David A. Longanecker has served as the president of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education in Boulder, Colo., since 1999. WICHE is a regional compact between 15 Western states created to assure access and excellence in higher education through collaboration and resource sharing among the higher education systems of the West. Previously, Longanecker served for six years as the assistant secretary for postsecondary education at the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to that he was the state higher education executive officer (SHEEO) in Colorado and Minnesota. He was also the principal analyst for higher education for the Congressional Budget Office. Longanecker has served on numerous boards and commissions. He has written extensively on a range of higher education issues. His primary interests in higher education are: expanding access to successful completion for students within all sectors of higher education, promoting student and institutional performance, assuring efficient and effective finance and financial aid strategies, and fostering effective use of educational technologies, all for the purpose of sustaining the nation's strength in the world and increasing quality of life for all Americans, particularly those who have traditionally been left out. He holds an Ed.D. from Stanford University, an M.A. in student personnel work from George Washington University, and a B.A. in sociology from Washington State University.

The University of Texas at El Paso
Millennium Lecture Series

The Millennium Lecture Series brings speakers to the UTEP campus to address topics that impact our society, culture and lives. The lectures in this series are intended to provoke our thinking and stimulate discussion about important issues of the day. This year's theme is "Issues in U.S. Public Higher Education." From Fall 2010 through Spring 2011, we will sponsor lectures that focus on such issues as: closing educational achievement gaps across demographic groups; preparing a competitive 21st century workforce; serving as a catalyst for regional economic development; and developing more sustainable funding models. We hope that you will join us in exploring these critical issues with our distinguished Millennium Lecturers.