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John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisHonored to represent Intermountain Health here in Chicago this week at the Catholic Health Association’s Sponsorship Formation Program which is an 18-month formation program. This morning I was assigned St. Katharine Drexel, a patron saint of racial justice and philanthropists, whose life and ministry were devoted to educational opportunity, healing and care for those on the margins. Together, we recited our commitment to a shared statement of identity for the Catholic health ministry in our country, reaffirming our call to promote human dignity, attend to the whole person, and serve those who are poor and vulnerable. I’ve included a few photos from the morning’s reflection and prayer. Intermountain Health
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John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisProud to share that I’ve joined the Montana Chamber of Commerce and look forward to being part of its work to strengthen Montana’s business climate and economy in the years ahead. As the owner of Cech Education & Government Strategies, LLC, based here in Montana, and as a Senior Fellow at Smith Garson in Washington, DC, I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent Montana’s interests at both the nonprofit, state, and federal levels. I’m excited to connect with fellow business and community leaders through the Montana Chamber of Commerce and to contribute to advocacy, workforce, and economic development efforts that help Montana businesses and communities! Montana Chamber of Commerce Todd O'Hair Charles Robison Anna Kazmierowski Nancy Schlepp Blair Fjeseth https://lnkd.in/gdWbzCcs
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John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisI live in Western Montana and we have had very little snow this winter ….that is, until today!
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John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisToday is International Women’s Day and I want to highlight an extraordinary woman I’m blessed to walk through life with: my wife, Victoria Cech. From her work in higher education at Rocky Mountain College, Montana State University Billings, and Carroll College where she taught Ancient Greek and grantswriting (at RMC and MSUB) and helped build grant capacity, to her leadership roles with St. Vincent Healthcare and the Montana Hospital Association, Victoria has spent her career strengthening Montana’s students, patients, and communities. She brings that same quiet, steady excellence to her service as Chair of the Jefferson County Museum, as a Trustee with St. Andrew Catholic School in Helena, and in her past roles with the Helena Symphony, Billings Catholic Schools, Humanities Montana, and as First Lady of Carroll College from 2018–2025. In 2005, she was recognized as a YWCA Billings “Woman of the Year,” a fitting public acknowledgment of what so many of us already knew about her character and impact. Victoria’s faith and intellectual curiosity also shape the way she serves others. At the Cathedral of St. Helena, she is a frequent volunteer, a sponsor for catechumens in the Order of Christian Initiation (OCIA), and this Lent she is spending her early mornings reading the Gospels in Ancient Greek. Her life is a testament to the idea that scholarship, service, and faith can coexist and reinforce one another. Most importantly, she is a remarkable role model for women of all ages and especially for our granddaughter, Lucy!
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John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisThanks for posting this, Dr. Miles Davis. This BBC piece on America “running out of teenagers” really captures what a lot of colleges are already feeling: by the late 2030s, the U.S. is expected to have around 650,000 fewer 18‑year‑olds, which means fewer applicants, fewer students on campus, and real financial strain for many institutions. But the demographic slide is only part of what’s coming at higher ed. At the same time, changes in federal budgets and policy are putting new pressure on student aid (especially PELL grant funding), research support, and the very programs meant to expand access and help students finish. The combination of funding uncertainty, proposed cuts, and tighter rules, on top of enrollment decline, is likely to hit private and faith-based liberal arts, regional publics, rural campuses, and access‑oriented colleges the hardest. College and university leaders need to ensure their annual and strategic plans take these challenging forecasts into consideration as they plan their staffing, budgets, cash reserves, program mix, and alignment with their respective missions. Definitely some turbulent times ahead for higher education!John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisBy 2039, the US is set to have 650,000 fewer 18-year-olds than it does today. For universities, that demographic cliff poses an existential challenge. Fewer teenagers means fewer college applicants. Fewer applicants means fewer enrolled students. And fewer students means that some universities may not make enough money to keep their doors open. Katty Kay speaks to Nathan Grawe, Professor of Economics at Carleton College, about how difficult it will be for colleges to ride out this demographic drop, and what they will need to do to survive it. #highereducationAmerica is running out of teenagers, colleges are worriedAmerica is running out of teenagers, colleges are worried
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John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisIt was my sincere pleasure to work with Matt Kilcoyne and Melissa Trotta, Ed.D. and the AGB Search Team to complete this presidential search for Lewis University. I am very impressed with Dr. Sindt and know he will be a wonderful leader for Lewis University!John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisLewis University has appointed Dr. Christopher Sindt to the position of President. Since joining Lewis University in 2018, Dr. Sindt has served with extraordinary distinction as provost, overseeing Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, Student Life, Athletics, and Campus Safety. He has played a central role in advancing the university’s strategic plan, strengthening student success, expanding academic innovation, and leading key initiatives that position Lewis for continued growth and impact. Dr. Sindt earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in English from the University of California, Davis. Congratulations Dr. Sindt and Lewis University! https://lnkd.in/eZfmtQkU This search was led by Melissa Trotta, Ed.D., Associate Managing Principal and Senior Vice President for Client Development; Mr. Matt Kilcoyne, Principal; and John Cech, Ph.D., Executive Search Consultant, at AGB Search. #AGBSearch #HigherEducation #ExecutiveSearch #LeadersFound #LewisUniversity #President
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John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisMy Intermountain Health trip across eastern Montana continued yesterday with a powerful visit to the flagship Montana campus, St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings. From the helipad, I had the chance to look out over the city with Lee Boyles, President of the Intermountain Health Montana market, and talk about the future of care delivery in our state. Lee shared a bird’s-eye view of the new St. Vincent Hospital now under construction—a modern, patient-centered facility designed to expand access to advanced specialty care, integrate the latest technology, and better serve patients and families from across Montana and the broader region. I captured a short video and some photos from the helipad that I’ll share here to highlight this exciting investment in Montana’s health care infrastructure and Intermountain’s long-term commitment to the communities it serves. Intermountain Health
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John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisAs a trustee on the Intermountain Health Peaks Region Board, I was grateful to join community members in Miles City today for the Custer County Community Health Needs Assessment forum at Holy Rosary Hospital. The conversation underscored both the challenges and the deep strengths of this rural region - especially the way people, providers, and partners show up for one another to improve access, behavioral health, and the broader social drivers of health. During my visit, I had the opportunity to tour Holy Rosary with CEO Benjamin Uhlich, and came away extremely impressed with the hospital’s capabilities and commitment to Miles City and eastern Montana, including its new Cancer Center, the only comprehensive site of its kind within roughly a 125‑mile radius. This work at Holy Rosary is a powerful example of Intermountain Health’s mission in action across the Peaks Region - delivering high‑quality, close‑to‑home care while listening carefully to community voices to guide future investments and priorities. Intermountain Health
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John Cech, Ph.D. shared thisLast evening, I was honored to join my wife, Victoria, at the 2026 Denver Heart Ball at Empower Field at Mile High, supporting the American Heart Association’s lifesaving work. Grateful to Intermountain Health for sponsoring the event and to Dina Bush, VP and Regional Chief Nursing Officer for the Peaks Region, for her outstanding leadership as Heart Ball Chair. Proud to serve on Intermountain’s Peaks Region Board and to stand with so many dedicated leaders committed to better heart health for our communities. Intermountain Health
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John Cech, Ph.D. liked thisJohn Cech, Ph.D. liked this#Quantum can feel like a buzzword at times, but it truly is the next frontier in how we gather, transmit, protect, and analyze information. Leadership in this space has very real geopolitical implications, but, as with so many critical issues, attention to tech challenges is often lost in the tumult of our current politics. We are overdue to reauthorize the National Quantum Initiative, and the window to do so this Congress is rapidly closing. While the critical public- and private-sector R&D work continues, renewing the NQI will be a strong signal of the importance of quantum leadership to US national and economic security. Yesterday Optica brought together key stakeholders from around the country to speak with Senators and Representatives about the urgent need for continued US leadership in quantum. I was pleased to represent the Headwaters Tech Hub at the convening on behalf of our regional ecosystem and key partners such as QCORE at Montana State University-Bozeman and the Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance. It’s a tough time to get any legislation through a deeply divided Congress, even something like the NQI with its broad bipartisan support. Still, I was encouraged by the deep, engaged conversations we were able to have yesterday and am hopeful for a good outcome. Jayne Morrow Jason Yager Kala Radovich Krishna Rupavatharam Joseph Shaw
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John Cech, Ph.D. liked thisJohn Cech, Ph.D. liked thisAnother evening plane ride, heading back to Montana for a busy few days of meetings. As usual the Headwaters Tech Hub has several irons in the fire, working toward some exciting wins for the region. Looking forward to a productive and rewarding week!
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John Cech, Ph.D. liked thisI get asked all the time: What's the Headwaters Tech Hub all about? What do y'all even do? And it's one thing for me to blab on about it, but it's way better when the great folks doing all the work in #Montana tell the stories for themselves. So I'm thrilled that this week we're launching our new public webinar series - Aperture | Bringing Innovation into Focus. We'll be holding these monthly, focusing on all that's going on in our region, and sometimes featuring great work from fellow travelers nationwide. Please join us! And don't be surprised if I show up in your inbox asking you to present sometime soon!John Cech, Ph.D. liked this✨ Aperture | Bringing Innovation into Focus is a new public webinar series designed to give a clear, practical look at the work happening across Montana’s tech ecosystem. This is where we share what’s being built, who’s building it, and how it’s showing up in the real world. Our first session focuses on something core to how we move innovation forward in Montana: testbeds. Innovation here doesn’t stay in a lab. It’s tested in the places that define our state, deep underground in active mine tunnels, across 20,000-acre forests, and out in working landscapes where conditions are real and outcomes matter. Together with partners at the University of Montana, Montana State University-Bozeman, Montana Technological University, and Grand Farm, we’re advancing testbeds that help technologies move from concept to application. These environments are built to reduce friction, lower the cost of early deployment, and create space for real-world validation. This work is already in motion, with more than $1.5 million deployed to support testing, demonstration, and coordination across sites. This session is a look at “Montana Testbeds for derisking and demonstrating optical sensing technologies” led by Paul Lukacs, Associate Vice President for Research & Creative Scholarship at University of Montana and HTH ASSIST Project Lead. ➡️ Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g9KmtF_V #HeadwatersTechHub | Tim VanReken + Courtney McKee + Caroline McLean + John Beltrone
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John Cech, Ph.D. reacted on thisJohn Cech, Ph.D. reacted on thisWell deserved! 💙Montana State to award honorary doctorate to couple who served university, state and community for decadesMontana State to award honorary doctorate to couple who served university, state and community for decades
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John Cech, Ph.D. liked thisJohn Cech, Ph.D. liked thisLast Friday morning was amazing. As always, Pam Howland gave us so much valuable insight into the everchanging world of employment law. Thanks to all that attended the first of *hopefully* many of these events. Thanks to Haley Apple, SHRM-CP for helping me set it up.
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John Cech, Ph.D. liked thisJohn Cech, Ph.D. liked thisBig news for our community! We’re thrilled to share that our team at Black Butte and the Meagher County Stewardship Council have reached a major milestone - a framework for a Community Benefits Agreement that will bring long-lasting benefits to Meagher County. Since 2019, we’ve worked together with our neighbors through focus groups, town halls, and community meetings to make sure YOUR priorities are at the heart of this partnership. This framework includes: - A Long-Term Community Investment Fund to support Meagher County for generations - Educational programs for our local students - Small business support through an Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund - Environmental stewardship and transparency initiatives to protect the Smith River watershed This is what “doing it right from the beginning” looks like - taking care of the community that supports us. We live here, we play here, and we’re committed to building a future we can all be proud of. Read more at https://lnkd.in/ec-ej2R3 #BlackButteCopper #MeagherCounty #Montana
Experience & Education
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Smith Garson
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Publications
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The Powerful Role of Career and Technical Education in Today's Workforce
The evoLLLoution: A Destiny of Solutions
See publicationCareer and technical education programs are critical to the health of the American economy and to the work-readiness of Americans, and this role needs to be recognized in future drafts of the Higher Education Act.
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Scaling Online College Readiness Innovations: Preparing Students for College Math
Journal of Academic Perspectives, Oxford University
Cech, J. (2015). “Scaling Online College Readiness Innovations: Preparing Students for College Math,” Journal of Academic Perspectives, Oxford University
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History of Two-Year and Community College Education for Montana
Iowa State University
Cech, J. (2013). Book chapter, “History of Two-Year and Community College Education for Montana,” America’s Fifty State Community College Systems, Iowa State University
Projects
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Intermountain Healthcare - Board of Trustees for Peaks Region (MT,WY, CO, and KS)
Appointed to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Intermountain Healthcare "Peaks Region" which includes hospitals in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Kansas. Intermountain Healthcare recently completed a merger with the SCL System which included Saint Vincent Healthcare in Billings, Saint James Hospital in Butte, and Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City.
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Chairman of Montana Campus Network for Civic Engagement and Campus Affiliation
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The Montana Campus Network for Civic Engagement and Campus Affiliation is a network of over 18 public, private, and tribal colleges and universities in Montana which envisions, through hands-on service-learning, a Montana where democratic participation and civil discourse are celebrated and we are committed to making sure every student has a voice and the chance to make a difference.
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Executive Committee Member and Chair of the Student Aid Committee for NAICU (National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities)
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NAICU is the only national organization solely focused on representing private, nonprofit higher education on public policy issues in Washington, D.C. As one of the six major presidential higher education associations, NAICU's institutional membership is comprised of presidents from accredited private, nonprofit colleges and universities.
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Executive Committee Member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
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Board Member - Helena Area Chamber of Commerce
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Executive Committee Member of Montana Campus Compact
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Chairman of the Frontier Conference Council of Presidents
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Chairman, NWCCU Mid-Cycle Accreditation Committee, Western Seminary in Portland, OR
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Chairman - Willamette University NWCCU Seven Year Accreditation Committee
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Chairman of the Willamette University (Salem Oregon) seven year accreditation review committee for the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities. August 2019 through January 2020.
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US Department of Health and Human Services National Advisory Council for Nursing Education and Practice
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See projectThe Advisory Council advises and makes recommendations to the Secretary and Congress on policy matters arising in the administration of Title VIII including the range of issues relating to the nurse workforce, nursing education and nursing practice improvement.
The Council annually prepares and submits to the Secretary, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report describing the…The Advisory Council advises and makes recommendations to the Secretary and Congress on policy matters arising in the administration of Title VIII including the range of issues relating to the nurse workforce, nursing education and nursing practice improvement.
The Council annually prepares and submits to the Secretary, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report describing the activities of the Advisory Council including its findings and recommendations.
Members consist of the Secretary or delegate who shall be an ex officio member and serves as the Chairperson, and not less than twenty-one (21), nor more than twenty-three (23) members selected by the Secretary. Management and support services are provided by the Division of Nursing and Public Health, Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration. -
Montana University Rural Teacher Education Taskforce
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See projectIn August, 2016 the Montana University System Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education assembled the first ever MUS Educator Recruitment and Retention task force. The group is comprised of representatives of MUS campuses and OPI, MREA, MEA-MFT and SAM in an effort to nimbly meet the needs of Montana schools.
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Math Pathways Initiative
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The Montana University System – Building Math Pathways into Programs of Study
MUS is well-placed to actively participate in the CCA Math Pathways initiative. There is strong support from the governor’s office to reach the goals of the completion agenda, from the BOR and MUS leaders for developmental education reform, and from the faculty to align math requirements to degrees. Other initiatives, such as performance-based funding, have had strong faculty participation to support developmental…The Montana University System – Building Math Pathways into Programs of Study
MUS is well-placed to actively participate in the CCA Math Pathways initiative. There is strong support from the governor’s office to reach the goals of the completion agenda, from the BOR and MUS leaders for developmental education reform, and from the faculty to align math requirements to degrees. Other initiatives, such as performance-based funding, have had strong faculty participation to support developmental education on the campuses.
MUS has initiated many of the requirements for successful selection and agrees to the following:
• Convene a math pathways task force of math faculty.
• Participate in the annual college completion metrics data submission process.
• Gather the necessary data to inform the work of the math task force.
• Audit program requirements across disciplines.
• Work across disciplines to encourage appropriate math requirements in a systematic way.
• Adjust institutional articulation agreements to ensure transferability of math courses.
• Design corequisite math courses to support student success in the new math pathways.
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Chairman of the Montana Healthcare Workforce Committee for the Board of Regents
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The Montana Healthcare Workforce Committee was created by the Board of Regents and the Governor of Montana to examine healthcare workforce needs and challenges in Montana and surrounding states including: nursing, health professions, and allied health.
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Comprehensive Two-Year Mission Expansion - Montana University System
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The College Brain Trust (CBT) consulting team, in cooperation with the Deputy Commissioner for TwoYear and Community College Education and Commissioner’s staff, developed a standardized framework
for the strategic plans being developed by: Bitterroot College, City College, Gallatin College, Great Falls
College, Helena College, Highlands College, and Missoula College. The goal is to help the seven colleges
produce plans that can be placed side-by-side and contain the same elements…The College Brain Trust (CBT) consulting team, in cooperation with the Deputy Commissioner for TwoYear and Community College Education and Commissioner’s staff, developed a standardized framework
for the strategic plans being developed by: Bitterroot College, City College, Gallatin College, Great Falls
College, Helena College, Highlands College, and Missoula College. The goal is to help the seven colleges
produce plans that can be placed side-by-side and contain the same elements. See URL for details of the planning work.Other creators -
Honors & Awards
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Member of University of Florida Outstanding Graduate Student Awards Committee
University of Florida
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Presentation: University of Florida Policy Summit: Changing the Debate: From Pathways to Pipelines
University of Floriday
The Marriage of a University System & State Government: Creating Talent Pipelines to Fulfill Priority Workforce Needs
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Presentation at Pembroke College, Oxford University: Phase III of Montana's Research involving Scaling Online Readiness Interventions
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Selected to present at Pembroke College, Oxford University at the Oxford Educational Research Symposium regarding Montana's efforts to reform developmental education and address college readiness in mathematics for incoming freshmen.
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Presentation National Advisory Council for Nurse Education and Practice Winter 2016 Conference, Washington DC
http://www.hrsa.gov/advisorycommittees/bhpradvisory/nacnep/january-2016-nacnep-meeting-agenda.pdf
Presentation to the National Advisory Council for Nurse Education and Practice January 2016 Conference on Population Health. Presentation focus: Population Health Issues from the Rural/Frontier Regions of the United States.
Purpose:
• Review and discuss population health;
• Identify how nurses can best contribute to and lead population health initiatives;
• Identify the education, training, and skills that Registered Nurses need to best contribute to and lead population health…Presentation to the National Advisory Council for Nurse Education and Practice January 2016 Conference on Population Health. Presentation focus: Population Health Issues from the Rural/Frontier Regions of the United States.
Purpose:
• Review and discuss population health;
• Identify how nurses can best contribute to and lead population health initiatives;
• Identify the education, training, and skills that Registered Nurses need to best contribute to and lead population health initiatives.
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Presentation to United State Senate CTE Caucus
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Presentation to United State Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus in Washington DC.
On September 22, 2015, I participated in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) panel for the US Senate CTE Caucus in Washington DC. Led by Senators John Kaine (D-VA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the 15-member Caucus meeting had broad representation from higher education and industry associations. I shared comments as the Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education for the…Presentation to United State Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus in Washington DC.
On September 22, 2015, I participated in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) panel for the US Senate CTE Caucus in Washington DC. Led by Senators John Kaine (D-VA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the 15-member Caucus meeting had broad representation from higher education and industry associations. I shared comments as the Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Montana and as current chairman for the National Council of State Community College Systems Directors. -
Presentation at Oxford Uniersity: Scaling Online College Readiness Innovations: Preparing Students for College Level Math. Phase I Research
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Presentation at Oxford University, United Kingdom. Educational Research Symposium.
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Montana State University Billings Distinguished Alumni Award - Exceptional Achievement
Montana State University Billings Alumni Association
Recognition for Exceptional Achievement: Dr. John Cech, ’85, College of Business.
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Distinguished Alumni Award for Community Service by the Regis University Board of Trustees (a Jesuit University), Denver Colorado
http://www.regis.edu/
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Presentation: A systemic approach for improving student success in their first college-level math: Challenges, promising practices, and recent initiatives
University of Oxford - St. Anthony’s College
The Montana University System (MUS), which is comprised of 16 public colleges and universities, implemented a statewide effort to increase the speed with which first-time freshmen enroll in and complete their first college-level math class. Strategies included i) the implementation of a math pathways initiative, ii) full statewide scaling of EdReady, a personalized college math readiness web-based intervention tool, and iii) a statewide commitment to shift from traditional prerequisite…
The Montana University System (MUS), which is comprised of 16 public colleges and universities, implemented a statewide effort to increase the speed with which first-time freshmen enroll in and complete their first college-level math class. Strategies included i) the implementation of a math pathways initiative, ii) full statewide scaling of EdReady, a personalized college math readiness web-based intervention tool, and iii) a statewide commitment to shift from traditional prerequisite remediation to corequisite remediation.
During the 2014-2016 academic years, the MUS began scaling the use of EdReady across its campuses as a result of support from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. As of Spring 2016, 12,349 MUS students have used EdReady. Evaluating EdReady’s effectiveness, however, is complicated by the potential for students to self-select into the program and the varying types of use cases which have been implemented across the system. Though EdReady users in remedial courses perform better than other remedial students, they also have higher high school GPAs and standardized test scores.
This study used fixed effect regression models to evaluate the degree to which EdReady improved the performance of remedial students in i) remedial courses, ii) subsequent college level courses, and iii) passing college level math in their first year of enrollment. The results of the study will be presented with reflections and advice on scaling and evaluating a large educational web-based innovation such as EdReady.
The session included an overview of MUS’ efforts thus far to improve first college-level math completion rates across Montana, which include the implementation of math pathways and scaling corequisite remediation. Plans for further research was presented, which include the potential use of EdReady as a form of support for first-time freshmen placed into a corequisite supported first college-level math course.
Organizations
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Montana Chamber of Commerce
Member
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