Despite growing concerns of faculty and students, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s (PASSHE) board of governors recently voted in favor of the consolidation of six universities in the PASSHE system. Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield University are confirmed for consolidation in addition to California, Clarion and Edinboro.
According to Chancellor Greenstein, the consolidation is happening because inadequate resources from each of the separate universities have caused a drop in enrollment. Consolidation will allow students to take advantage of the programs and resources of the other universities.
Faculty members at each of the universities have received little information as to how the different programs will be shared with students across the remaining two universities. Accredited programs from a single university are likely to need more faculty and resources if more students show interest and qualify for them.
The PASSHE board has stated that they expect to save money and resources by combining the universities, but has not acknowledged the possible cost or needed funding of expanding already existing programs to accommodate more students.
Budget cuts from last year caused the same universities to have to retrench faculty members. But widespread disapproval of this decision by faculty at all universities may have swayed PASSHE’s decisions in retrenching more teachers. Universities can still identify who they are going to retrench, but those faculty will not lose their jobs until consolidation is officially started in June 2024.
In an address to the board, before the vote on the side letter The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF), President Jamie Martin stated, “there remains much uncertainty and anxiety regarding consolidation on these six campuses among the students, among the faculty and the staff… This process coupled with retrenchments that occurred at four of our campuses last year and the threats of retrenchments this year has left many feeling defeated.”
Chancellor Greenstein noted that he paused retrenchment to boost morale of faculty, as he had never seen teachers go into the school year exhausted — presumably because of Covid-19 and retrenchment possibilities.
While a delay in retrenchment efforts may have taken some of the weight off, faculty members are still widely against consolidation. Over 100 faculty members at West Chester University, a university in the PASSHE system that is not being consolidated, issued a letter against the consolidation decision.
The letter points out PASSHE’s “lack of transparency” in educating faculty and students on the consolidation, and criticizes how the sharing of accreditations might force students to travel long distances or go back to online learning to complete their degree. The letter also critiques how much the plan will save the system — only 0.002% of the annual budget — and points out that the plan does nothing to lower student debt in Pennsylvania.
In contrast to the other universities in the state system, West Chester generally receives more funding. This year, the largest building project in the PASSHE system, The Sciences and Engineering Center and Commons (The SECC), was built at WCU. A new fountain at the entrance of the university is also being built.
While these new projects are impressive and will certainly be used by students, faculty are still curious as to how the budget is being allocated fairly across the universities in the PASSHE system.
“It is no secret that APSCUF has had questions and concerns about the plans, and those who spoke against or who want to delay consolidation have valid, important concerns,” said Martin in response to the confirmation of consolidation plans. “We hoped improvements could be made that did not involve such fundamental changes to our universities.”
As these fundamental changes are passed, many students are still unaware of what those changes really mean. The Quad interviewed several students who attended different universities in the PASSHE system last year and found that few knew how consolidation of their university would affect them. Some did not think it would affect them at all, while others were unaware of the plans altogether.
In her remarks to the board of governors, Martin noted that the student survey put out by PASSHE to gauge student opinion on consolidation only included 1% of prospective students and 4% of current students.
Even with widespread criticism of faculty and limited student knowledge and insight, the plan for consolidation has been approved and will begin in June 2024.
Emma Hogan is a second-year English major. EH954390@wcupa.edu