PASSHE Institutions Merging

[IUPNation]

[Fightingscot82]

I remember somthing similar being offered by Mercyhurst and Seton Hill when Wheeling was having problems.

Yes. I know some schools went after Art Institute kids when it abruptly closed a few years ago.

[boatcapt]

All that and I find the tone of that program to be rather crass. I mean, explicitly trying to exploit the PASSHE situation by bribing kids to come to their poorly rated school. And that degree probably isn't worth more than the state schools'. Not to mention the basic premise that the students at the affected PASSHE schools are having their academic lives turned upside down which is not the case at all.

I remember somthing similar being offered by Mercyhurst and Seton Hill when Wheeling was having problems.

[iupgroundhog]

They're in BIG TIME construction debt. Spent most of the last 20 years acquiring and renovating buildings along Boulevard of the Allies. They just spent over $50 million relocating the Pittsburgh playhouse from the Oakland neighborhood to campus. And then Covid hit so nobody is coming to see their ballet and theater shows to help alleviate the burden of that debt. Academically, beyond the dance/ballet program (which is niche to begin with) their only noteworthy program is in journalism, not exactly a field that has attractive job prospects to a 17 year old, a demo that is at a historic low for likeliness to read a newspaper, watch the news, or listen to broadcast radio. All other programs are rather "blah" - plus they're in a part of downtown that is D-E-A-D at night. Commuting costs are expensive due to parking. Commuter pass to many schools is around $250 a semester - at Point Park the cheapest commuter parking is across the river at Station Square, but for daytime you're looking at no less than $250 a month for commuter parking. I have a mentee who worked for PPU in grad school and says that a lot of "commuters" would catch a ride with a parent who worked downtown and mooch their parking lease. It's not attractive to the kid looking to commute from Shaler.

All that and I find the tone of that program to be rather crass. I mean, explicitly trying to exploit the PASSHE situation by bribing kids to come to their poorly rated school. And that degree probably isn't worth more than the state schools'. Not to mention the basic premise that the students at the affected PASSHE schools are having their academic lives turned upside down which is not the case at all.

[Fightingscot82]

I know some schools that would LOVE to have that!!!

They're in BIG TIME construction debt. Spent most of the last 20 years acquiring and renovating buildings along Boulevard of the Allies. They just spent over $50 million relocating the Pittsburgh playhouse from the Oakland neighborhood to campus. And then Covid hit so nobody is coming to see their ballet and theater shows to help alleviate the burden of that debt. Academically, beyond the dance/ballet program (which is niche to begin with) their only noteworthy program is in journalism, not exactly a field that has attractive job prospects to a 17 year old, a demo that is at a historic low for likeliness to read a newspaper, watch the news, or listen to broadcast radio. All other programs are rather "blah" - plus they're in a part of downtown that is D-E-A-D at night. Commuting costs are expensive due to parking. Commuter pass to many schools is around $250 a semester - at Point Park the cheapest commuter parking is across the river at Station Square, but for daytime you're looking at no less than $250 a month for commuter parking. I have a mentee who worked for PPU in grad school and says that a lot of "commuters" would catch a ride with a parent who worked downtown and mooch their parking lease. It's not attractive to the kid looking to commute from Shaler.

[boatcapt]

Their president is an Edinboro graduate.

But in all seriousness, Point Park is struggling too. They too hit peak enrollment around 2010 and spent a lot on facilities. Their challenge is that they're an urban campus so property is extra expensive. Their enrollment is down 12% in the last decade and have also added niche programs like esports.

I know some schools that would LOVE to have that!!!

[Fightingscot82]

Smart move on their part.

Their president is an Edinboro graduate.

But in all seriousness, Point Park is struggling too. They too hit peak enrollment around 2010 and spent a lot on facilities. Their challenge is that they're an urban campus so property is extra expensive. Their enrollment is down 12% in the last decade and have also added niche programs like esports.

[boatcapt]

Point Park University Launches Smooth Transition Program to Assist PASSHE Transfer Students | Point Park University | Pittsburgh, PA

Point Park University has launched the Smooth Transition program to help students in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education who may be impacted by mergers, restructuring and the elimination of majors and programs.

Smart move on their part.

[complaint_hopeful]

Point Park University Launches Smooth Transition Program to Assist PASSHE Transfer Students | Point Park University | Pittsburgh, PA

Point Park University has launched the Smooth Transition program to help students in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education who may be impacted by mergers, restructuring and the elimination of majors and programs.

[Fightingscot82]

So what not market those costs for rural student statistics?

Because higher ed marketing sucks. They hire a company to create a new slogan, create a menu of generic media pieces for broadcast, digital, & print then hire a second company to do media buying (TV, radio, billboards). The only internal marketing control is usually internet ads on Facebook, Instagram, & streaming services.

I told Edinboro they should put billboards along I-79 and I-90 listing their tuition against the others in the region, their accept rate against the others, etc. It's just not how schools operate.

[complaint_hopeful]

So why not market those costs for rural students? That would be a GREAT selling point.

[Fightingscot82]

They've been pretty clear on BOG calls that their mission is to provide education to students, NOT be an employer.

I don't think we have to worry about a campus shutting down. They talked about how the costs to do that are prohibitive and would be footed by the surviving schools. So even if they wanted to shut some down, they can't do it because of the debt burden.

I hope that once the state sees that PASSHE is all in on these integrations and getting costs down...that it increases the funding to schools by a substantial margin.

And on the drives? Really is driving 45 minutes or 55 minutes to a college that bad? Not that I advocate closing schools, as I don't. But when did having a school 20-30 minutes away become a goal? Maybe there are just too many colleges in Pennsylvania? It's a huge geographic state and if country areas have schools 20-30 mins away from people...that's a sign. With online learning people can have a 0 minute drive. While some areas don't have cable Internet, you can get cellular Internet in a lot more areas.

And lets face it, part of the problem is online classes. SNHU, U of Phoenix, and others have came into our area and are stealing some kids that would go to these schools. Our community colleges even signed an agreement with them! So then, we have these nice buildings, but the demand for in person is down by some percentage.

I think we just have to define what our primary goals are and build to that.

I don't think you read my full post.

Driving 45 to 55 minutes each way is absolutely prohibitive. Not spending 55 minutes commuting into a city through rush hour traffic. Sure some people will do it but that's also going to take its toll on a car plus the added cost of a lot of gas. If that drive isn't interstate (such as Clarion, PA to Bradford or Indiana) the gas mileage isn't going to be great and winter travel could get iffy.

Again, rural PA is not signing up for online school because they have such crappy access to high speed internet. My mother in law has to switch her phone from wifi to data to Facetime my kids. Plus

Average net price for a commuter PASSHE student vs Online Universities:
PASSHE: $10,396
SNHU: $41,722
U Phoenix: $15,009

I agree that more money isn't coming anytime soon. Some campuses have some buildings that need work and they're wondering if the money the state promised them years ago will ever come for that work. I also think throwing money at it is kicking the can down the road. The only way they're going to see big reductions in cost is through wildly unpopular decisions. They either make big cuts that are potentially unpopular with students (cutting services, cutting athletics, consolidating programs) or they make some internal structural changes (exempting these schools from the union contracts).

[iupgroundhog]

I hope that once the state sees that PASSHE is all in on these integrations and getting costs down...that it increases the funding to schools by a substantial margin.
.

Uh-huh, hey, I ain't no expert but as someone who has followed these state appropriation negotiations since the late 1970's I would suggest that increasing the funding is not a part of the mindset in Harrisburg.

[complaint_hopeful]

They've been pretty clear on BOG calls that their mission is to provide education to students, NOT be an employer.

I don't think we have to worry about a campus shutting down. They talked about how the costs to do that are prohibitive and would be footed by the surviving schools. So even if they wanted to shut some down, they can't do it because of the debt burden.

I hope that once the state sees that PASSHE is all in on these integrations and getting costs down...that it increases the funding to schools by a substantial margin.

And on the drives? Really is driving 45 minutes or 55 minutes to a college that bad? Not that I advocate closing schools, as I don't. But when did having a school 20-30 minutes away become a goal? Maybe there are just too many colleges in Pennsylvania? It's a huge geographic state and if country areas have schools 20-30 mins away from people...that's a sign. With online learning people can have a 0 minute drive. While some areas don't have cable Internet, you can get cellular Internet in a lot more areas.

And lets face it, part of the problem is online classes. SNHU, U of Phoenix, and others have came into our area and are stealing some kids that would go to these schools. Our community colleges even signed an agreement with them! So then, we have these nice buildings, but the demand for in person is down by some percentage.

I think we just have to define what our primary goals are and build to that.

[Fightingscot82]

What do the #'s mean? PASSHE ranked as an employer in the county?

Sorry, yes that's it