dual enrollment programs to the college\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n

Goode said the changes reflect a broader shift in how the state views postsecondary education.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re tweaking some language that calls out general liberal arts and occupational and technical education and training and replacing it with language that emphasizes alignment with workforce and employer demand \u2014 no matter what an individual is studying,\u201d he said during a January committee hearing.<\/p>\n

Even so, the law preserves the college\u2019s role in preparing students to transfer to four-year universities by ensuring programs maintain \u201cfour-year college transferability,\u201d Goode added.<\/p>\n

The measure also modernizes the structure of Ivy Tech\u2019s governing boards. Under state law, the college is overseen by a statewide board of trustees with members representing regions across Indiana.<\/p>\n

The new legislation expands the expertise lawmakers want represented on that board \u2014 specifically calling for members with knowledge or experience in logistics, information technology and life sciences, in addition to existing areas like manufacturing, agriculture, commerce and labor.<\/p>\n

At the campus level, the law also updates requirements for local advisory boards. Those boards must include representatives with experience in the same industry sectors and can now include individuals who work for employers operating within the campus service area, even if they do not live there.<\/p>\n

The legislation further requires campus boards to conduct detailed analyses of regional workforce needs and recommend academic programs and training pathways designed to meet employer demand. Those boards must also review campus budgets and offer recommendations to campus chancellors about operational efficiencies and program alignment with local economic needs.<\/p>\n

Campus boards will additionally have a role in nominating candidates when board vacancies arise. Nominations are made in collaboration with campus chancellors and submitted to the statewide board of trustees, which ultimately fills the position.<\/p>\n

Supporters, including the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, maintain those provisions are intended to strengthen connections between Ivy Tech campuses and the employers they serve.<\/p>\n

Michalak noted that Ivy Tech\u2019s statute \u201chasn\u2019t been touched\u201d since 2016. Before that, the last update was in 2007.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIvy Tech has been in existence for over 60 years, and we just want to make sure that our statutory responsibilities are streamlined,\u201d Michalak said. \u201cThis is emphasizing the importance of workforce alignment and employer alignment in the state of Indiana.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIvy Tech remains one of the most affordable options for Hoosiers seeking higher education,\u201d she continued. \u201cThis is one case where low-cost also equals high-quality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of a broader education-to-workforce push<\/h3>\n

State officials and business groups have applauded Ivy Tech for playing a central role in the state\u2019s workforce pipeline.<\/p>\n

Ivy Tech is Indiana\u2019s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation\u2019s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. Last year alone, Goode noted, the college served more than 204,000 Hoosiers across every county.<\/p>\n

\u201cHalf of all the post-secondary credentials in Indiana spanning certificates to associate degrees \u2026 are because our community college,\u201d the senator said, adding, too, that 87% of graduates complete programs with no debt. \u201cThat is profound.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michalak said the demand for the types of credentials the college offers is only expected to grow.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo meet future needs, Indiana must up-skill or re-skill more than 82,000 Hoosiers each year through credentials and training aligned with employer demand \u2014 work that Ivy Tech is poised to do and help deliver statewide,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Michalak pointed to a 2025 workforce report co-authored by Ivy Tech and partners that found that 69% of job openings in key industry sectors \u2014 including health care, advanced manufacturing, logistics and technology \u2014 will require education or training beyond high school.<\/p>\n

\u201cSenate Bill 254 aims to strengthen Indiana\u2019s education and workforce system and allows our state to continue to invest in institutions that serve a broad cross-section of learners,\u201d Michalak said. \u201cWe play a central role in this ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n

The law further directs the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, IEDC, to develop an \u201ceducation to employment\u201d research program by Dec. 1. The program will create a framework for analyzing and sharing workforce and education data to inform economic development strategy and labor market planning.<\/p>\n

Aligning education with workforce demand<\/h3>\n

The Ivy Tech changes are part of a broader effort by Indiana leaders to more tightly connect education policy with workforce outcomes.<\/p>\n

That included Senate Enrolled Act 199 \u2014 signed by Braun earlier this month \u2014 which requires state higher education officials to scrutinize and potentially eliminate college degree programs whose graduates consistently earn low wages after graduation.<\/p>\n

The measure builds on ongoing program reviews already conducted by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and could ultimately lead to the elimination of degrees that fail to produce strong economic outcomes for students.<\/p>\n

At the K-12 level, Indiana education officials separately approved sweeping changes to the state\u2019s high school diploma requirements. The Indiana State Board of Education voted in late 2024 to adopt new graduation pathways designed to place greater emphasis on career readiness, hands-on learning and industry credentials alongside traditional academic coursework.<\/p>\n

Schools could opt in and start offering the new diplomas as early as the current 2025-26 academic year. The new diplomas will take effect for all Hoosier students beginning with the Class of 2029.<\/p>\n

A new school accountability framework approved by the board earlier this month will help track how K-12 schools are following through.<\/p>\n

Ivy Tech leaders said the community college system is already deeply involved in those efforts, particularly through its dual credit partnerships with more than 400 high schools statewide.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is all so important because Indiana is undergirding America\u2019s national and economic security, and we are engaged in a global competition,\u201d Goode said. \u201cI love to say this everywhere I go: The free world needs the United States of America, and the United States of America needs the state of Indiana because we are leading in strategic and very important aspects where this competition is occurring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Affordable \u201c Ivy Tech remains one of the most affordable options for Hoosiers seeking higher education. This is one case where low-cost also equals high-quality.\u201d \u2013 Mary Jane Michalak, senior vice president of legal and public affairs for Ivy Tech ff0d6d08-e430-4ef6-abbb-e9d845ed865e<\/p>\n

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