PASSHE Institutions Merging

[complaint_hopeful]

He's selling it as "well, we can't do nothing so here's our only option" when the folks in the back are screaming "its the appropriation, stupid!". Saying it needs more money sounds an awful lot like throwing money at it is the solution, but it kind of is. There can be strings attached to more money. Greenstein can (should) admit that the system needs better oversight.

Well normally I don't favor throwing money at a problem. But, literally this problem was created by the state budget process.

What I don't like is how some of these Presidents and speakers from PASSHE talk about how the Triads won't just survive, but thrive and grow. Like you pointed out earlier...grow may be 1% max. They act like it will grow A LOT.

I think that's unrealistic. In the West you have 2 schools out or close to out of money and 1 school that I'd say is barely breaking even. To expect some type of juggernaut to emerge within a year or 2...probably not realistic. The NE is similar.

[complaint_hopeful]

So the Unions and opposition had 2 students speak about how the Integration is confusing and they have no clue what's going on.

The PASSHE had a student from Lock Haven speak about how she loves being on campus and how great the Integration will be.

[Fightingscot82]

Yeah. I watched some of it and the Chaney stuff was out of left field. Emulate Chaney. Now they have had a turnaround, but they definately got help. And the Chancellor said that what worked there, likely won't work at larger schools. And for context, the Chancellor had Chaney's President speak and talk about Chaney's financial trouble and turnaround. I think this was right before Brewster talked.

But, Brewster was pretty critical of the plan overall and wants to pump the brakes for 24 moths. Seems reasonable. I thought he did a good job overall in his time with what he said. I think it was him that said he was disturbed by how fast it was moving too without approval. Like it was insulting...like they know it is already approved. May have been someone else though.

I'd say overall he came off as pretty down to earth and I liked his comments.

I get the chancellor's point that we don't have a lot of time due to individual schools eating through their reserves. But I also agree with Brewster that at best this plan needs a longer timeline to run analyses on the effect. It seems like the mission was to create a plan to merge the schools and stop there. There doesn't seem to be as much preliminary work done on how to make the mergers beneficial.

[iupgroundhog]

I get the chancellor's point that we don't have a lot of time due to individual schools eating through their reserves. But I also agree with Brewster that at best this plan needs a longer timeline to run analyses on the effect. It seems like the mission was to create a plan to merge the schools and stop there. There doesn't seem to be as much preliminary work done on how to make the mergers beneficial.

But then you have legislators like Kerry Benninghoff (interviewed below). If you read this interview it is an amazing pile of double-speak. Why can't he just say that he doesn't support more funding for PASSHE? Because that's his position. He goes through all this absurd rigamorole to skirt clarifying what his position is. Clearly, he doesn't support PASSHE. I guess he recognizes its right to exist.

Benninghof is the majority leader of the PA House. To be clear, he is NOT the rep for Lock Haven. He is the rep for PSU, of course.

The rep for LH is a Trumpster who did introduce a bill last week to eliminate state sales tax on guns. No pun intended, but that is DOA. No word in her proposition how that decrease in revenue would be paid for. Ironically, she hasn't had one word to say about the integration. The bottom line is that the Republicans still don't care, even if the schools are in their respective districts.

https://www.lockhaven.com/news/local...ders-and-more/

[complaint_hopeful]

I get the chancellor's point that we don't have a lot of time due to individual schools eating through their reserves. But I also agree with Brewster that at best this plan needs a longer timeline to run analyses on the effect. It seems like the mission was to create a plan to merge the schools and stop there. There doesn't seem to be as much preliminary work done on how to make the mergers beneficial.

I feel like the mission was to create a business case to merge the schools and get approval (both board and public). The actual Integration steps once approved are woefully lacking. So yes, I agree.

And I get the Chancellors desire to rush this through as the finances are bad. But you need actual implementation steps to move quick. You can't just approve this and hope that everyone figures out what needs to happen.

[Fightingscot82]

But then you have legislators like Kerry Benninghoff (interviewed below). If you read this interview it is an amazing pile of double-speak. Why can't he just say that he doesn't support more funding for PASSHE? Because that's his position. He goes through all this absurd rigamorole to skirt clarifying what his position is. Clearly, he doesn't support PASSHE. I guess he recognizes its right to exist.

Benninghof is the majority leader of the PA House. To be clear, he is NOT the rep for Lock Haven. He is the rep for PSU, of course.

The rep for LH is a Trumpster who did introduce a bill last week to eliminate state sales tax on guns. No pun intended, but that is DOA. No word in her proposition how that decrease in revenue would be paid for. Ironically, she hasn't had one word to say about the integration. The bottom line is that the Republicans still don't care, even if the schools are in their respective districts.

https://www.lockhaven.com/news/local...ders-and-more/

Exactly. Brad Roae from rural Crawford County is that typical "why are our tax dollars paying for other peoples' kids to go to school" kind of Republican who got elected to the state house then SOMEHOW got appointed to the PASSHE BoG. Each time the BOG has decided to freeze tuition he takes credit and pats himself on his back on Facebook as if he were on record for pushing for it. But he'll also vote for consolidation thinking it saves everyone money when it doesn't and again pat himself on the back online for his constituents to see. See - he's owning those university libs! He'll end up costing his district jobs, tax money, and access to higher education. Maybe his wife can write some more Amish romance fetish novels to support to fine folks of Centerville, Guys Mills, and Townville.

I do think most if not all of the PA GOP silent opposition is because its:
a) jealousy of liberals earning a good living in a state job
b) foolishly believing that cutting spending will result in cutting taxes
c) having a problem with their tax dollars subsidizing the education of brown skinned Pennsylvanians

[complaint_hopeful]

This article was posted a couple days ago and it has a great chart in it towards the bottom:

We're 47th per capita for higher ed funding. 46th gets 5% more than us. 45th 28% more. 44th - 37% more.

The nagging question: How much more is Pennsylvania willing to spend on higher ed? | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

IF you increased the PASSHE payments from the state by 28%...we'd be in so much better shape.

[Fightingscot82]

We lead the nation in cutting higher ed funding since 2001.

[IUPNation]

We lead the nation in cutting higher ed funding since 2001.

[Fightingscot82]

So, if this big report released yesterday is correct, they're telling me that when a state cuts public higher ed funding by 53% over 20 years it will see a similar decline in enrollment? To quote Clay Davis from The Wire, SHEEEEE-IT.

[Fightingscot82]

PA House Dems are hosting a hearing tomorrow on the consolidation. One of the organizers, Ryan Bizzarro, is a huge advocate for Edinboro.

https://www.pahouse.com/InTheNews/Ne...ase/?id=119745

[IUPNation]

But then you have legislators like Kerry Benninghoff (interviewed below). If you read this interview it is an amazing pile of double-speak. Why can't he just say that he doesn't support more funding for PASSHE? Because that's his position. He goes through all this absurd rigamorole to skirt clarifying what his position is. Clearly, he doesn't support PASSHE. I guess he recognizes its right to exist.

Benninghof is the majority leader of the PA House. To be clear, he is NOT the rep for Lock Haven. He is the rep for PSU, of course.

The rep for LH is a Trumpster who did introduce a bill last week to eliminate state sales tax on guns. No pun intended, but that is DOA. No word in her proposition how that decrease in revenue would be paid for. Ironically, she hasn't had one word to say about the integration. The bottom line is that the Republicans still don't care, even if the schools are in their respective districts.

https://www.lockhaven.com/news/local...ders-and-more/

The state system schools will take a fatal blow if any of the Trumpanzee trash planning to run for Gubner winds up getting elected. I think any of their chances are slim as the majority of the residents of the Philly burbs hate all things Fat Nixon.

[complaint_hopeful]

It's going to be interesting to see what happens to the fall enrollment for these institutions. I suspect the uncertainty will have an impact...which could throw this into chaos.

[Bart]

The state system schools will take a fatal blow if any of the Trumpanzee trash planning to run for Gubner winds up getting elected. I think any of their chances are slim as the majority of the residents of the Philly burbs hate all things Fat Nixon.

Barletta is a Bloom grad, so there is some allegiance there.

[IUPNation]

Barletta is a Bloom grad, so there is some allegiance there.