SSHE Enrollments Down Again

[Horror Child]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

If you eliminate campuses you eliminate the only stable crop of future students.

If you eliminate the space program you eliminate future astronauts, right?

Wait, so the trend line is up. Way up. So we're all good?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

First of all, throw athletics out the window as a reason. It should not be a reason. As much as we tend to forget, this is an academic institution.

And several good reasons have been provided why you're not "merging" schools. One, you will never get value back on the land and bulidings you're shuttering. Two, you will basically drop a hydrogen bomb on those small towns you're talking about losing schools. Three, the student who will drive 15 miles each day to attend Mansfield very well may not opt to pack up and live on-campus at another institution.

The best thing about the SSHE has been that you touch almost any part of this state, and there's a four-year school relatively nearby. We have NOT reached the point where that can be thrown out the window.

But ... it's getting pretty close.

[jrshooter]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

But ... it's getting pretty close.

If it is, it's because there are too many rednecks in this state who wear a lack of education as a badge of honor.

I was in a Facebook discussion last week where a Shippensburg townie declared that teens should fulfill a two-year military requirement before entering college. He didn't like all the liberals partying on Friday and Saturday nights.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

In the very hypothetical merger discussion (for message board sake) .... you are right. It's not like saying ... hey, all 5,000 Edinboro kids now go to Clarion. Pack your bags.

They would scatter all over. Initially it would cause some damage. But, that's the normal path of major change.

Would a PSU be interested in a turnkey campus like Cal and invade Western PA with a huge branch campus? I'd guess yes. I'd further guess they could do better there than Cal can do due to the PSU brand -- which would further hurt our schools. Double-edge sword there.

But, as you mentioned, the towns like Mansfield, Lock Haven, etc., would just be demolished. But, that's life. Stuff changes. You can only be dying so long before the plug gets pulled.

[jrshooter]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

I'm sorry, but I can't shrug my shoulders to that. I find that unacceptable. "Things change" would be a hell of an answer to someone who's worked on the Mansfield campus for 25 years.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

I'm sorry, but I can't shrug my shoulders to that. I find that unacceptable. "Things change" would be a hell of an answer to someone who's worked on the Mansfield campus for 25 years.

What are you gonna do? It's not viable. It happens every day in life. Things fail. That's the real world.

[IUPNation]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

Not all teach gym. I know one who coaches an overrated D2 football program.

But it's still rated higher than The Fighting Gym Teachers!!!!!

[IUPNation]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

If it is, it's because there are too many rednecks in this state who wear a lack of education as a badge of honor.

I was in a Facebook discussion last week where a Shippensburg townie declared that teens should fulfill a two-year military requirement before entering college. He didn't like all the liberals partying on Friday and Saturday nights.

Did they serve or are they another do as i say not as i do conservative?

[IUPNation]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

I'm sorry, but I can't shrug my shoulders to that. I find that unacceptable. "Things change" would be a hell of an answer to someone who's worked on the Mansfield campus for 25 years.

It's not different than people at any company who have been there for 25 years and they receive a layoff notice because the CEO is trying to unlock shareholder value.....

I don't want to see any of the schools closed. Well maybe Slimey Pebble. :laugh:

[jrshooter]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

Did they serve or are they another do as i say not as i do conservative?

I hear ya, believe me. But no, this guy did his time. Still rubbed me wrong.

[Horror Child]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

I'm sorry, but I can't shrug my shoulders to that. I find that unacceptable. "Things change" would be a hell of an answer to someone who's worked on the Mansfield campus for 25 years.

Kind of like how Gary, IN is far less than half its peek population in the 60's due to the steel industry decline. Or Flint, MI. Or Pittsburgh, PA. Or name a coal mining town in WV or PA. Or a gold mining town in CA or NV.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

Kind of like how Gary, IN is far less than half its peek population in the 60's due to the steel industry decline. Or Flint, MI. Or Pittsburgh, PA. Or name a coal mining town in WV or PA. Or a gold mining town in CA or NV.

Why did the steel industry decline? Why did the coal mining towns decline? Gold mining towns?

I think you'll see a common theme.

[Fightingscot82]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

Made the trip to Edinboro last night to hear higher ed writer Jeff Selingo talk about what the next decade of colleges will look like. The new chancellor made a surprise visit as well. Turns out they're friends. That's good for PASSHE if they need to reimagine how to be relevant and how to survive. Trying to make the old traditional model of residential education for 18 year olds isn't sustainable.

[iupgroundhog]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

Made the trip to Edinboro last night to hear higher ed writer Jeff Selingo talk about what the next decade of colleges will look like. The new chancellor made a surprise visit as well. Turns out they're friends. That's good for PASSHE if they need to reimagine how to be relevant and how to survive. Trying to make the old traditional model of residential education for 18 year olds isn't sustainable.

Did you get to ask any questions?

[Fightingscot82]

Re: SSHE Enrollments Down Again

Did you get to ask any questions?

Not so much for the chancellor - it wasn't his show. He didn't stick around long afterward but I may follow up with him. Selingo recently published a booklet on how things need to shift to accommodate GenZ characteristics so I asked him about that.

Some people have characterized the chancellor as a "disruptor" but I think maybe the best description is that he's someone who believes it can be reimagined. His previous work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was working with schools to research replacing letter grades and credit hours with competency-based credits. The big thing I've noticed is that the APSCUF heads seem to like what he has to say.