Indiana is in the midst of redesigning its public higher education ecosystem. In recent years, state leaders have pursued reforms aimed at making institutions more accountable, efficient, and closely aligned with workforce needs. These efforts respond to a growing and legitimate public concern: is higher education delivering what Indiana and its taxpayers need?

What’s often missing from the conversation, however, is the recognition that not all higher education institutions are built the same — or should be treated the same. Indiana’s two- and four-year institutions serve different missions and student populations. Policy that ignores these differences risks unintended consequences for institutions, the students they serve, and the state’s postsecondary attainment goals.

Consider Ivy Tech Community College, the state’s unified community college system. It fulfills two essential missions: preparing Hoosiers for high-wage, high-demand jobs in current and emerging industries, and offering an affordable, seamless pathway to four-year degrees. Nearly 70 percent of Ivy Tech’s 200,000 students attend part time. About 25 percent care for a dependent, and 40 percent are the first in their families to attend college. More than 90 percent live in Indiana and attend their local campus, and most stay in Indiana after graduation.

As the state’s open-access institution, Ivy Tech is built to meet learners where they are while helping employers address talent shortages. Its mission and student body require a different operating model than other public colleges and universities.

For example, Ivy Tech does not have a tenure system. Most faculty are part-time, on short-term contracts, and often still work in the fields they teach — keeping instruction highly relevant to industry needs. Ivy Tech is also non-residential, with facilities focused on classrooms, labs, and essential student services.

This model limits revenue streams that other institutions rely on. Ivy Tech doesn’t generate income from student housing, dining, or parking. It doesn’t have lucrative athletics programs or collect research royalties that support many public universities.

Keeping to the mission

And, in the face of statewide funding reductions, Ivy Tech has continued to prioritize affordability. In 2023, it introduced a simplified tuition model that eliminated mandatory fees—saving students money but reducing institutional revenue by $5.6 million annually.

When it became clear that textbook costs were a barrier to learning, Ivy Tech used its statewide scale to negotiate better prices. Now, students pay a flat, per-credit-hour fee for required textbooks — helping them plan financially and saving them more than $65 million since the program began. This shift cost Ivy Tech $4 million in annual commission revenue, but it put student success first.

These reforms are producing real results. Nearly half of all credentials awarded by Indiana’s public colleges last year came from Ivy Tech. Since 2016, completions have more than doubled. Over 80% of graduates leave without student loan debt, and more than half earn above the state median wage within three years. These outcomes are not only boosting individual prosperity — they are strengthening Indiana’s workforce and tax base.

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Enrollment growth and expanding partnerships further underscore Ivy Tech’s value. Companies like Stellantis and Entek cite the College’s workforce pipeline as a factor in their investment decisions. Looking ahead, Ivy Tech is positioned to help Indiana grow talent in industries like semiconductors, biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, and clean energy.

As national organizations like the Lumina Foundation call for 70% of Americans to earn a degree or credential beyond high school, institutions like Ivy Tech will be critical to reaching that goal. Especially in a state where many learners are working adults or place-bound, Ivy Tech’s reach and design make it indispensable.

Indiana’s higher education system must evolve, but that evolution must be informed by mission. As state leaders push for results, they must also account for how institutions are structured to deliver them. Treating all colleges the same risks undermining the very progress reforms aim to achieve. Ivy Tech’s model — student-centered, cost-conscious, and workforce-aligned — is not an exception to the system. It is where higher education should be going if we’re to win the future.