PASSHE Institutions Merging

[complaint_hopeful]

From the Raging Chicken:

"So, while the @statesytem cries crisis, it has hired the Ohio-based "branding and marketing agency" Ologie, to develop "an 'Integrated U' name and messaging strategy" for the universities being forced to merge."

"It is telling that once again, the @statesystemseems to believe that public relations is the pathway to integration, leaving piles of unanswered questions about the impact on students, faculty, staff, and community members."

"Notably, the names of the communities that host these universities are erased in the new names, with the exception of the corporate sounding "Bloomsburg University Group." Those communities stand to face the most significant, negative economic impacts of the merger."

"For example, will accrediting bodies such as the NCAA or bodies associated with specific academic programs allow for more than one accredited program per academic program or sport?"

"Survey claims "the new entity name will be used for accreditation purposes only, honoring a commitment to retaining each institution's name, logo, mascot, and identity." However, it's not clear what this means for accreditations for sports/academic programs at each university."

"The company is surveying selective students, employees, alumni, donors, "university leadership," Board of Trustee members, high school students, and "others" about what name will "honor the individual names, legacies, and identities of each university."

It just sounds hacked together. 2 names because they want to try to make everyone happy. How do you communicate this to prospective students? We're this name for accredidation...but this is really our name. But we have 1 budget.

I feel like the ncaa will sniff this out and not allow it for sports...but I don't know. Ive heard the ncaa replied favorably.

I feel like a lot of employees will jump ship too.

[complaint_hopeful]

Agree

Don't become another directional school.

I like Keystone University. Or Keystone State.

That said, it will take a long time to build a brand.

[complaint_hopeful]

Seems like the faculty union is digging their heels in for a battle:

http://www.apscuf.org/apscuf-leaders...ors-testimony/

[IUPbigINDIANS]

BUGPA is a throw away. Besides sounding contrived, can't imagine anyone from the other two schools will vote for that...talk about "loosing your identity!" Northeast University of PA sounds terribly "generic" so probably a non-starter as well. The best of 3 really bad choices is Commonwealth University of PA. I would imagine the voting will be close between Commonwealth and None of the Above!

Agree

Don't become another directional school.

[complaint_hopeful]

BUGPA is a throw away. Besides sounding contrived, can't imagine anyone from the other two schools will vote for that...talk about "loosing your identity!" Northeast University of PA sounds terribly "generic" so probably a non-starter as well. The best of 3 really bad choices is Commonwealth University of PA. I would imagine the voting will be close between Commonwealth and None of the Above!

Oh I think it's worse than a throw away. These campuses have fear that they're going to lose their identity and be taken over by 1 school. That name is going to incite anger I'd imagine. I can't believe it was suggested. Those names are all bad.

Too many consultants in this all with no ties to communities. Millions and millions of costs.

[Bart]

From the Raging Chicken:

"So, while the @statesytem cries crisis, it has hired the Ohio-based "branding and marketing agency" Ologie, to develop "an 'Integrated U' name and messaging strategy" for the universities being forced to merge."

"It is telling that once again, the @statesystemseems to believe that public relations is the pathway to integration, leaving piles of unanswered questions about the impact on students, faculty, staff, and community members."

"Notably, the names of the communities that host these universities are erased in the new names, with the exception of the corporate sounding "Bloomsburg University Group." Those communities stand to face the most significant, negative economic impacts of the merger."

"For example, will accrediting bodies such as the NCAA or bodies associated with specific academic programs allow for more than one accredited program per academic program or sport?"

"Survey claims "the new entity name will be used for accreditation purposes only, honoring a commitment to retaining each institution's name, logo, mascot, and identity." However, it's not clear what this means for accreditations for sports/academic programs at each university."

"The company is surveying selective students, employees, alumni, donors, "university leadership," Board of Trustee members, high school students, and "others" about what name will "honor the individual names, legacies, and identities of each university."

[boatcapt]

Ok, I think we can rule out BUG-U, although they could have an interesting mascot. And how many Northeast Universities are there? Always room for 1 more.

Commonwealth of PA - not to be confused with Commonwealth of VA. Of course, "commonwealth" does seem apropos for the integrations.

BUGPA is a throw away. Besides sounding contrived, can't imagine anyone from the other two schools will vote for that...talk about "loosing your identity!" Northeast University of PA sounds terribly "generic" so probably a non-starter as well. The best of 3 really bad choices is Commonwealth University of PA. I would imagine the voting will be close between Commonwealth and None of the Above!

[Bart]

Ok, I think we can rule out BUG-U, although they could have an interesting mascot. And how many Northeast Universities are there? Always room for 1 more.

Commonwealth of PA - not to be confused with Commonwealth of VA. Of course, "commonwealth" does seem apropos for the integrations.

I will vote for anything with Bloomsburg in the name, including Bloomsburg College of Street Knowledge. Go vote.

[iupgroundhog]

The survey for name change in the east is on.

"The survey offers respondents three name choices for the new merged universities: - Bloomsburg University Group of Pennsylvania - Northeast University of Pennsylvania - Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania The survey wants to know which name makes respondents feel proud."

Ok, I think we can rule out BUG-U, although they could have an interesting mascot. And how many Northeast Universities are there? Always room for 1 more.

Commonwealth of PA - not to be confused with Commonwealth of VA. Of course, "commonwealth" does seem apropos for the integrations.

[boatcapt]

Yes that course was reversed. There will be an overarching name change with each campus retaining its identity. So XYZ - Edinboro, XYZ - Clarion, etc. I assume the same is the case for the eastern triad.

I wasn't aware that had changed. So each current school will become a campus of the new entities, whatever they are called. For example State University of Western Pennsylvania - Edinboro or SUWPA Edinboro. Wonder if they could "flip the script" a little and do somthing like Edinboro State University of Western PA and refer to themselves unofficially as Edinboro State?

[Bart]

The survey for name change in the east is on.

"The survey offers respondents three name choices for the new merged universities: - Bloomsburg University Group of Pennsylvania - Northeast University of Pennsylvania - Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania The survey wants to know which name makes respondents feel proud."

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Anything other than some form of Western Pennsylvania University and Eastern Pennsylvania University is pointless. Very few schools go through wholesale name changes. The most recent is probably Tri-State University in Indiana becoming Trine University in 2008. In PA, probably Beaver College becoming Arcadia in 2001. A new name that doesn't sound like a large public university will only exacerbate the problem.

Of course Tri-State got so much money gifted they changed the name of the school. Excellent academic school.

Angola, Indiana. Quite a little town.

[IUPNation]

Sophomores, yes, but also, before the new dorms, the rule for Freshman at IUP was pretty loose. The problem was insisting on the change while raising the cost so significantly. Suddenly someone who planned a reduction in cost in year 2 can't count on it anymore. Then add to that the overpriced food service required when living on campus.

I had a full meal plan all four years. No way was I cooking...

[ironmaniup]

I think you're thinking of requiring sophomores to live in them. The financial need may have driven it - but it has been a LONG practice of private schools. There are still some (Allegheny College comes to mind) that require you to live in university housing the entire time.

Sophomores, yes, but also, before the new dorms, the rule for Freshman at IUP was pretty loose. The problem was insisting on the change while raising the cost so significantly. Suddenly someone who planned a reduction in cost in year 2 can't count on it anymore. Then add to that the overpriced food service required when living on campus.

[Fightingscot82]

It could, but its a risk. If the cost goes down, but the students don't show, then things get worse. Driscoll is a very risk averse administrator. Certainly it would be a few years to get past the required student numbers. Originally, there was a plan to give free credits to students that received higher grades, but that never materialized. Also, the thought was students would spread out credits over summer or over 5 years- that didn't happen. Last, if you fail courses, it costs you a lot more to graduate. Imagine each failed course costing $1000. The thought was that this would be more fair, that good students shouldn't subsidize the weak students. All it did was encourage weaker students to transfer and pay someone else for their 3rd try at Calc I .and sent the good students to a cheaper university. The foundation did the same wrongheaded thing. When they got underwater on the costs of the new dorms, they compensated by raising costs, and requiring Freshman to live in them. The obvious result was to loose even more students.

I think you're thinking of requiring sophomores to live in them. The financial need may have driven it - but it has been a LONG practice of private schools. There are still some (Allegheny College comes to mind) that require you to live in university housing the entire time.