PASSHE Institutions Merging

[Fightingscot82]

Valid but recall Clarion and SRU were about the same size for a long, long time. SRU got real hot in the past decade. Clarion is walking the plank. And, SRU is now just about the same size as once-mighty IUP (or getting real close).

If IUP and Slippery Rock were in one of those old fashioned math problems, their enrollments should meet sometime in 2022.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Valid but recall Clarion and SRU were about the same size for a long, long time. SRU got real hot in the past decade. Clarion is walking the plank. And, SRU is now just about the same size as once-mighty IUP (or getting real close).

[iupgroundhog]

Former Lock Haven pres left already.

https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswir...0e1a5c45c.html

That's a real loss for PASSHE. I followed what he did at LHU pretty closely. The FDU write-up is accurate in terms of financial management, branding, marketing, community relations, and retention. Plus, in the LH position he demonstrated exceptional leadership as the top guy. FDU understands that because it looks like they created a senior level position for him.

[Fightingscot82]

Former Lock Haven pres left already.

https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswir...0e1a5c45c.html

[IUPNation]

So, when legislators start pointing out large inconsistencies with your $$ estimates that's not a good thing. When does the NCAA give us the lowdown?

[iupgroundhog]

https://www.inquirer.com/education/s...-20210504.html

So, when legislators start pointing out large inconsistencies with your $$ estimates that's not a good thing. When does the NCAA give us the lowdown?

[Bart]

https://www.inquirer.com/education/s...-20210504.html

[complaint_hopeful]

Isn't there a way to submit written comments?

Several ways. I just think the hearings will be the most impactful. I wish they were longer sessions.

[Fightingscot82]

Isn't there a way to submit written comments?

passhe.edu/publiccomment

[iupgroundhog]

I saw the 2 public hearings for this when people can make comments are like 1.5 hours each. Doesn't seem like enough time.

Isn't there a way to submit written comments?

[complaint_hopeful]

I saw the 2 public hearings for this when people can make comments are like 1.5 hours each. Doesn't seem like enough time.

[Fightingscot82]

I'm not sure how much was under PASSHE supervision. At IUP, the Dorms were built through the Foundation, with the expectation they would make money, so PASSHE was not directly involved -though there are indirect connections. Then, at IUP anyway, they made the clever move of raising housing costs to try to cover the loan debt. They have also done some restructuring, but you can bet that the banks who got the deals to finance this aren't going to be taking a loss on them.

Even though the new dorms everywhere were financed by the foundations (or student government at Cal), as affiliates the plans still go approval of local trustees (appointed by the governor) and the system board (also appointed by the governor). The MOUs between the affiliate groups (SGA, co-ops, foundations, alumni associations, etc) are all reviewed by PASSHE lawyers and approved by the legislature. Everyone knew the plans and the idea of borrowing against the endowment to finance dorms. Everyone knew. Passive governance. These boards will get excited about anything remotely positive presented to them. At Edinboro, current and former trustees now say that a former president lied to them about finances. If everything is subject to public record, how the hell did they take the finances at face value?

That's the one piece of sympathy that I have for Armenti. He financed that arena (stupid) but as chief executive of a state agency that has to be approved at many levels. The devil may be in the details but again this stuff isn't secret. I can do a FOI request for every time the president at Edinboro talks about me. That won't go over well and I don't care, but everything is public. Some friends at PASSHE schools won't text because their phone is covered by the school and texts on a work cell are subject to FOI.

A lot of schools took on the auxiliary-financed debt recently because rates are generally better now and as much bigger entities they can get better terms. Edinboro's Foundation borrowed $115M against $25M in assets during the Great Recession. They got terrible terms. They also overbuilt & overborrowed. Because a former president convinced everyone he had the formula to take Edinboro to 10,000 students.

[IUPNation]

I don't know ... Clarion is a nice school with a nice town/campus. It's not for everybody. It's remote. It's extremely white. You're in the mountains. The winters are awful up there. Clarion was never going to be a big school like IUP, but they were OK with what they were. I had a lot of friends go there and spent a lot of weekends up there. It's very different than our other campuses. Indiana feels like a big city compared to Clarion. If you're in to the whole mountain lifestyle -- hunting, fishing, kayaks, outdoors, etc., ... it would be great.

[IUPNation]

Cal is on track to run out of money by 2023. Their problem is the same as Edinboro, albatross debt payments combined with steady decreases in tuition revenue.

Passive governance at all levels. Benign neglect from the legislature.

The AngeloDome is the gift that keeps on giving.

[complaint_hopeful]

From the @APSCUF Twitter -

@SenWilliamsPA asks about plans' projected student savings. She runs down list of suggestions in plans (dual enrollment, community college transfer, etc.) and asks can't all these be done already?

@dan_greenstein they can be but aren't being done at scale.


So yes - Some of the cost saving things for students...could be done without Integrating!