PASSHE Institutions Merging

[IUPNation]

The state legislature is finally realizing that they're sending almost $250M yearly to an organization that they can't control. Guaranteed seats on the board but can't control. Not subject to the public records law - any release is purely negotiated with the university. The main campus has grown in size - but also scope in the last 25 years. Nearly every academic building has undergone a full renovation if not expansion. A dozen brand new academic buildings so large (~200,000sqft) they could probably house and educate several PASSHE campuses. The Sandusky and Tim Piazza scandals really chipped away at the Penn State firewall. The gigantic Beaver Stadium project while simultaneously slashing budgets and jobs (and possibly campuses) isn't a good look, regardless of where the money comes from.

I think the nail into Penn State's political coffin will be how they keep the University Park (main) campus in the upper echelon of rankings. Only 52% of students are from Pennsylvania at that campus. In the short time I worked there, a great majority of PA students were from greater Philly up through Allentown-Easton-Bethlehem area and it seemed like most out of state students were from northern Virginia, New Jersey, and Long Island. Yeah you get the national kids there for athletics or very highly ranked programs, but they're really overshadowed by the Wawa and Jersey Princess crowds.

Back on subject, Penn State has already combined upper administrations for a dozen campuses through the big buyout, but that won't solve the fact that the average enrollment at the branches is barely 1,000 and about half are under 600.

And Wawa still has not opened a store there as of yet…but there are 11 of them within a 15 minute radius of my building.

[Fightingscot82]

I've actually seen two articles the last couple of days (should have saved them) indicating the branch campus system is in big trouble. There actually are 19 of them now, and enrollment is down to about 28,000. Figure out how many students that makes per campus — not a heckuva lot at some of them. The publicity gods are finally starting to crap on Penn State a little as they have been for several years on PASSHE.Out system basically gets blasted for losing enrollment and having "only" 90,000 students on fewer sites than the Penn State branch campuses. Might be a different picture without the PSU branches siphoning off 28,000 students who would be naturals for PASSHE.

Enrollment at the Penn State main campus has risen to about 48,000. Critics note that the branch campuses are more diverse and have a good deal higher percentage of Pa. students than the main campus. Branch campus students are about 77 percent from Pa., while about half the main campus students are from out of state. The school loves the higher tuitions out-of-state students bring, but some not that does not seem to fit into the mission of a land grant school that claims to be the state university.

The state legislature is finally realizing that they're sending almost $250M yearly to an organization that they can't control. Guaranteed seats on the board but can't control. Not subject to the public records law - any release is purely negotiated with the university. The main campus has grown in size - but also scope in the last 25 years. Nearly every academic building has undergone a full renovation if not expansion. A dozen brand new academic buildings so large (~200,000sqft) they could probably house and educate several PASSHE campuses. The Sandusky and Tim Piazza scandals really chipped away at the Penn State firewall. The gigantic Beaver Stadium project while simultaneously slashing budgets and jobs (and possibly campuses) isn't a good look, regardless of where the money comes from.

I think the nail into Penn State's political coffin will be how they keep the University Park (main) campus in the upper echelon of rankings. Only 52% of students are from Pennsylvania at that campus. In the short time I worked there, a great majority of PA students were from greater Philly up through Allentown-Easton-Bethlehem area and it seemed like most out of state students were from northern Virginia, New Jersey, and Long Island. Yeah you get the national kids there for athletics or very highly ranked programs, but they're really overshadowed by the Wawa and Jersey Princess crowds.

Back on subject, Penn State has already combined upper administrations for a dozen campuses through the big buyout, but that won't solve the fact that the average enrollment at the branches is barely 1,000 and about half are under 600.

[Ship69]

Yet, meanwhile, State Penn still keeps 20-30 branch campuses, even though most of those seem redundant (hello, Fayette, McKeesport, New Ken, Beaver) because ... They Are ... Penn State.

Seriously, you'd think someone in Harrisburg would read the room...

I've actually seen two articles the last couple of days (should have saved them) indicating the branch campus system is in big trouble. There actually are 19 of them now, and enrollment is down to about 28,000. Figure out how many students that makes per campus — not a heckuva lot at some of them. The publicity gods are finally starting to crap on Penn State a little as they have been for several years on PASSHE. Our system basically gets blasted for losing enrollment and having "only" 90,000 students on fewer sites than the Penn State branch campuses. Might be a different picture without the PSU branches siphoning off 28,000 students who would be naturals for PASSHE.

Enrollment at the Penn State main campus has risen to about 48,000. Critics note that the branch campuses are more diverse and have a good deal higher percentage of Pa. students than the main campus. Branch campus students are about 77 percent from Pa., while about half the main campus students are from out of state. The school loves the higher tuitions out-of-state students bring, but some not that does not seem to fit into the mission of a land grant school that claims to be the state university.

[IUPNation]

I believe it's now just the culinary school. There may be some other classes offered but all you ever hear of with IUP and Punxy is culinary.

Which is still odd. The culinary school would be better on main campus.

[Fightingscot82]

Things are getting tight at the Sisters of Charity Greensburg campus.

https://triblive.com/local/westmorel...-indefinitely/

[Fightingscot82]

I went to IUP Punxsutawney for my freshman year. I loved it, especially with Punxsutawney is such a small town. To this day I wonder if I could have survived freshman year at main campus. When I finally made it to IUP main it was an eye opener. When I went to Punxsutawney it was housed in an old school building. I know now they have redone it all.

Truthfully, I’m surprised that IUP Punxsutawney still there and operating.

I believe it's now just the culinary school. There may be some other classes offered but all you ever hear of with IUP and Punxy is culinary.

[Tdobson]

I went to IUP Punxsutawney for my freshman year. I loved it, especially with Punxsutawney is such a small town. To this day I wonder if I could have survived freshman year at main campus. When I finally made it to IUP main it was an eye opener. When I went to Punxsutawney it was housed in an old school building. I know now they have redone it all.

Truthfully, I’m surprised that IUP Punxsutawney still there and operating.

[TheBigCat2192]

"At a Penn State Faculty Senate meeting last week, university officials — including President Neeli Bendapudi and Margo DelliCarpini, vice president for commonwealth campuses — did not directly answer employees’ questions about possible campus closures."

https://shensentinel.com/news/penn-s...raight-answer/

This guy emailed the PSU PR office at 7:30 on a Tuesday and said “plz respond by my deadline of 4PM tomorrow.” Classy move.

[Bart]

They can't really force Penn State's hand on that like they can with PASSHE. Plus most local governments treat the local outlet store campus like they host Dartmouth. They'd be signing their death wish next election. A "Penn State degree" isn't universal if it's not taught by the same people teaching in State College.

"At a Penn State Faculty Senate meeting last week, university officials — including President Neeli Bendapudi and Margo DelliCarpini, vice president for commonwealth campuses — did not directly answer employees’ questions about possible campus closures."

https://shensentinel.com/news/penn-s...raight-answer/

[Fightingscot82]

Yet, meanwhile, State Penn still keeps 20-30 branch campuses, even though most of those seem redundant (hello, Fayette, McKeesport, New Ken, Beaver) because ... They Are ... Penn State.

Seriously, you'd think someone in Harrisburg would read the room...

They can't really force Penn State's hand on that like they can with PASSHE. Plus most local governments treat the local outlet store campus like they host Dartmouth. They'd be signing their death wish next election. A "Penn State degree" isn't universal if it's not taught by the same people teaching in State College.

[ctrabs74]

I have thought that campus was superfluous for a long time. I think these branch campuses outlive their usefulness simply because they exist.

Yet, meanwhile, State Penn still keeps 20-30 branch campuses, even though most of those seem redundant (hello, Fayette, McKeesport, New Ken, Beaver) because ... They Are ... Penn State.

Seriously, you'd think someone in Harrisburg would read the room...

[ctrabs74]

CU closing a campus. https://www.sungazette.com/uncategor...field-closing/

When I saw "CU" I thought it was Clarion at first... Man, I'm getting old.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Well, I thank you guys for bringing this up. Frankly, I had no idea that campus existed.

That's part of the problem.

[Ship69]

I have thought that campus was superfluous for a long time. I think these branch campuses outlive their usefulness simply because they exist.

Well, I thank you guys for bringing this up. Frankly, I had no idea that campus existed.

[iupgroundhog]

Yeah. Similar thing happened with Clarion and their Venango campus, Edinboro and their Millcreek campus, Cal and their Southpointe center, etc. Impressed that IUP has been able to continue their Monroeville center.

Online classes really kills the "take X classes right here!" sales pitch.

.
All true. But there's another thing, specific to these campuses. There was one powerful and wealthy person behind the LHU-Clearfield campus, Guy Graham of Clearfield, PA. Graham was formerly chair of the LHU Board of Trustees.

That type of influence seems to happen in our system. It's the same for IUP's Punxsutawney campus. IUP Board member and former PA Speaker of the House Sam Smith has directed a lot of resources from the main campus to the Punxsy campus. In my opinion, way too much. He is the champion of Punxsutawney and, I believe, it's at Indiana's expense.

Ironically, Guy Graham, the driving force behind LHU's Clearfield campus, passed away 2 weeks ago on January 6, 2025.