The Utah System of Higher Education is pleased to announce Carrie Mayne, former Chief Economist and Director of Workforce Research and Analysis at Utah’s Department of Workforce Services, has been appointed as the Associate Commissioner for Workforce and Institutional Research. This newly-created position will elevate the data and workforce coordination function of USHE and work under the direction of the Commissioner of Higher Education. Mayne will start at USHE on April 15, 2019.
“One of the most important missions of higher education is providing a well-educated workforce,” said Dave Buhler, Commissioner of Higher Education. “Carrie will help us focus our efforts to make sure we are paying attention to workforce needs and trends, and will work closely with the institutions and other partners to meet workforce needs. She also will strengthen our already-excellent institutional research team.”
Mayne is currently the Chief Economist and Director of Workforce Research and Analysis at Utah’s Department of Workforce Services, where she has been employed for the past 14 years. She and her staff produce a wide array of tools to aid the public in understanding the state’s workforce. Mayne is currently a member of the Utah Economic Council and the Governor’s Child Support Guidelines Advisory Committee. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Utah and is working toward completing her doctorate in the same field. Her areas of expertise include labor economics, econometrics, and statistics.
The Associate Commissioner is a senior position in the system office focused on Workforce and Institutional Research for the Utah State Board of Regents and USHE. Some of this position’s essential functions are to:
- Interface with key state government agencies’ leaders and their staff on workforce development, research, and data management issues related to higher education
- Serve as the primary contact and lead on workforce and institutional research-related programs and projects
- Coordinate with Academic and Student Affairs in developing a work plan that ties together workforce needs data, academic program development and enhancement, and assessment to meet state workforce needs
- Expand and develop new relationships with external partners and stakeholders focused on workforce development including private companies, private education institutions and local industry and community groups.
- Identify and develop an institutional research framework for the Commissioner’s Office to support data-driven decisions tied to the Board’s strategic priorities
- In partnership with the Commissioner’s executive team, facilitate the use of data to support communications about the value of higher education, student return on investment, quality of education, and the transition from post-secondary education to the workforce
