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  • Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post

    He could. LOL. We know for a fact our athletic department friends consider this board daily reading. I tend to doubt the academic types do, though.
    I wouldn't be surprised if there have been more public comments on the topic on this forum than anywhere else.

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    • Originally posted by iupgroundhog View Post

      For those who want to know.

      Personal life[edit]
      Wollman is married to Dan L. King,[16] executive director of the American Association of University Administrators.[17] They live in Wallingford, Pennsylvania.[18]
      I told ya!!!

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      • Originally posted by Fightingscot82 View Post

        Is that where Widener is? Unsure if they have a president's house or give a housing allowance.

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        • Originally posted by iupgroundhog View Post

          No. Widener is a little different. The "main campus" is in Chester. The largest campus is in Delaware. The law school is in Delaware and, I believe, the graduate school is in Delaware. Widener has other campuses in PA but I can't find where they are. As I recall, they draw a large number of students to their remote campus in Harrisburg.

          As Nation alluded to, stepping off of Widener's Chester campus can be a perilous experience. With all due respect to anyone who is from Chester, Chester is like skid row. It's one of the most crime-ridden, impoverished places in the country. However, like all places there are good people from Chester and some are working to improve the situation. Also, with all due respect to IUPbigIndian ( I don't want to offend anybody today), the area around Duquesne in Pgh. is no comparison to Chester. Duquesne's environs are upscale compared to Chester.

          Widener grew out of Pennsylvania Military College (PMC) which was a small college football power back in the 60's. It became Widener in 1972 and continued to be a national small college power. The football prowess has waned over the decades.

          Their offerings are so diverse (undergrad, grad, law, urban, suburban, online) it does seem like a good landing spot for Edinboro's former president. It's probably a housing allowance. Wallingford is a few miles from the main campus.

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          • https://www.wccsradio.com/2021/03/19...res-dont-work/

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            • Comment


              • I think he misspoke in an impulsive, defensive exchange. Its been rehashed, but I *believe* what he meant was that if big, scary moves aren't made now the system will run out of money and eat itself to death ala Pizza the Hut. The media seemed to run with the interpretation that he said either merge schools or go back to 14 individual schools like things were before the system. Since his testimony was about system finances, I tend to believe the former is the likely context.

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                • Originally posted by Fightingscot82 View Post

                  I think he misspoke in an impulsive, defensive exchange. Its been rehashed, but I *believe* what he meant was that if big, scary moves aren't made now the system will run out of money and eat itself to death ala Pizza the Hut. The media seemed to run with the interpretation that he said either merge schools or go back to 14 individual schools like things were before the system. Since his testimony was about system finances, I tend to believe the former is the likely context.
                  I don't think he misspoke. I just think he left 'dissolve the system" open to interpretation. As I previously posted, the legal definition of dissolution is to revert back to the status prior to the creation of PASSHE which would mean all schools independent.

                  In that sense, dissolution isn't an efficient way forward. HOWEVER, it may be for some schools. That's where the cross-subsidization comes in. A case can be made for IUP's independence based on its purpose, Carnegie classification, size, and history. A case can be made for West Chester and SRU based on growth. A case can probably be made for Cheyney based on its uniqueness. Make those 4 state-related and subsidize them for success.

                  If you do that, you have remaining 2 triads and 4 other schools that could merge further. The cross-subsidization deserves attention. As for IUP, that's where I think Driscoll should be less a good citizen of the PASSHE and more of an activist to promote IUP's best interests.

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                  • Originally posted by Fightingscot82 View Post

                    I think he misspoke in an impulsive, defensive exchange. Its been rehashed, but I *believe* what he meant was that if big, scary moves aren't made now the system will run out of money and eat itself to death ala Pizza the Hut. The media seemed to run with the interpretation that he said either merge schools or go back to 14 individual schools like things were before the system. Since his testimony was about system finances, I tend to believe the former is the likely context.
                    It may have been an impulsive mistake that he said it in the open, but it seemed to me that it was a bit more than a reflexive, defensive response. I would say that there is a plan to disolve the PASSHE. I don't think it is the primary plan or even the second or third plan...but it is there in some form beyond a simple impulsive, defensive reply to being grilled.

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                    • Originally posted by iupgroundhog View Post

                      I don't think he misspoke. I just think he left 'dissolve the system" open to interpretation. As I previously posted, the legal definition of dissolution is to revert back to the status prior to the creation of PASSHE which would mean all schools independent.

                      In that sense, dissolution isn't an efficient way forward. HOWEVER, it may be for some schools. That's where the cross-subsidization comes in. A case can be made for IUP's independence based on its purpose, Carnegie classification, size, and history. A case can be made for West Chester and SRU based on growth. A case can probably be made for Cheyney based on its uniqueness. Make those 4 state-related and subsidize them for success.

                      If you do that, you have remaining 2 triads and 4 other schools that could merge further. The cross-subsidization deserves attention. As for IUP, that's where I think Driscoll should be less a good citizen of the PASSHE and more of an activist to promote IUP's best interests.
                      Yep...You would have 14 state owned but non-affiliated schools. Budgets would probably be independently debated and voted on by the legislature. Some of the more failing schools would be forced to either close OR completely merge with other schools. Certainly alumni, local communities and faculty will argue against closings/mergings but in the long run, it is probably necessary.

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                      • Another thing. When I read about this exchange in the media it sounded like a heated, off the cuff exchange of words. But when I listen to the actual conversation, it has a serious tone. Greenstein sounded pretty matter-of-fact regarding the possibility of dissolution and Pittman sounded serious about sponsoring a bill. When you listen to it, it does not seem like they are joking.

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                        • Originally posted by iupgroundhog View Post
                          Another thing. When I read about this exchange in the media it sounded like a heated, off the cuff exchange of words. But when I listen to the actual conversation, it has a serious tone. Greenstein sounded pretty matter-of-fact regarding the possibility of dissolution and Pittman sounded serious about sponsoring a bill. When you listen to it, it does not seem like they are joking.
                          I agree. I don't think they're joking.

                          My guess is schools did the sustainability plans. And then covid hit. The Integrations were over a longer timeframe initially, but then they expedited the timeframe drastically.

                          So why did they do this? Well I think they saw the sustainability plans and realized that some schools were going to be bankrupt soon. We see Mansfield borrowing that $7 million. In the BOG call, they referenced this borrowing was projected in their sustainability plan. But, there are supposedly others in really bad shape too that may need money soon too.

                          So, the only hope some of these schools have to survive is the Integration OR borrowing money from the system (that they may never be able to pay back if they don't turn things around). So PASSHE can probably afford to support 1 school as a system, but when 2-3-4 start to fail, it would eventually bankrupt the whole system. So why let weaker schools take them all down? At that point, you're better off un-coupling to let the strong ones make it.

                          All of this of course assuming the state continues to fund these schools at the 2000 level of funding. <-- That is the root cause of most of this mess.
                          Last edited by complaint_hopeful; 04-19-2021, 09:11 AM.

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                          • Originally posted by boatcapt View Post

                            Yep...You would have 14 state owned but non-affiliated schools. Budgets would probably be independently debated and voted on by the legislature. Some of the more failing schools would be forced to either close OR completely merge with other schools. Certainly alumni, local communities and faculty will argue against closings/mergings but in the long run, it is probably necessary.
                            That's how I see that scenario playing out too.

                            Some of the mergers might be with like a Pitt or Penn State.

                            Interestingly, I don't see the Integrations as guaranteed to save some of these schools. I think that's still up in the air if it works and I eagerly await the presentation to the BOG where they show the number projections of the Integrations. What are enrollment projections? What are cost projections? How much savings are projected? I hope they include the assumptions they use. Like if they show a lot of growth, I want to see how they determined that.

                            So if it works, that's one path. But, IF the Integrations fail...that leads down a different road and is that road the dissolution of PASSHE road?
                            Last edited by complaint_hopeful; 04-19-2021, 09:40 AM.

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                            • Originally posted by complaint_hopeful View Post

                              That's how I see that scenario playing out too.

                              Some of the mergers might be with like a Pitt or Penn State.

                              Interestingly, I don't see the Integrations as guaranteed to save some of these schools. I think that's still up in the air if it works and I eagerly await the presentation to the BOG where they show the number projections. I hope they include the assumptions they use. Like if they show a lot of growth, I want to see how they determined that.

                              So if it works, that's one path. But, IF the Integrations fail...that leads down a different road and is that road the dissolution of PASSHE road?
                              Funny that 10 years into the PASSHE slide and some still need to be convinced that there is a problem!

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                              • Originally posted by boatcapt View Post

                                Funny that 10 years into the PASSHE slide and some still need to be convinced that there is a problem!
                                Indeed! And I do think that if PA wasn't 47th in funding...funding at the level they did in 2000 that this would be a different discussion now.

                                But, with the funding/enrollment/cost levels, this thing is failing as it's currently configured. You can cut costs so much, but growth is what is really needed...and it's going to be tough sledding in that area as there are so many schools.

                                I just don't know that the Integrations will save enough money to help. Wasn't it Georgia that saved less that a percent of costs Integrating?
                                Last edited by complaint_hopeful; 04-19-2021, 10:29 AM.

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