PASSHE Institutions Merging

[complaint_hopeful]

Any idea what the actual debt is? Yea, 12.5M will bring any debt down but are we talking about 100M debt or 13M before application of the 12.5M?

So 2 of the schools in the West had over $100 million debt each. (Now that's all debt and not just housing.)

But, Clarion and Edinboro were both supposedly at negative reserves. Over $6 million each.

My speculation is that they used this money to pay down Housing debt, thus erasing the negative reserves. But, it's really going to be 1 budget anyways so won't matter which schools got it I suppose.

[boatcapt]

The Pa. State System of Higher Ed. has $75M in one-time funds. Here's the preliminary spending plan | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)


Of note:

$12.5 million for debt reliefcloser to achieving sustainable operations.

Any idea what the actual debt is? Yea, 12.5M will bring any debt down but are we talking about 100M debt or 13M before application of the 12.5M?

[complaint_hopeful]

The Pa. State System of Higher Ed. has $75M in one-time funds. Here's the preliminary spending plan | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)


Of note:

$12.5 million for debt relief

[iupgroundhog]

Some think athletics will expand under merger.

https://observer-reporter.com/sports...c6ffbf80e.html

This will all be driven by Title IX considerations. It's not like a Triad school is going to say ' Wouldn't it be cool to have an acrobats team at Triad U?' Then spend the money to add it.

I believe that Clarion, Edinboro, and Bloom have all been under pressure to move toward Title IX compliance. Cal, fielding 7 men's sports (including FB) and 8 women's sports likely is not in compliance, either. LHU had pressure (in the form of legal pressure) but they responded to it.

In the West, when you throw 3 schools together that are not in compliance that becomes magnified. Yes, I think they will have to add women's sports. They might even have to eliminate a men's sport somewhere.

Bloom has been trying to reach compliance and has added women's sports in the past few years. Those efforts, along with the fact that LHU is in pretty good shape, make the NE situation better. I still think it's possible LHU drops FB, which would alleviate any Title IX issues altogether.

I think you will definitely see Clarion, Boro, and Bloom follow LHU's lead and add Women's Wrestling very soon.

[complaint_hopeful]

Some think athletics will expand under merger.

https://observer-reporter.com/sports...c6ffbf80e.html

I could see that and particularly women's sports teams expanding. I think schools are generally looking at their mix.

But...it's all dependent on the NCAA providing a favorable ruling. IF that happens...yeah it could expand.

[Bart]

Some think athletics will expand under merger.

https://observer-reporter.com/sports...c6ffbf80e.html

[Bart]

Bloomsburg

https://www.inquirer.com/education/p...-20210715.html

No ****. It's six of one, half a dozen of another

[complaint_hopeful]

I agree that this is Phase 1. The remaining 8 schools that were NOT part of Phase 1 probably have a very small window of time to turn themselves around and start slashing the red ink and ncreasing enrollment...and I'm not talking single digit enrollment increases or "increases in freshman class enrollment."

Phase 2 candidates: IUP/SRU/Ship (Central PA State) and Millersville/Kutz/ESU (Southeastern PA State).

That would give PASSHE four Universities serving all areas of the state along with a top performing school in the Philadelphia area and an HBCU.

I think that you're going to see atleast some online class sharing too between all schools over the next 1 to 3+ years.

[boatcapt]

Oh I'd imagine giving will be down.

And, I think there's a chance this is a Phase 1. Like there could be another round of schools Integrated.

My guess and it's only a guess is that PASSHE will end up being 4-6 schools total when this is done. That might be some years down the road.

I agree that this is Phase 1. The remaining 8 schools that were NOT part of Phase 1 probably have a very small window of time to turn themselves around and start slashing the red ink and ncreasing enrollment...and I'm not talking single digit enrollment increases or "increases in freshman class enrollment."

Phase 2 candidates: IUP/SRU/Ship (Central PA State) and Millersville/Kutz/ESU (Southeastern PA State).

That would give PASSHE four Universities serving all areas of the state along with a top performing school in the Philadelphia area and an HBCU.

[complaint_hopeful]

Well...They've had 10 years to be livid at the decisions made by their schools and they didn't appear to either care or be concerned as their alma maters slipped from record enrollment to the brink of outright closure...Doubt there will be a ground swell of alumni concern now. Will some complain and perhaps loudly? Sure. But for most, to paraphrase the words of an old insurance company commercial, They care...but they don't CARE care.

Yep. And I applaud PASSHE Defenders, PA Publics, Save our Schools, and the Unions...but this was likely a fight that no matter how much they fought...they weren't winning.

I mean there was a letter from one of the Community College Associations that was like - Hey you didn't talk to us. We think your projections of how many transfers you'll get from us may be off. And some other stuff that I think needed attention paid to it.

The Student Governors spoke glowingly about this. It was pretty clear that if someone had issues with the Integration, that some of the other BOG would talk through it with them until they came over to the Yes side.

[complaint_hopeful]

Were I an alum of one of the four schools, I would be absolutely livid.

Hell, I'm livid anyway.

Oh I'd imagine giving will be down.

And, I think there's a chance this is a Phase 1. Like there could be another round of schools Integrated.

My guess and it's only a guess is that PASSHE will end up being 4-6 schools total when this is done. That might be some years down the road.

[boatcapt]

Were I an alum of one of the four schools, I would be absolutely livid.

Hell, I'm livid anyway.

Well...They've had 10 years to be livid at the decisions made by their schools and they didn't appear to either care or be concerned as their alma maters slipped from record enrollment to the brink of outright closure...Doubt there will be a ground swell of alumni concern now. Will some complain and perhaps loudly? Sure. But for most, to paraphrase the words of an old insurance company commercial, They care...but they don't CARE care.

[jrshooter]

Were I an alum of one of the four schools, I would be absolutely livid.

Hell, I'm livid anyway.

[boatcapt]

I think the PASSHE issues are largely cost. We generally have nice campuses. The education quality is ok at the schools.

But, these Triads won't lower cost...so I don't know.

For PASSHE schools, cost is the only advantage they have over a big state related or private school. They need to focus on being the Walmart of college education in PA...Fair quality at good prices marketed to the masses. Their focus shouldn't be on competing with PSU, Temple, or quasi-elite private schools...It should be on competing/partnering with Community Colleges to capture a larger % of students that opt for CC out of HS AND capturing the students as they come out of the CC pipeline.

[complaint_hopeful]

I think this year will be a tough one to create a baseline. Enrollments won't be back to normal due to Covid. I'm hearing the expectation at ESU is for about 70% capacity.

Very possible. But, wow if a school loses 10% enrollment more than anticipated for instance...that could really blow up the sustainability plans thus requiring more lay-offs...unless the state uses some of the extra funds to balance their budgets.