PASSHE Institutions Merging

[boatcapt]

The Chancellor talked about how in the business world, they look at mergers much sooner when businesses aren't doing well. In higher ed, it's almost like schools want to go out of business before they make changes.

He also talked about how the costs of closing a school could be in the $100+ million range. So closing 1 could really hurt the entire system. It sounds like they absolutely don't want to close schools.

On B, I'm not so sure they have to sacrifice their name. It's possible they do, but not a certainty. He did talk about 1 accreditation for the 3 schools integrating. What that means? They're still determining the course. So a lot of things are unknown and still to be determined. It sounds like there are certain paths they have to go for accreditation. Like it sounds like they may spin up a new entity and make the schools under that. What that looks like? Stay tuned.

Yea...The "college world" has always baffled me. They do so much that is just financially baffling and seem to ignore success metrics for YEARS while refusing to make any meaningful changes. At best they wait until the financial situation is at crisis levels before doing anything and even then what they propose/do is the bare minimum they think is necessary to limp the college forward.

Another thing that is baffling in higher education is determining success by comparing yourself to others in your area. Success is not a "compared to" game. If you are comparing yourself to a failing school and claiming success because your enrolement numbers haven't shrunk quite as much, you are going about it all wrong. Success or failure should be based on how YOUR college is doing...if YOUR college has lost students for the last 10 years, YOU have a problem...Doesn't matter if you have only lost 10% of your student base while other schools have lost 15%. YOU are STILL failing!!

While there are some great college presidents who are innovative and forward thinking, seems that most are career educators with little understanding of how to manage and lead large, diverse organizations. There is a great difference between being "technically competent" (in the case of colleges, a great educator) and someone who can manage and lead a multi-million dollar business (make no mistake, that is what colleges are). While having technical competency can help a leader be successful, there are MANY more important skills that have a much greater impact on the success or failure of a business leader. Probably the biggest success trait of someone coming in to lead a filing organization is the ability to recognize AND admit the problems, then take bold and immediate steps to address them.

It would be an interesting experiment at say Mansfield to bring in a business leader from completely outside of academia and see what they can do. Soe may poo-poo such an idea saying that such a person couldn't possibly "understand" the world of academia, but the real questions is, could he/she do much worse that the pevious leaders who DID understand it??

[iupgroundhog]

Another model that relates to athletics I forgot about is Fairleigh Dickinson. One campus competes at the D1/FCS level, the other at the D3 level. Similar models exist with the Southern Illinois campuses (FBS and FCS) and formerly at LIU (FCS and D2). Could you imagine if Bloomsburg goes D1/FCS and Lock Haven and Mansfield go D3? I wonder if they'd allow Lock Haven to stay D1 in wrestling and pool the Bloom wrestling funds with Lock Haven. That would be something!

But...I don't see how this saves much from the current scenario. Scholarships aren't internally funded and I see APSCUF successfully helping coaches benchmark salaries against their D1 & D2 members rather than the D3 benchmarks.

I don't think there is anything in the PASSHE plans that addresses athletics. What I could see happening ultimately is Mansfield dropping NCAA sports altogether, LH dropping football and possiblu going Sprint like Mansfield, and Bloom athletics staying the same.

There will be no intermingling of the LH and Bloom wrestling programs Remember, LHU has 2 successful D1 programs with wrestling and field hockey. Those programs are supported heavily by private funding.

When we emerge from the current situation there will be pressure on athletic budgets everywhere.

[boatcapt]

I've NEVER made any of those claims, although I don't know ANY Conservative white males who AREN'T homophobes...

Then I would postulate that you live in a very odd area! I have conservative white male friend who are homosexuals and many who are anything but homophobes.

[Fightingscot82]

Another model that relates to athletics I forgot about is Fairleigh Dickinson. One campus competes at the D1/FCS level, the other at the D3 level. Similar models exist with the Southern Illinois campuses (FBS and FCS) and formerly at LIU (FCS and D2). Could you imagine if Bloomsburg goes D1/FCS and Lock Haven and Mansfield go D3? I wonder if they'd allow Lock Haven to stay D1 in wrestling and pool the Bloom wrestling funds with Lock Haven. That would be something!

But...I don't see how this saves much from the current scenario. Scholarships aren't internally funded and I see APSCUF successfully helping coaches benchmark salaries against their D1 & D2 members rather than the D3 benchmarks.

[Bart]

I still like Bloomfield Haven. Sounds like a nursing home but at least it's inclusive.

I like Bloomsburg University's Haven Campus and Field Campus.

[Fightingscot82]

I still like Bloomfield Haven. Sounds like a nursing home but at least it's inclusive.

You know what would be a kicker? If they combined their athletics departments and bumped up

[Bart]

Twenty years ago IUP had its branch campus in Kittanning. Essentially, if you couldn't get in to IUP main campus entering your freshman year (or if they were at capacity), they would offer to start you there for a year. If it worked out, you'd then move to Indiana. I actually had several friends that went to Cal and Clarion rather than spend the year in Kittanning. So, I certainly agree with you there is a bad stigma toward a 'branch campus'.

Granted, that was back when we had, albeit low, academic standards for admission -- but, still some standards (unlike today).

When I was at IUP, they had 2 branch campuses. There was one in Punxsutawney where they would send graduate students out to teach.

[iupgroundhog]

Got some additional info from VP level and above folks at a few PASSHE schools.

The model is undecided right now and could look differently from the other integration model. It's possible that a silent integration happens (similar to a corporation owning several distinct brands of similar products) or a full on merger with name changes.

I still like Bloomfield Haven. Sounds like a nursing home but at least it's inclusive.

[WarriorVoice]

Yea...And not every Trump supporter is a racist...and not every cop is out to executing blacks...and not every conservative white male is a homophobe...etc... But if you watch certain national cable news outlets and Social Media "influencers," you might be inclined to reach a different conclusion.

I've NEVER made any of those claims, although I don't know ANY Conservative white males who AREN'T homophobes...

[Fightingscot82]

Got some additional info from VP level and above folks at a few PASSHE schools.

Deloitte is doing a financial analysis of the 6 schools involved in possible integration along with examining what savings are possible for each partnership. Their findings will be reported to the PASSHE board in October.

Since the details of the integrations aren't worked out, there's concern about having enough time to learn how to market the new configurations. It's possible that the schools will ask that the timeline be bumped back a bit to research if public perception is worth considering.

The model is undecided right now and could look differently from the other integration model. It's possible that a silent integration happens (similar to a corporation owning several distinct brands of similar products) or a full on merger with name changes.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I agree. It's not the innovation I hoped this chancellor would bring but I also don't think its foolish. Outside of West Chester, the PASSHE schools don't have much in terms of reserves. It used to be something schools used for rainy day building projects or unexpected expenses, but lately they've been chipping away each year to plug budget deficits. To me, that's the most attractive byproduct of the staff reductions - some financial flexibility. If COVID doesn't go away, or infections spike again, I don't know how long the system can bail out schools who need money to refund fees. Those fees pay for things (and people) who can't just be discarded.

I was thinking this last week when IUP broke ground on a new $90 million building.

[complaint_hopeful]

I agree. It's not the innovation I hoped this chancellor would bring but I also don't think its foolish. Outside of West Chester, the PASSHE schools don't have much in terms of reserves. It used to be something schools used for rainy day building projects or unexpected expenses, but lately they've been chipping away each year to plug budget deficits. To me, that's the most attractive byproduct of the staff reductions - some financial flexibility. If COVID doesn't go away, or infections spike again, I don't know how long the system can bail out schools who need money to refund fees. Those fees pay for things (and people) who can't just be discarded.

Great post! And it sounds like PASSHE has 1 bank account.

As far as innovation, like Henry Ford said...if he listened to the people, he would have built a faster horse. The mergers are ways to cut cost and maybe offer certain programs in areas that don't have them. I don't know that it innovates or really revolutionizes education.

[complaint_hopeful]

Yeah, but this is the realization of what we've been talking about for the last several years. Now people are sorry it's happening.

The recent positive numbers at Edinboro also apply to LHU. But who knows if it is the beginning of a longer-term trend?

Plus, COVID has changed everything. Is there any doubt that future state appropriations will be lower than the already declining ones? The system is better served by making changes now in advance of the aftermath of this pandemic.

None of this is good. It won't be the way it was. Unfortunately.

And these integrations will take several years. So you start now with a target of 2-3 years out. I think what necessitated it is there are about 5 schools that the Chancellor said they're worried about survival for...meaning they won't be able to balance their budget into the future.

[complaint_hopeful]

Here's a question. If you had the choice between:

A. Your college stays the same with sinking enrollment and all the other problems, and a very real chance of completely closing in 5 years BUT they keep their name and full slate of athletics, OR

B. They merge with two other schools which increases dramatically the chance that there will be a functioning college in its current town BUT they have to sacrifice their name and most if not all athletics.

Which do you choose??

The Chancellor talked about how in the business world, they look at mergers much sooner when businesses aren't doing well. In higher ed, it's almost like schools want to go out of business before they make changes.

He also talked about how the costs of closing a school could be in the $100+ million range. So closing 1 could really hurt the entire system. It sounds like they absolutely don't want to close schools.

On B, I'm not so sure they have to sacrifice their name. It's possible they do, but not a certainty. He did talk about 1 accreditation for the 3 schools integrating. What that means? They're still determining the course. So a lot of things are unknown and still to be determined. It sounds like there are certain paths they have to go for accreditation. Like it sounds like they may spin up a new entity and make the schools under that. What that looks like? Stay tuned.

[Fightingscot82]

Yeah, but this is the realization of what we've been talking about for the last several years. Now people are sorry it's happening.

The recent positive numbers at Edinboro also apply to LHU. But who knows if it is the beginning of a longer-term trend?

Plus, COVID has changed everything. Is there any doubt that future state appropriations will be lower than the already declining ones? The system is better served by making changes now in advance of the aftermath of this pandemic.

None of this is good. It won't be the way it was. Unfortunately.

I agree. It's not the innovation I hoped this chancellor would bring but I also don't think its foolish. Outside of West Chester, the PASSHE schools don't have much in terms of reserves. It used to be something schools used for rainy day building projects or unexpected expenses, but lately they've been chipping away each year to plug budget deficits. To me, that's the most attractive byproduct of the staff reductions - some financial flexibility. If COVID doesn't go away, or infections spike again, I don't know how long the system can bail out schools who need money to refund fees. Those fees pay for things (and people) who can't just be discarded.