PASSHE Institutions Merging

[Fightingscot82]

Where is the online presence of the two groups found?

Twitter. The former has a website without much content.

[BADinPA]

APSCUF has successfully led a pause of the "academic alignment" of the Cal-Clarion-Edinboro integration. Word spreading this week that PASSHE legal advised all work to stop while the system and the union work out details.

There have also been two pro-PASSHE lobbying groups emerging online. One, Save Our State Schools, is very polished and I assume led or at least backed by the faculty union. The second, is little more than a Twitter account "PA Publics" and seems less polished and most likely some non-higher ed folks like alumni or community members opposing the integrations.

Where is the online presence of the two groups found?

[Fightingscot82]

APSCUF has successfully led a pause of the "academic alignment" of the Cal-Clarion-Edinboro integration. Word spreading this week that PASSHE legal advised all work to stop while the system and the union work out details.

There have also been two pro-PASSHE lobbying groups emerging online. One, Save Our State Schools, is very polished and I assume led or at least backed by the faculty union. The second, is little more than a Twitter account "PA Publics" and seems less polished and most likely some non-higher ed folks like alumni or community members opposing the integrations.

[Fightingscot82]

Some help for PASSHE

https://www.abc27.com/news/pennsylva...rship-program/

This is a great program. As with all great ideas in PA, they challenge is how to pay for it. Back to the program, it will be very beneficial to PASSHE if they can find a way to (fund) pass it. The challenge is that PASSHE as an extension of the state can't lobby. They can send people to Harrisburg to mingle during open office hours and they can testify before state legislative committees, but they can't employ lobbyists and certainly can't be too critical of the legislature. However, Penn State and Pitt can. Private colleges are very organized for lobbying and are probably the strongest lobbying force in PA higher ed. This program will hurt them the most - it will convince a lot of rural and working class Pennsylvanians to choose a PASSHE school over the perception of greater quality from a private school.

In other PASSHE news, the president of Clarion/Edinboro announced that they're planning full steam ahead for a relatively back to normal fall semester. Some of that may be an admissions strategy but that's good news.

[Bart]

Some help for PASSHE

https://www.abc27.com/news/pennsylva...rship-program/

[Fightingscot82]

What WILL eventually be needed in PA is a closure law similar to BRAC used by the Federal government to close and realign military bases. The difference with what is underway now is that BRAC determines a top-down view and forces realignment and closures. The law creating BRAC takes all recommendations to Congress and the package gets passed in total or not. It always passes as Congressional delegations that are pissed are outnumbered. Some bases get closed and some merged and some expanded, etc... The way PA is approaching this now leaves each institution to figure it out which can result in a myopic view. All institutions of higher education, state, and state-related universities, as well as community colleges, should be included. Like BRAC, this shouldn't be a one-time process. By doing it over a series of years, the legislative delegations that disagree will be kept small. BRAC works.

If that were the case, Pitt and Penn State would be reduced to a handful of campuses between them. A lot of those branches are failing enterprises that make PASSHE look salvageable.

We need more community colleges in PA, too, not fewer. PA has a patchwork collection of higher ed options, not a comprehensive strategy responsive to the needs of all in PA.

[BADinPA]

What WILL eventually be needed in PA is a closure law similar to BRAC used by the Federal government to close and realign military bases. The difference with what is underway now is that BRAC determines a top-down view and forces realignment and closures. The law creating BRAC takes all recommendations to Congress and the package gets passed in total or not. It always passes as Congressional delegations that are pissed are outnumbered. Some bases get closed and some merged and some expanded, etc... The way PA is approaching this now leaves each institution to figure it out which can result in a myopic view. All institutions of higher education, state, and state-related universities, as well as community colleges, should be included. Like BRAC, this shouldn't be a one-time process. By doing it over a series of years, the legislative delegations that disagree will be kept small. BRAC works.

[boatcapt]

Some people affiliated with West Chester raised the question and tried to get that momentum building. PASSHE put the kibosh on that quickly.

I believe the legal opinion is that West Chester would have to buy its independence from the state for the market value of the campus. That's gotta be several billion dollars of which they have nothing close.

Jeez...And you wonder why the whole system is failing. Can't win...can't break even...can't even quit the game...

[Fightingscot82]

You wonder if one of these schools could just say screw it and try to walk away from the PASSHE. Didn't West Chester contemplate it a couple years back? Obviously, most aren't in that position to even consider it.

Some people affiliated with West Chester raised the question and tried to get that momentum building. PASSHE put the kibosh on that quickly.

I believe the legal opinion is that West Chester would have to buy its independence from the state for the market value of the campus. That's gotta be several billion dollars of which they have nothing close.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yes, they were encouraged to defer state pension contributions as part of their relief to take the place of missing state funding. One of those things that in hindsight was really, really stupid.

Management did fight back against the biggest union and the faculty went on strike. It didn't go over well. One thing that's unique in PASSHE labor relations is that campuses don't have a vote from the management side. Each campus union chapter votes locally but "management" votes go through system management and the system board. The individual campuses don't have a say or vote during negotiations. I think we might have seen some different outcomes over the years had that been the case.

You wonder if one of these schools could just say screw it and try to walk away from the PASSHE. Didn't West Chester contemplate it a couple years back? Obviously, most aren't in that position to even consider it.

[Fightingscot82]

Were state entities like PASSHE allowed to defer payments or were they permitted to defer them?

Yes, costs always increase over time. Biggest increase is often labor costs. But when a system is facing budget deficits, the managers really need to fight in labor negotiations.

Yes, they were encouraged to defer state pension contributions as part of their relief to take the place of missing state funding. One of those things that in hindsight was really, really stupid.

Management did fight back against the biggest union and the faculty went on strike. It didn't go over well. One thing that's unique in PASSHE labor relations is that campuses don't have a vote from the management side. Each campus union chapter votes locally but "management" votes go through system management and the system board. The individual campuses don't have a say or vote during negotiations. I think we might have seen some different outcomes over the years had that been the case.

[boatcapt]

The Corbett years also allowed entities to delay state pension contributions so now state agencies like PASSHE, school districts, turnpike, lottery, etc. are paying double contributions.

Plus cost increases for benefits. The contracts also dictate specific deductibles regardless of cost. As you can imagine, they're high cost plans. Costs increase every year while revenue is flat at best. For any small % appropriations increase the system has also seen enrollment declines and cost increases that far exceed what increase they get from Harrisburg. That is the gist of Armenti's thesis.

Even before Covid considerations, its a failing formula.

Were state entities like PASSHE allowed to defer payments or were they permitted to defer them?

Yes, costs always increase over time. Biggest increase is often labor costs. But when a system is facing budget deficits, the managers really need to fight in labor negotiations.

[Fightingscot82]

Great points! Most of the Unions, get raises nearly every year. 1-2.5%. Even a 1% raise for that many employees adds up to hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.

And I don't begrudge employees of making money. It's just the demand for the services they provide is falling.

And that's been going on for a LONG time too.

The Corbett years also allowed entities to delay state pension contributions so now state agencies like PASSHE, school districts, turnpike, lottery, etc. are paying double contributions.

Plus cost increases for benefits. The contracts also dictate specific deductibles regardless of cost. As you can imagine, they're high cost plans. Costs increase every year while revenue is flat at best. For any small % appropriations increase the system has also seen enrollment declines and cost increases that far exceed what increase they get from Harrisburg. That is the gist of Armenti's thesis.

Even before Covid considerations, its a failing formula.

[complaint_hopeful]

A few months back I looked at the PASSHE approved budgets for the last 10ish years. Only once over the time frame was the budget cut. As I recall the years were evenly divided between the same budget the year before and a budget increase.

PASSHE is in a tough place...They can't really compete with the name universities and can't really compete on a precieved quality stand point.

Really interesting! So instead of cut, they kind of stay the same when PASSHE asks for an increase?

[complaint_hopeful]

But it is not that the PASSHE budget is "cut every year." It IS how the PASSHE chooses to spend its budget. Labor strife is never plesant but the PASSHE chose to sign the system-wide labor contracts that committed an ever increasing percentage of its static (or slightly increasing) state provided and decreasing tuition funded budget to its staffs.

The tax structure in PA is one of the most confusing I have ever had the "privlage" of paying into...particularly for what it provides.

Great points! Most of the Unions, get raises nearly every year. 1-2.5%. Even a 1% raise for that many employees adds up to hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.

And I don't begrudge employees of making money. It's just the demand for the services they provide is falling.

And that's been going on for a LONG time too.