PASSHE Institutions Merging

[Fightingscot82]

They (Ford City and Kittanning) are hoping to see a Freeport-like boom.

Freeport is becoming a boomtown. It's right off 28 and real estate there is rocking.

They may do OK there. You figure that's Armstrong High, Kiski Area, Freeport, Apollo, Knoch, Leechburg and the Indiana region all close by.

Yeah good luck with that. Freeport is an exurb getting people who work along 28 or in Oakmont/Verona but want Butler County taxes. People aren't choosing Freeport for any sense of community. Same goes for Peters Township in Washington County. Lots of land to subdivide and attractive lower taxes. I don't see that happening in Armstrong County.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They're doing very well but this won't amount to much. Ford City is trying very hard to reinvent itself but they're too isolated and don't have a diverse economy. Kittanning is Indiana without the university. At one point they were looking at opening a campus in Erie.

They (Ford City and Kittanning) are hoping to see a Freeport-like boom.

Freeport is becoming a boomtown. It's right off 28 and real estate there is rocking.

They may do OK there. You figure that's Armstrong High, Kiski Area, Freeport, Apollo, Knoch, Leechburg and the Indiana region all close by.

[Fightingscot82]

BC3 opening a branch in Ford City.

They're doing very well but this won't amount to much. Ford City is trying very hard to reinvent itself but they're too isolated and don't have a diverse economy. Kittanning is Indiana without the university. At one point they were looking at opening a campus in Erie.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

BC3 opening a branch in Ford City.

[Fightingscot82]

In this time of financial strife for most of the PASSHE instututions, this is terrible optics. When you re laying off professors, administrators and support staff, giving your big wigs a pay raise brings in to question the seriousness with which this "makeover" is being taken by those at the top.

Who said they got raises? Most PASSHE employees get automatic raises. Managers like those you're highlighting don't. Their raises are more periodic - once every two or three years. Most VPs and Presidents are on contracts that either spell out annual raises. Regardless, a $5k raise is bad optics but also isn't going to reverse a multi-million dollar deficit.

Its also possible that this is total compensation, not salaries. The state system just did a major early retirement incentive so its possible that some of what we're seeing is a lower salary plus the retirement incentive payout. I don't have the time to do the research.

[boatcapt]

Sounds like Corporate America.

Can't be corporate America because corporate America is evil. This is our educational system and educators are above reproach! They are all essential workers and everything they do is "for the children!" Hahahahaha!!

Question I have that is not answered by this article is how many PASSHE system employees received pay raises but did not cross this magic $200K threshold? As a practical matter, not much difference between making $199K and $200K. All that extra dollar does is put your name in a newspaper.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

In this time of financial strife for most of the PASSHE instututions, this is terrible optics. When you re laying off professors, administrators and support staff, giving your big wigs a pay raise brings in to question the seriousness with which this "makeover" is being taken by those at the top.

Sounds like Corporate America.

[boatcapt]

Number of state employees way up. From 59 to 111. 45 are PASSHE and every single one is a senior leader for a university or the entire system. President pay in PASSHE is in the 40th percentile.

In this time of financial strife for most of the PASSHE instututions, this is terrible optics. When you re laying off professors, administrators and support staff, giving your big wigs a pay raise brings in to question the seriousness with which this "makeover" is being taken by those at the top.

[Fightingscot82]

Number of PASSHE employees making over $200K was way up last year:

https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsbur....html?ana=wpxi

Number of state employees way up. From 59 to 111. 45 are PASSHE and every single one is a senior leader for a university or the entire system. President pay in PASSHE is in the 40th percentile.

[boatcapt]

Number of PASSHE employees making over $200K was way up last year:

https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsbur....html?ana=wpxi

[Bart]

Must have been based on his track record.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsy...-20190426.html

I think it was based on the university's status.

[iupgroundhog]

I believe it was already announced about the Bloom president being the top dog.

Must have been based on his track record.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsy...-20190426.html

[Bart]

No word on who will be the interim. I fully expected to read that the Bloomsburg president would be that person similar to what they did with Edinboro.

I believe it was already announced about the Bloom president being the top dog.

[iupgroundhog]

Lock Haven President leaving his position to work for PASSHE.

https://www.lockhaven.com/news/local...n-with-passhe/

I'm not sure what to make of it at this point. Just raises questions.

#1 - doesn't this just add an executive position (salary) when the idea is to go economy?

#2 - is this a promotion for Pignatello? Does it place him in even a more influential position within the system than the Bloom President?

#3 - does he have responsibilities system-wide or is it only for the Bloom-LH-Mansfield group?

#4 - I think Pignatello is definitely deserving - but is this the result of him (or others) forcing Greenstein's hand? The Chancellor seems to be on the defensive a lot.

[Fightingscot82]

Lock Haven President leaving his position to work for PASSHE.

https://www.lockhaven.com/news/local...n-with-passhe/

No word on who will be the interim. I fully expected to read that the Bloomsburg president would be that person similar to what they did with Edinboro.