PASSHE Institutions Merging

[IUPNation]

Used to see their ads in magazines when I was a kid along with Howe Academy in Indiana, etc. In New York, they had NYMA (New York Military Academy) where our president landed for a while and Admiral Farragut, where one of my college roommates at Ship attended. Although they attracted kids of all types, they were often a place for wealthy parents to dump kids who proved bothersome.

Like our current President.

[IUPNation]

When is Villanova going IVY ?


I know they think already are ...

They aren’t that good of a school. Penn could buy them a few times over.

[Ship69]

Valley Forge Military Academy is next to close

Used to see their ads in magazines when I was a kid along with Howe Academy in Indiana, etc. In New York, they had NYMA (New York Military Academy) where our president landed for a while and Admiral Farragut, where one of my college roommates at Ship attended. Although they attracted kids of all types, they were often a place for wealthy parents to dump kids who proved bothersome.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

How many more campuses can Villanova buy?

When is Villanova going IVY ?


I know they think already are ...

[IUPNation]

Yeah really. I knew there were a bunch of colleges in that area but never realized how close they all were.

They could spit on each other. I think the college part of Valley Forge is staying open. It’s the Academy for the kiddies that is closing.

[Fightingscot82]

How many more campuses can Villanova buy?

Yeah really. I knew there were a bunch of colleges in that area but never realized how close they all were.

[IUPNation]

Valley Forge Military Academy is next to close

How many more campuses can Villanova buy?

[Fightingscot82]

Valley Forge Military Academy is next to close

[Fightingscot82]

West Chester is adding campus housing….

https://montco.today/2025/08/west-ch...box=1754415683

They're planning for the influx from the competition failing and closing.

For so long, PASSHE schools were "ehh I guess I'll go there" schools of equal mediocrity. Now there are clear winners and losers. While some campuses are struggling to find students and have those students live on campus, others are over 100% capacity and finding ways to cram more students into the buildings by converting common spaces to rooms or putting 3 students in a room that used to house 2 students.

[IUPNation]

West Chester is adding campus housing….

https://montco.today/2025/08/west-ch...box=1754415683

[Ship69]

So the schools have changed their programs, staff (both academic and administrative) payments and regulatory compliance, yet we critisize them and say they "should close" when they seek to get more students (and tuition/R&B) by increasing the number of students participating in intercollegiate athletics. Seems like many colleges have become little more than industries for the local economy were most of the "locals" work at, on or in businesses directly related to the local state college. Seems to be OK to have the major chunk of your local workforce tied up in the school but when the school ups their population by bring in more tuition paying athletes, THAT is a bridge too far.

Well, I'm pretty sure that doesn't describe my university. I'll leave it to you whether it describes yours.

[boatcapt]

I've spoken about this before - but colleges and universities have changed quite a bit in the last 50 years. They used to just be schools with some programs and activities but now are multifaceted enterprises. They're a human capital industry much like health care and employees are expensive. A lot of staff positions used to rely on frequent turnover and very low compensation that is no longer competitive or in the best interest (especially with frequent turnover). People are no longer willing to be worked like a dog.

Some things every college now must have that didn't exist in 1976:
- Employee benefits (no health insurance, EAP, etc. in 1976)\
- Information technology: network, computers, proprietary software, etc.
- Government regulation compliance work: EEO, AA, Title IX, Drug Free Schools, federal/state hazing laws, state regulations, new Trump admin federal regulations changing every 48 hours
- Legal consultation
- Liability insurance
- Alumni relations staff & programs
- Fundraising staff & programs
- Accounting, payroll, & purchasing (have to pay accountant rates)
- Internal assessment & research (mostly related to the government work)
- Academic advising & coaching to improve enrollment & graduation
- Career services & coaching
- Disability services & ADA accommodations
- Facilities risk management & response
- Health centers
- Parking & ID services
- Marketing, advertising, internal/external communication, etc. (includes socials)

Some things that aren't necessary but are now standard:
- Full time athletic coaches (no teaching requirement)
- Programming to engage alumni, parents, families, students, etc.
- Police departments (instead of security)
- Living wages for entry level staff instead of offering low salary plus free housing
- Proprietary SAS systems to do the work securely, peerlessly, and efficiently. They're freaking expensive. Paperless student records systems (just registration, grades, etc) are $150k/year
- Admissions recruiters for transfers & grad programs
- Staff overseeing high risk student areas like housing, Greek Life, club sports, intramurals, etc.
- Camp & conference sales & support
- Fitness centers, club sports, etc.

Bloat may not be the right word, but the expansion of colleges and universities beyond just teaching & learning into comprehensive enterprises is crazy.

So the schools have changed their programs, staff (both academic and administrative) payments and regulatory compliance, yet we critisize them and say they "should close" when they seek to get more students (and tuition/R&B) by increasing the number of students participating in intercollegiate athletics. Seems like many colleges have become little more than industries for the local economy were most of the "locals" work at, on or in businesses directly related to the local state college. Seems to be OK to have the major chunk of your local workforce tied up in the school but when the school ups their population by bring in more tuition paying athletes, THAT is a bridge too far.

[Ship69]

Often overlooked in the spiraling cost of college is that "administrative bloat" that has effected every college. The administrative staff at colleges is up almost 200% since 1976 and that's just the raw number of bodies with the cost of those bodies up even more.

Them that can't do teach...those that can't teach administrate. And they are WELL paid for it!!!

We are quick to demand schools be closed because they try and drive up enrollment by recruiting athletes but we never criticize a school for their out of control administrative spending.

Most of the PASSHE colleges have been cutting staff, including administration, in recent years. They managed to hold tuition the same for the past several years, and have proposed a relatively modest increase this year, which might be rebated depending on the actions of the state legislature.

[TheBigCat2192]

Often overlooked in the spiraling cost of college is that "administrative bloat" that has effected every college. The administrative staff at colleges is up almost 200% since 1976 and that's just the raw number of bodies with the cost of those bodies up even more.

Them that can't do teach...those that can't teach administrate. And they are WELL paid for it!!!

We are quick to demand schools be closed because they try and drive up enrollment by recruiting athletes but we never criticize a school for their out of control administrative spending.

I don’t think anyone has overlooked administrative bloat in the cost of college given that people have been saying this for at least 10 years if not longer.

[Fightingscot82]

Often overlooked in the spiraling cost of college is that "administrative bloat" that has effected every college. The administrative staff at colleges is up almost 200% since 1976 and that's just the raw number of bodies with the cost of those bodies up even more.

Them that can't do teach...those that can't teach administrate. And they are WELL paid for it!!!

We are quick to demand schools be closed because they try and drive up enrollment by recruiting athletes but we never criticize a school for their out of control administrative spending.

I've spoken about this before - but colleges and universities have changed quite a bit in the last 50 years. They used to just be schools with some programs and activities but now are multifaceted enterprises. They're a human capital industry much like health care and employees are expensive. A lot of staff positions used to rely on frequent turnover and very low compensation that is no longer competitive or in the best interest (especially with frequent turnover). People are no longer willing to be worked like a dog.

Some things every college now must have that didn't exist in 1976:
- Employee benefits (no health insurance, EAP, etc. in 1976)\
- Information technology: network, computers, proprietary software, etc.
- Government regulation compliance work: EEO, AA, Title IX, Drug Free Schools, federal/state hazing laws, state regulations, new Trump admin federal regulations changing every 48 hours
- Legal consultation
- Liability insurance
- Alumni relations staff & programs
- Fundraising staff & programs
- Accounting, payroll, & purchasing (have to pay accountant rates)
- Internal assessment & research (mostly related to the government work)
- Academic advising & coaching to improve enrollment & graduation
- Career services & coaching
- Disability services & ADA accommodations
- Facilities risk management & response
- Health centers
- Parking & ID services
- Marketing, advertising, internal/external communication, etc. (includes socials)

Some things that aren't necessary but are now standard:
- Full time athletic coaches (no teaching requirement)
- Programming to engage alumni, parents, families, students, etc.
- Police departments (instead of security)
- Living wages for entry level staff instead of offering low salary plus free housing
- Proprietary SAS systems to do the work securely, peerlessly, and efficiently. They're freaking expensive. Paperless student records systems (just registration, grades, etc) are $150k/year
- Admissions recruiters for transfers & grad programs
- Staff overseeing high risk student areas like housing, Greek Life, club sports, intramurals, etc.
- Camp & conference sales & support
- Fitness centers, club sports, etc.

Bloat may not be the right word, but the expansion of colleges and universities beyond just teaching & learning into comprehensive enterprises is crazy.