PASSHE Institutions Merging

[Fightingscot82]

Had a good conversation today with someone who is a senior manager at a PASSHE school. They told me the athletics ROI is the key: expect these schools to kill any sport that doesn't bring in more tuition $ than its operating expenses. Also expect to see coaching staffs get trimmed using a formula using roster spots. Agreed with me that accreditation will require a main campus, people still need to be "in charge" when in person operations resume, and that relying on online instruction for the model is walking away from the high school market.

This plan could make sense if the entire system was being consolidated into one university each in the east and west. IUP the west hub and West Chester the east hub. But that's not the plan so it doesn't make as much sense without some sort of research or precedent to lead the change.

[iupgroundhog]

The system redesign document regarding athletics.

https://www.passhe.edu/SystemRedesig...p%20Charge.pdf

PSAC fans - meet reality. It's happening and it all has the potential to be more contentious than the academic side of things.

[WarriorVoice]

"If you don't like it ... learn to love it."

-- Ric Flair

Where's the "WHOOOOOOOOO!"?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

A lot of questions are asked in the document; and neither side (PASSHE Administrators nor Alums of the 3 schools) are going to like the answers,

"If you don't like it ... learn to love it."

-- Ric Flair

[SRU 88]

The system redesign document regarding athletics.

https://www.passhe.edu/SystemRedesig...p%20Charge.pdf

A lot of questions are asked in the document; and neither side (PASSHE Administrators nor Alums of the 3 schools) are going to like the answers,

[IUPalum]

Steps closer to the demise of Edinboro!

[Fightingscot82]

The system redesign document regarding athletics.

https://www.passhe.edu/SystemRedesig...p%20Charge.pdf

[Fightingscot82]

I can empathize with that. In fact, I think just about everybody feels powerless.

The one phrase of yours I would question is "capacity to grow." Realistically, I don't think any of these western schools have the capacity to grow in terms of enrollment. I look at this western triad as a coordinated way of managing the decline. Or perhaps the obsolescence (gasp).

I meant physical room and it's in reference to Edinboro. The current campus was built when enrollment was twice what it is now. Is that realistic? No. But there are a lot of spare dorm rooms and parking spaces for physical in person learning.

[complaint_hopeful]

I can empathize with that. In fact, I think just about everybody feels powerless.

The one phrase of yours I would question is "capacity to grow." Realistically, I don't think any of these western schools have the capacity to grow in terms of enrollment. I look at this western triad as a coordinated way of managing the decline. Or perhaps the obsolescence (gasp).

Yeah the amount of fish in the pond seems pretty static in the area.

The problem with online is that nearly every University is now an online school because of covid too. So saying that you can recruit within the US to grow kind of doesn't sound as realistic.

[iupgroundhog]

I've been told that model is off the table. I think each could theoretically make a case for being the hub: most capacity to grow, centrality, or proximity to a metro area.

In all honesty, I can't figure out anything. What seems to make the most sense isn't being chosen. My only prediction is how they'll attempt to reach the 25% savings and it won't appeal to prospective students. There's nothing I can do as a concerned alumnus other than sit back and watch.

I can empathize with that. In fact, I think just about everybody feels powerless.

The one phrase of yours I would question is "capacity to grow." Realistically, I don't think any of these western schools have the capacity to grow in terms of enrollment. I look at this western triad as a coordinated way of managing the decline. Or perhaps the obsolescence (gasp).

[Fightingscot82]

Doesn't the designation of a system leader who is the President of one of the universities and will remain seated at that institution sort of make that campus the main campus and relegate the other campuses to effective branch campuses?

I've been told that model is off the table. I think each could theoretically make a case for being the hub: most capacity to grow, centrality, or proximity to a metro area.

In all honesty, I can't figure out anything. What seems to make the most sense isn't being chosen. My only prediction is how they'll attempt to reach the 25% savings and it won't appeal to prospective students. There's nothing I can do as a concerned alumnus other than sit back and watch.

[iupgroundhog]

I'm not sure why she was chosen. I know very little about her. I was on the search committee for the Edinboro president and just Saturday was in a zoom meeting he attended. I've never felt he was anything less than honest. He was more experienced than her. Cal's president had already expressed intentions to retire before the merger, so it was between Pehrsson at Clarion and Huang at Edinboro. When Pehrsson was selected, Huang took an interview and got the job. Bigger school but same challenges.

Doesn't the designation of a system leader who is the President of one of the universities and will remain seated at that institution sort of make that campus the main campus and relegate the other campuses to effective branch campuses?

[Fightingscot82]

Question: For the other "triad" they had somehow named the beleaguered Bloom President over the dynamic LHU President to be the chief guy. Had they made a similar move naming Clarion's President to head up the western triad? Is that why the Boro Prez moved on and the Cal U Prez retired?

I'm not sure why she was chosen. I know very little about her. I was on the search committee for the Edinboro president and just Saturday was in a zoom meeting he attended. I've never felt he was anything less than honest. He was more experienced than her. Cal's president had already expressed intentions to retire before the merger, so it was between Pehrsson at Clarion and Huang at Edinboro. When Pehrsson was selected, Huang took an interview and got the job. Bigger school but same challenges.

[complaint_hopeful]

The question I have is how are they going to increase the size of the student "pie" in PA? PASSHE's demographic is HS students that live in PA. By all accounts, this number has and will continue to go down for the forseable future. Will reducting tuition by 25% at these six schools result in them getting a bigger piece of that pie? I would say yes...but will that bigger share come at the expense of other PASSHE schools or will it come from an increase in HS students that do not now go to college? The former is just moving the enrollment problem from one place to another.

Yeah...that's the point I was trying to illustrate. Will lowering the price steal enrollment from PASSHE schools. Will it be even worse? Will you get a student to go to this Triad for 75% cost that was willing to pay 100% cost at IUP?

That could happen and it would accelerate the decline.

You're points are great. If you don't get new kids going to college that wouldn't have went before, you may create a bigger problem.

Now, IF retention improves that's a big thing. Student retention rates at these schools hasn't been great. But, then again...when you share Admin services you have less staff on campuses. Will that help retention? Probably not. Will it help quality of experience? Probably not.

[complaint_hopeful]

Schools will be SHARING administrative services, which certainly seems like an easy way to reduce costs. Shrinking enrollments would suggest that the need for the current amount of administrators has declined as well...As for sports, you play for the campus you earn your degree from, just like now...

For things like Accounting, HR, I can see sharing services...but these schools have been cutting positions for years as the finances got bad. Schools have maybe 3-4 HR people. So say you cut that in half...I don't see tens of millions in savings.

And for like Admissions, Bursar, Financial Aid...schools need an on campus presence for those services as they are student facing.

Now you likely don't need 3 Presidents, 3 VP of Communication, etc. So at the upper management level there can be savings.

Sharing services will save some money, but not tens of millions of dollars a year...so the rest will have to come from faculty.