The Executive Committee briefed the Board of Governors on the status of performance spending within PASSHE at their quarterly meeting at PASSHE headquarters in Harrisburg on January 19th. A new framework was developed in conjunction with representatives of PASSHE institutions. The new guidelines are divided up into three different categories focusing on student success, access to opportunity, and stewardship.
Here is a breakdown of the changes. . .
Group I: Mandatory for all PASSHE Institutions to enact: Track the number of degrees conferred versus the graduation rate, close financial gap in half, and mobilize university foundations to raise funds for students.
Group II: PASSHE Institutions must pick two of the following in each category. (1.) Student Success: Increase underrepresented minority population, track student persistent, stem degree requirements, and offer student surveys; (2.) Access–Focus on faculty career advancement, offer diversity and inclusion programs and (3.) Stewardship—Facility maintenance and investment, efficiency of tuition, be at the leading edge of redefining the credit hour (as directed by the US department of Ed.) and increase staff/faculty productivity. Note that faculty productivity is not a mandatory indicator.
Finally, Group III, Mandatory:
Reaffirm PASSHE directive
PASSHE encourages cooperation with University Foundations. Good Idea?
University foundations have come under increasing heat nationwide on how they spend money raised on behalf of universities. For an in-depth look at the higher education funding crisis, check out this research paper by Jane Wellman of Cal State University Long Beach. Last week, APSCUF president Steve Hicks traveled to Los Angeles on an invite from the California State Faculty Association to discuss labor issues within the California State System and similar higher education systems nationwide like PASSHE.
A complete copy of the meeting agenda with revision mark-ups can be seen by following this link
This blog entry was prepared for APSCUF by Shawn Eckert