PASSHE Institutions Merging

[Fightingscot82]

I think it's much more than a facility catch-up. I think it represents the new STEM focus. It's not the building itself, it's the technology inside the building and the accessibility to that technology for everyday undergraduate and graduate students that should move the needle on student recruitment. The opportunities for students to be involved in significant research is also going to gain in importance and, hence, marketability.

IUP will not be able to rebound on its own. It will take the assistance of PASSHE leadership. From what I've seen, PASSHE has shown commitment to develop IUP as a STEM-focused university, and also encourage growth in the graduate school, recruiting from other PASSHE institutions.

Finally, there is so much underutilization of the capacity of the campus right now it is in PASSHE's interest to do what it can to stimulate growth at IUP.

There could be more there as some have said, but I can't find anything that would be unique to IUP from a facility perspective. Mostly just parroting of flowery marketing-speak. At the very least, the building will be new and impressive. Its huge. Unless there are some research-specific spaces or unspecified technology that is only found at R1 schools, then I'm not sold on it being the factor some believe it to be.

You're right about PASSHE. Since IUP has codified immunity from mergers, PASSHE needs it to reverse course. Otherwise they're going to experience what Clarion, Edinboro, and Mansfield have been living the last few years: program, service, and staffing cuts to save money but only make the experience worse (and in turn lose more students). Humboldt State becoming Cal Poly Humboldt will be interesting to watch. In five years they've gone from losing so much enrollment they had to cut football to now not having enough dorms and leasing entire hotels. Its a clear STEM focus - but you can still study humanities and liberal arts. IUP doesn't have that bigger name to attach itself to, but if they are going down the STEM focus path, it will serve them well. I think that could have been a better path years ago - each school got a narrow specialty with its strongest or most noteworthy department/school and built around that while each school offers the humanities/liberal arts basics to serve geographic & cost needs of its region (english, history/social sciences, psychology and education).

[iupgroundhog]

I only balk at it because its more of a facility catch-up than something that sets IUP apart. Also, this generation generally doesn't value facilities the way previous ones did. I imagine its sorely needed but not unique. Many regional universities are building or expanding science buildings.

What I think would change IUP's slide is one or two truly nationally significant programs. Not strong. Not good. Not under the radar. Something that puts them on a list of a dozen schools with a specific program. Penn State Behrend has a few of these (actuarial science, plastics engineering) that convinces students from many states to attend a Penn State branch, along a rural road in a depressed community, with D3 sports. Cost & location don't really outweigh the initial angst that they're attending IUP instead of Pitt and Penn State (really the existential conflict of every regional university in PA). They need to somehow hire a next president who comes from the student life side of the house to invest in the student campus experience beyond facilities.

I think it's much more than a facility catch-up. I think it represents the new STEM focus. It's not the building itself, it's the technology inside the building and the accessibility to that technology for everyday undergraduate and graduate students that should move the needle on student recruitment. The opportunities for students to be involved in significant research is also going to gain in importance and, hence, marketability.

IUP will not be able to rebound on its own. It will take the assistance of PASSHE leadership. From what I've seen, PASSHE has shown commitment to develop IUP as a STEM-focused university, and also encourage growth in the graduate school, recruiting from other PASSHE institutions.

Finally, there is so much underutilization of the capacity of the campus right now it is in PASSHE's interest to do what it can to stimulate growth at IUP.

[iupgroundhog]

After a TRUE rebrand and refocus, a state college in California with DII sports is experiencing such an enrollment spike that they've run out of housing. Crazy how having schools lean into their strengths makes them...stronger???

https://www.ijpr.org/education/2022-...gher-ed-slumps

Well, becoming a part of Cal Poly is not quite the same as gaining membership in Penn West.

[Fightingscot82]

It’s why I think with the new science building at IUP that you’ll see IUP bounce back..everyone on here says no but I have been under the impression Sutton Hall was playing the long game.

I only balk at it because its more of a facility catch-up than something that sets IUP apart. Also, this generation generally doesn't value facilities the way previous ones did. I imagine its sorely needed but not unique. Many regional universities are building or expanding science buildings.

What I think would change IUP's slide is one or two truly nationally significant programs. Not strong. Not good. Not under the radar. Something that puts them on a list of a dozen schools with a specific program. Penn State Behrend has a few of these (actuarial science, plastics engineering) that convinces students from many states to attend a Penn State branch, along a rural road in a depressed community, with D3 sports. Cost & location don't really outweigh the initial angst that they're attending IUP instead of Pitt and Penn State (really the existential conflict of every regional university in PA). They need to somehow hire a next president who comes from the student life side of the house to invest in the student campus experience beyond facilities.

[IUPNation]

After a TRUE rebrand and refocus, a state college in California with DII sports is experiencing such an enrollment spike that they've run out of housing. Crazy how having schools lean into their strengths makes them...stronger???

https://www.ijpr.org/education/2022-...gher-ed-slumps

It’s why I think with the new science building at IUP that you’ll see IUP bounce back..everyone on here says no but I have been under the impression Sutton Hall was playing the long game.

[Fightingscot82]

After a TRUE rebrand and refocus, a state college in California with DII sports is experiencing such an enrollment spike that they've run out of housing. Crazy how having schools lean into their strengths makes them...stronger???

https://www.ijpr.org/education/2022-...gher-ed-slumps

[Ship69]

Do you know what happens in a nice pond full of bass if you never take any out for 10 years?

You end up with a pond full of starving, skinny, 10" bass.

Sounds familiar.

Except the fish have been taken out of the many Pa. high schools, and they haven't been restocked.

[ctrabs74]

It wasn’t one when it closed. Up until recently Paoli was the only trauma center in Chester County. Now Chester County Is one too I. Believe …

CCH is not a trauma center as of yet.

[Fightingscot82]

Lol no ... Just fishing season is within sight. Getting antsy. It's on the mind.

I finally bought a 'nice' fishing kayak.

Pedal drive?

[IUPNation]

Brandywine? When I lived there, it was the #1 trauma center for the area.

It wasn’t one when it closed. Up until recently Paoli was the only trauma center in Chester County. Now Chester County Is one too I. Believe …

[Bart]

Chester County lost two hospitals within the past couple of years thanks to the lowlifes who run Tower Health: Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville and Jennersville Regional Hospital near Avondale in Southern Chester County. The closure of Brandywine especially hurts because there's basically no hospital between Lancaster and Paoli, not to mention that Coatesville is a low-income minority area. Jennersville, however, appears to have been acquired by Delaware-based Christiana Care, so at least there's some hope for JRH.

The point is that this isn't just happening in rural areas like Lock Haven. Two hospitals closing in one of the state's wealthiest counties should've raised a few red flags in Harrisburg, but we know what a dumpster fire the political scene is in that state and we'll leave it at that.

Brandywine? When I lived there, it was the #1 trauma center for the area.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Sounds oddly specific!

Lol no ... Just fishing season is within sight. Getting antsy. It's on the mind.

I finally bought a 'nice' fishing kayak.

[Fightingscot82]

Do you know what happens in a nice pond full of bass if you never take any out for 10 years?

You end up with a pond full of starving, skinny, 10" bass.

Sounds familiar.

Sounds oddly specific!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

We can all widen the net, but that doesn't increase the number of fish.

Do you know what happens in a nice pond full of bass if you never take any out for 10 years?

You end up with a pond full of starving, skinny, 10" bass.

Sounds familiar.

[Ship69]

I think its just widening the mouth of the net.

We can all widen the net, but that doesn't increase the number of fish.