The Washington
Higher Education Policy Center [WHEPC] is a non-profit [IRS
501c (3)] research organization based in Olympia,
Washington. The WHEPC was established in 1996 to study
higher education issues in Washington from the perspective
of an independent entity, i.e., an organization not directly
associated with the higher education institutions or the
government.
Its purposes are based on a
presumption that while the broad goals of public higher
education, including who should be served and how it should
be organized, financed, and evaluated, are necessarily
political and economic matters, they also are public issues.
Responses to such issues should involve public judgment
rather than opinion, and this requires information and
understanding.
A privately maintained and
operated non-profit policy center in this case, the
Washington Higher Education Policy Center, free of direct
governmental and political control and independent of
institutional interests, can serve as a third party to help
frame the issues and involve the leaders and citizens of the
state in searches for lasting solutions. Thus, the WHEPC
exists to help stimulate, inform, and objectively define
issues, options, and alternatives.
Its research services are
also available on a cost recovery basis for parties who seek
reliable data, insightful interpretation, and objective
analysis. Accompanying its interest in the basic issues of
public concern--higher education access, equity, cost,
effectiveness, and responsiveness are WHEPC concentrations
in strategic planning, need analysis, role and mission
clarification and realignment, student financial assistance,
and program and policy evaluation.
In addition to its IRS
recognition as a non-profit organization, the WHEPC is
chartered as a Washington state nonprofit corporation with
the Secretary of State. William
Chance serves as the
Executive Director.
The WHEPC can be reached as
follows:
Dr. William Chance,
Executive Director
Washington Higher
Education Policy Center
4218 Leavelle
NW
Olympia, WA
98502
Phone: (360)
866-4651
FAX: (360)
866-4652
whepc@williamchance.com
