PASSHE Institutions Merging

[Bart]

So, the game between The Pennsylvania Western University-Clarion and The Pennsylvania Western University-California is off.

That just really rolls off the tongue.

Western Penn in Pittsburgh closed in 2017, that probably freed up the name to use again.

[boatcapt]

There's Montana Western, Virginia Western, Missouri Western, Arizona Western, California Western and plain old just Northwestern

[iupgroundhog]

There's Montana Western, Virginia Western, Missouri Western, Arizona Western, California Western and plain old just Northwestern

I think you forgot the basic Western (State University).

Edit: Upon further review, it looks like they have incorporated Colorado into the name i.e. Western Colorado.

[Ship69]

Yeah. It's dieing now. Part of it is this new generation and their reliance on technology. But, you get less students living on campus, and the ones that do don't seem to value the traditional in-person interactions, ie parties, clubs, sporting events of past generations. They like to stay in their rooms and binge watch Netflix or play video games and not leave their rooms. They don't seem to care about amenities on a campus. They'd rather interact online as opposed to in person.

Clearly, taking online classes didn't bother them as enrollment tanked with the whole return to campus thing. (While many college Administrators maintained there would be financial issues from not returning to campus.)

There are rumors that Microsoft is going to get into the online learning space. If they offered a Learning Management system that was good, or someone like Facebook did...it might change the model. Well, Facebook might be dated, because I don't think the new generation values it much and thinks it's for 'older people'. But, say some 'it' platform for kids comes along, that could push traditional education off a cliff.

Many of the students I've talked with at Ship hated the online learning thing and are very glad to be back on campus. Obviously recruiting students has been a nightmare during the past year. The demographics for the number of Pa. high school graduates look even worse over the next several years. Enrollments likely will continue to drop, and the legislature will likely continue its slow-moving assault on public higher education.

[complaint_hopeful]

There was an ACT 50 hearing today:

@APSCUF1h
What is timeline for NCAA, Middle States,
@SenatorComitta
asks. Middle States in March, chancellor says. NCAA would follow, he says. "Things seem to be moving as planned," he says. Project plans align to opening day, he says.

[IUPNation]

Enrollment declines is not just a PSSHE thing..

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/26/10489...tent=algorithm

[complaint_hopeful]

Yep. I think people question the value of a college degree at cost.

There are some shifts too like Google offers certifications that are fairly cheap and industry recognized. So you could pay 80k for a college degree...or like under $1000 for these and get a job and actually make money and get job experience.

[complaint_hopeful]

In the Act 50 hearing that happened yesterday, the Chancellor said something about the Triad financial outlook. I couldn't replay it because it was only live, but it was something to the effect of the enrollment losses that just occurred shifted the financial outlook of the Triads for the worse. Then, they used projections for I believe 2025-26. The West instead of being a few million down then would be something like $22 million down. And the NE instead of being slightly positive, would be negative. <-- This is all posted from memory so I could be slightly off, but I'm fairly sure he'll talk about this more in upcoming presentations.

The whole gist is it could take some time for these to break even and I think they knew this for the West going in, but the major enrollment losses hurt it bad.

He then talked about austerity strategy. So whether this means schools cut more jobs or whatever is tbd.

[Fightingscot82]

Truly national universities - not what US News says is a national university - are fine. They're holding steady or finding ways to enroll more students. Penn State has said their main campus is up 2% this year and Pitt found a way to bring in more students to the main campus and offset branch declines. Penn State doesn't publish enrollment until November but their branches are down. Pitt also hasn't released branch campus numbers but have acknowledged declines at all.

Regional universities like those in the PSAC are far more sensitive to local economies and their students are far more sensitive to price. Same goes for community colleges, which are down big time. I've read 20% in the last two years. Seton Hill is down 2% from last year, Duquesne is down 10% and RMU down 18% since the pandemic.

Cost is a factor - problem is that in a lot of communities there aren't clear alternative paths to decent jobs. Everyone talks about trades but if you don't have access to a quality trade school or union apprenticeship program, you're left out. In many rural small towns your options are living at home while working at Sheetz & Dollar General or going away to college. Military enlistments out of high school are also down mostly in line with demographic decline. Dad can't get you a $35/hr third shift job at the mill like he got. Mom's uncle's farm is now just an open field. Few17 and 18 year olds know about coding boot camps and Google courses or LinkedIn Learning. Everyone likes to say that college is overpriced and overrated but try getting a professional job without a degree.

[complaint_hopeful]

From the Act 50 hearing today:

@APSCUF - Rep. Timothy J. O'Neal says he's struggling with "historic increases" with goal of saving money. Chancellor clarifies one-time funding. Recent ask reflects cost of running @statesystem in current structure, he says. What kind of state does PA want to see, he asks.

@APSCUF - Chancellor compares NY investment with PA; PA would need to invest $300M more a year to line up, he says.

@APSCUF - O'Neal continues line of questioning about one-time funding and budget line-item. Chancellor reiterates. "This was never about saving money" but investing in students and expanding opportunity, chancellor says.

@APSCUF - System got arms around management issues, chancellor says. Operating at or near peak efficiency, he says.

[WarriorVoice]

But they still would be separate entities for athletics? Slippery Scots? Clarion Golden Vulcans?

That's as likely as Joe Manchin giving away his yacht for free.

[complaint_hopeful]

[Fightingscot82]

I have to think that quote has been taken out of context. I think he meant that this move was never about lowering the cost of attendance to individual students. He's said that it has the potential to lower the total cost to a degree but that's about students who have to extend enrollment due to limited class offerings.

He can't be denying that its about saving operational dollars. Can he?

[Ship69]

From the Act 50 hearing today:

@APSCUF - Rep. Timothy J. O'Neal says he's struggling with "historic increases" with goal of saving money. Chancellor clarifies one-time funding. Recent ask reflects cost of running @statesystem in current structure, he says. What kind of state does PA want to see, he asks.

@APSCUF - Chancellor compares NY investment with PA; PA would need to invest $300M more a year to line up, he says.

@APSCUF - O'Neal continues line of questioning about one-time funding and budget line-item. Chancellor reiterates. "This was never about saving money" but investing in students and expanding opportunity, chancellor says.

@APSCUF - System got arms around management issues, chancellor says. Operating at or near peak efficiency, he says.

Meanwhile, the state sits on $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funding.

[complaint_hopeful]

I have to think that quote has been taken out of context. I think he meant that this move was never about lowering the cost of attendance to individual students. He's said that it has the potential to lower the total cost to a degree but that's about students who have to extend enrollment due to limited class offerings.

He can't be denying that its about saving operational dollars. Can he?

Well, I think the costs are stacking up, and the enrollment hits really crushed the positive ROI of this. I think neither Triad projects positive financials through like 3-4 years (which was revealed on that call).

And he was getting grilled about why they're asking for more money and what they're using it for.

But, yes...several spots on the PASSHE site reference 'cost savings' in regards to the Integration:

The choices reflect the data, which suggest there could be significant benefits from these universities working together as regional partners. Benefits would include: Potential for growth into new markets to serve more students; Ability to leverage their regional proximity to each other; and Opportunities for cost savings (thanks to scale) that enhance financial sustainability. The data we have are not leading us to consider any other integrations at this time.

University Integrations FAQs.pdf (passhe.edu)