PASSHE Institutions Merging

[complaint_hopeful]

re: Closing schools in the West - Requires legislative action and between $100 million to $287 million per university, for a total of $660 million to offset closing costs.

THAT'S why no schools would close.

[complaint_hopeful]

Here is the BOG Agenda for the meeting tomorrow...along with the implementation plans:

04-28-2021 Agenda.pdf (passhe.edu)

[Fightingscot82]

I assume the NCAA will approve. As we've shared this is hardly the first case of one school operating multiple athletic departments. Something briefly mentioned in the Western Triad report that's worth mentioning - how will this be reflected in PSAC governance? Will Western Triad University get one vote or does each athletic department get a vote? If the latter, would Clarion be allowed to cast a vote different from the others?

[iupgroundhog]

My opinions:

1. This thing is getting rammed through. Willing to wager that the vote is unanimous. The citizens of PA have almost no power over these schools and almost no influence over their support.

And need I remind you that there has been no NCAA decision on it yet?

4. I don't believe Greenstein has some sort of agenda, but the charade of this plan appears to overshadow the actual cost savings. Its like a company saying that a new mission statement and branding changes the company culture. Things look and sound different but the savings are negligible - and at what cost? Will support wane when Lock Haven becomes Northeastern PA University? Schools can't be closed without legislative approval - but everything is on the table to be deemed unnecessary or cost-prohibitive. "Clarion University" may not be able to be closed but in theory "Western PA University" can decide to phase out its Clarion campus the same way Edinboro closed its outreach center in Millcreek.

Surprise, surprise, surprise. - Gomer Pyle

The report on the West Triad has significantly less data yet shows that there's actually very minimal cost savings when the plan is fully realized. WHAT THE ACTUAL F*CK?

Yep. It's an experiment. How's it feel to be a guinea pig?

5. None of this is successful unless the cost savings over Penn State & Pitt outlets and PA privates. Enrollment is virtually the same as ~year 2000 levels but with $200MM less state funding. That's a lot of friggin' money that is now shifted to students. Plus its not like the cost of doing business stayed the same over 20 years.

Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale. Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing - William Shakespeare

[Fightingscot82]

I don't know if that's necessarily true. The case for support of public education has never been less welcomed. A lot of PA folks don't understand the basic math of why subsidized education is a common economic benefit. Its especially true for the future as our population dwindles and rural jobs continue to evaporate. But they'll continue to blame woes on brown-skinned immigrants and the myth of the black welfare state.

[IUPNation]

My opinions:

1. This thing is getting rammed through. Willing to wager that the vote is unanimous. The citizens of PA have almost no power over these schools and almost no influence over their support.

2. A combination of the pre-covid "sustainability plans" and greater state support would probably have been enough.

3. I appreciate the idea to synergize academic programs. That should be a system-wide opportunity to take courses at other system schools when possible. Otherwise its not really a system, to paraphrase the Chancellor several years ago. I also appreciate the intentional effort to push professional skill credentials/certificates/boot camps...same with pushing online bachelors degrees for adults with some college. These folks have always gone the night school/correspondence/online route.

4. I don't believe Greenstein has some sort of agenda, but the charade of this plan appears to overshadow the actual cost savings. Its like a company saying that a new mission statement and branding changes the company culture. Things look and sound different but the savings are negligible - and at what cost? Will support wane when Lock Haven becomes Northeastern PA University? Schools can't be closed without legislative approval - but everything is on the table to be deemed unnecessary or cost-prohibitive. "Clarion University" may not be able to be closed but in theory "Western PA University" can decide to phase out its Clarion campus the same way Edinboro closed its outreach center in Millcreek.

The report on the West Triad has significantly less data yet shows that there's actually very minimal cost savings when the plan is fully realized. WHAT THE ACTUAL F*CK?

5. None of this is successful unless the cost savings over Penn State & Pitt outlets and PA privates. Enrollment is virtually the same as ~year 2000 levels but with $200MM less state funding. That's a lot of friggin' money that is now shifted to students. Plus its not like the cost of doing business stayed the same over 20 years.

[Fightingscot82]

My opinions:

1. This thing is getting rammed through. Willing to wager that the vote is unanimous. The citizens of PA have almost no power over these schools and almost no influence over their support.

2. A combination of the pre-covid "sustainability plans" and greater state support would probably have been enough.

3. I appreciate the idea to synergize academic programs. That should be a system-wide opportunity to take courses at other system schools when possible. Otherwise its not really a system, to paraphrase the Chancellor several years ago. I also appreciate the intentional effort to push professional skill credentials/certificates/boot camps...same with pushing online bachelors degrees for adults with some college. These folks have always gone the night school/correspondence/online route.

4. I don't believe Greenstein has some sort of agenda, but the charade of this plan appears to overshadow the actual cost savings. Its like a company saying that a new mission statement and branding changes the company culture. Things look and sound different but the savings are negligible - and at what cost? Will support wane when Lock Haven becomes Northeastern PA University? Schools can't be closed without legislative approval - but everything is on the table to be deemed unnecessary or cost-prohibitive. "Clarion University" may not be able to be closed but in theory "Western PA University" can decide to phase out its Clarion campus the same way Edinboro closed its outreach center in Millcreek.

The report on the West Triad has significantly less data yet shows that there's actually very minimal cost savings when the plan is fully realized. WHAT THE ACTUAL F*CK?

5. None of this is successful unless the cost savings over Penn State & Pitt outlets and PA privates. Enrollment is virtually the same as ~year 2000 levels but with $200MM less state funding. That's a lot of friggin' money that is now shifted to students. Plus its not like the cost of doing business stayed the same over 20 years.

[iupgroundhog]

I was given a copy of Wednesday's presentation. These parts struck me regarding the NORTHEAST triad:

1. Mansfield's academic and auxiliary (housing/dining/activities) operations run at a net loss. Lock Haven's academic and auxiliary (housing/dining/activities) operations "are nearly break-even."
2. Mansfield's reserves have a negative balance. They're 100% out of money.
3. Lock Haven and Mansfield require a "cross-subsidy" of $19 million annually. This is additional state money above the normal appropriation taken from the appropriation for financially strong schools.
4. The combined debt load of the three schools is $215 million with annual payments of $21 million.
5. Maintaining the status quo for the three schools would cost $17-30 million annually. If the schools fully enact their previously-submitted sustainability plans, that number is reduced to $4-9 million.
6. The per student pricing "advantage" of PASSHE diminished from $6,500 in 2010 to $1,500 in 2019. I can't find a specific definition but I'm going to take an educated guess that its the cost savings of attending PASSHE over an average cost of Pitt/Penn State/Temple/Lincoln/PA Private 4-year.

Those things are all too disparate to comment on. Wednesday should be interesting.

I'm thinking, though, that if they adhered to their sustainability plans the midpoint is around $6.5 million. Let's say the triad is 12% of the whole for PASSHE (just guessing). $6.5 mil/.12=$54 million. Divided by ~14 million people living in the state of PA = $3.86 for every man, woman, or child in the state. That's in a year. Can that deficit be made up in PA? Shame on the state legislature. Go buy yourself a latte at Starbucks. Here in El Paso I can get a grande cafe americano for $3.84. And I buy one every single day.

[Fightingscot82]

I was given a copy of Wednesday's presentation. These parts struck me regarding the NORTHEAST triad:

1. Mansfield's academic and auxiliary (housing/dining/activities) operations run at a net loss. Lock Haven's academic and auxiliary (housing/dining/activities) operations "are nearly break-even."

2. Mansfield's reserves have a negative balance. They're 100% out of money.

3. Lock Haven and Mansfield require a "cross-subsidy" of $19 million annually. This is additional state money above the normal appropriation taken from the appropriation for financially strong schools.

4. The combined debt load of the three schools is $215 million with annual payments of $21 million.

5. Maintaining the status quo for the three schools would cost $17-30 million annually. If the schools fully enact their previously-submitted sustainability plans, that number is reduced to $4-9 million.

6. The per student pricing "advantage" of PASSHE diminished from $6,500 in 2010 to $1,500 in 2019. I can't find a specific definition but I'm going to take an educated guess that its the cost savings of attending PASSHE over an average cost of Pitt/Penn State/Temple/Lincoln/PA Private 4-year.

[iupgroundhog]

No. I participated in some group sessions led by the marketing firm. It was a total waste of time.

NW X SW State U.of Pennsylvania

[Fightingscot82]

Do you know what it is?

No. I participated in some group sessions led by the marketing firm. It was a total waste of time.

[iupgroundhog]

At least the article mentioned the encroachment from Pitt and Penn State campuses and the 30% state funding decline since 2000.

FWIW, the marketing firm hired to assist with the western triad will share their name and marketing suggestions on May 18. Unsure if that's public or not.

Do you know what it is?

[Fightingscot82]

The moment we have been waiting for is this Wednesday. It's a national article so most of it is stuff we already are familiar with. It's funny how this whole big thing is so focused on just one guy.

https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-...blic-higher-ed

At least the article mentioned the encroachment from Pitt and Penn State campuses and the 30% state funding decline since 2000.

FWIW, the marketing firm hired to assist with the western triad will share their name and marketing suggestions on May 18. Unsure if that's public or not.

[iupgroundhog]

The moment we have been waiting for is this Wednesday. It's a national article so most of it is stuff we already are familiar with. It's funny how this whole big thing is so focused on just one guy.

https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-...blic-higher-ed

[Fightingscot82]

Interesting because they raised 80 million for the new science building.

Huge chunk of that campaign was for the science building. That endowment figure may not include any big gifts in the last year either.

PASSHE endowments are rather piecemeal too. Most of it is held by the Foundation. Possible some other endowed funds are held by the Alumni Associations. These are totaled together when reporting endowment funds.