Higher ed commission to host special meeting to vote Jenner as new leader

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Commission for Higher Education is expected to host a vote on Friday to name the state’s next commissioner for higher education. Officials believe that Katie Jenner, the state’s secretary of education, will likely be named to the position.

According to a news release from the commission, Jenner, if approved for the position, would assume the position as the state’s commissioner for higher education starting on Oct. 11. The vote will be conducted at 1 p.m. on Friday in the commission’s Indianapolis office.

This comes after Chris Lowery, the state’s current commissioner for higher education, announced last month that he would step down in October. Lowery has led the commission since 2022.

Officials said in the release that Jenner, as the leader for both the Indiana Department of Education and the state’s commission for higher education, would provide a “consistent, unified vision to maximize outcomes for Indiana students.”

“Immediately upon taking office, my administration launched a new vertical structure across state government to streamline operations, increase accountability and transparency, and improve customer service,” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in the release. “As we continue to identify ways to better serve Hoosier taxpayers, having a proven, consistent leader directly overseeing both K-12 and higher education is the logical next step and will ensure that the best interest of our students remains top of mind every step of their educational journey.”

The release said that the commission’s key areas of focus are expected to include:

• Making higher education more affordable and accessible
• Increasing educational attainment for all Hoosiers
• Helping more students graduate high school with college credit, including a credential of value
• Supporting the successful implementation of the new high school diploma requirements, along with readiness seals
• Ensuring higher education preparation programs are preparing future teachers with evidence-based instructional tools in reading and math
• Streamlining higher education degree programs to better align with student and industry demand, and maximize student outcomes.

“Secretary Jenner is a strong advocate for increasing educational attainment for all Hoosier students from kindergarten through college,” Lowery said in the release. “The logical next step of Secretary Jenner assuming the role of Commissioner will offer clarity and consistency for the Commission, while continuing to drive our mission and deliver better results for Indiana students, employers and our state.”

For more information about the commission, click here.