Hearings for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education were held Feb. 21. Here are APSCUF’s collated posts from the House hearing:
.@statesystem‘s House appropriations hearing has begun after @RepHarris calls it to order. Watch the livestream here: https://t.co/YF0o5asVxA
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
In chancellor’s opening statement, he talks about investing in higher education. We’re part of an experiment, he says, mentioning consecutive years of frozen tuition.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Here’s the @statesystem‘s appropriations request: https://t.co/xXohlGgfon
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepJFleming asks about PennWest enrollment, asks for thoughts about the difference between Commonwealth and PennWest.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor clarifies categories of enrollment. “Trends are positive,” he says. PennWest schools were in more challenging place, he says. Different approaches to consolidation, he also says. Did a fundamental reset, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
“I think the whole thing was hasty,” Fleming says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Fleming asks about using contractors versus faculty expertise. University presidents are CEOs of their universities, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Rep. James B. Struzzi II talks about blueprint as rug pulled out from under feet. He asks which budget request chancellor supports.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
“Anybody else want to take this chair?” chancellor says. Chancellor talks about need to help students. State System proposal allows for tuition freeze, he says: https://t.co/xXohlGgfon
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Struzzi asks about chancellor’s involvement. Chancellor talks about discussions on affordability, workforce alignment, funding.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Struzzi asks about what benefit chancellor sees in combining community colleges with universities. “Systems can have any number of benefits,” chancellor says. Mentions efficiency gains. He notes program and course-sharing. Accelerating pace of innovation, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepReginaYoung asks about value of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion on campus, what PASSHE is doing to improve educational experience, and how PASSHE preparing for future students to attend.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor: “It’s the right thing to do.” It’s a workforce-development thing, he adds. He talks about persistence rates, student support. A lot going on and a lot more to do, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepReginaYoung points out that not all students of color are low-income. Chancellor talks about inclusion as wholistic thing. He discusses multicultural centers, reiterates revamping of codes of conduct.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Rep. Marci Mustello asks how faculty compensation package ranks. Chancellor says about 106/110%, depending on category, regional variations.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Mustello asks how much of request going toward students, how to address costs. “What does it mean to be fair,” chancellor poses … “what can we actually afford.” Idea was to get to numbers fair and affordable.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Almost impossible to answer, he says, as faculty are the direct avenue into our students. Investment in faculty is investment in students, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
In response to @RepJoeWebster, chancellor talks about how universities are “open for business.” Webster asks about workforce shortages. Chancellor talks about pathways into in-demand fields, ways to partner.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Rep. Eric R. Nelson asks whether governor’s $1,000 plan goes all four years. Plan lacking details, Nelson says. He asks about policy/program to help all students.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor talks about clarity of goals. Key thing is to clarify objectives.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepKinkead talks about community colleges, difficulty with transferring, that she is excited about blueprint. She holds up the printed plan chancellor provided for consolidation, calls it “lacking substance.”
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Kinkead asks what lessons learned from consolidation, what will be done better — better for students, unions, faculty. Chancellor talks about need to communicate, be clear about goals. Important to evaluate risks, he says. Kinkead interrupts to ask again what will be done better.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Would you spend more time talking to stakeholders, Kinkead asks. She encourages legislature being more involved.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Rep. Thomas H. Kutz asks why investing in @statesystem a good investment in Commonwealth. Good ROI ($8 on every dollar invested) for state and for students. Students tend to stay and contribute to communities, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Kutz asks about changing needs and technology. Programs constantly evolving, chancellor says. He asks about blueprint pricing, incentives for staying in PA. Chancellor redirects to administration.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepKyleMullins talks about @WCUofPA education. We should pause and note that there’s no bill number, draft, co-sponsor memo on blueprint, he says. Should be deliberate process of stakeholder input, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepKyleMullins asks about APSCUF coaches’ five-year probationary period, evaluations. Chancellor declines to speak about ongoing negotiations.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@EckerRep asks about challenges with @FAFSA delays. Chancellor voices concerns, references universities’ rolling admissions and pushing deadline. Coverage by @Bschackner of @TribLIVE: https://t.co/S4CXSPMorQ
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Ecker talks about blueprint “not ready for prime time.”
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepMannyGuzman mentions about how blueprint would affect Latino community. He asks about performance-based funding.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor talks about how State System does performance-based funding. First incarnation had too many measures. Second was more targeted, focused on enrollment, especially of low-income, underrepresented minorities + retention. It’s a factor in enrollment growth, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepMannyGuzman asks about enrollment drops for lower-income students. How to reverse trend, he asks. What investments needed, he asks. Affordability, chancellor responds. People can’t go to college if they can’t afford it.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Guzman presses for solution specifics. “All of the above,” chancellor says. Get money in hands of students, invest in institutions, he says. He mentions tuition freezes.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Rep. Kristin Marcell asks about pandemic-related learning loss. “It continues,” chancellor says. Need to continue to invest, upskill, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Marcell asks for specifics about helping students make up ground. Varies by university, chancellor says. Mentions bridge programs, redesigning first-year experience.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepJoshSiegel refers to blueprint as “nebulous concept.” (He mentions @PApromiseHE.) He talks about lowering tuition, asks if chancellor will be vociferous advocate. Affordability super important, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Should we get out-of-pocket costs to students as close to zero as possible, Siegel says. He pushes honoring CBAs in new system. How could we not honor contracts, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Rep. Clint Owlett asks about working with community colleges. Chancellor talks about progress so far.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepMalagari asks how much more in allocation it would take for System to be more affordable for students. “Not an exact science,” chancellor says. Ways to evaluate, he says. Pilots important, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepMalagari asks if System still exploring 90-credit bachelor’s degrees. Chancellor says no.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Back to @RepJFleming, the representative asks why consolidated universities were allowed to flail and stumble. They were not, chancellor says, intervened immediately. Supports still being provided, chancellor confirms.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Fleming asks about new PennWest president. Search taking place, chancellor says. More about search: https://t.co/SsLaRAzoPJ
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Rep. Jesse Topper, Republican chair of education committee, says consolidation “was not rushed.” It was meant to save something in crisis, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Topper talks about specializing within System. Chancellor talks about autonomy of universities, working together, program sharing. That’s driving diversification, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Topper asks about opportunities at Commonwealth. Chancellor talks about job fairs, research, borrowing from one another. He mentions PennWest internships, housing reciprocity.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Education Chair @RepSchweyer asks, “How’s Cheyney doing?” Chancellor talks about “gut punch” of Middle States decision. (Article: https://t.co/mPxgQEWIqY)
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor talks about challenges of claiming student financial aid. Improvement in enrollments, outcomes, he says. He notes effect of football loss.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
How is PASSHE helping, @RepSchweyer asks. “We’re all in,” chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepSchweyer asks about overall debt. $1.8billionish, chancellor says. Chancellor notes pension-related proportion, will get more numbers to representative.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Republican appropriations Chair @RepGrove talks about blueprint details. He mentions chancellor being in press release, doing video and public relations.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
“I’m pretty zen about this stuff,” he says. He talks about ongoing conversations about affordability, making progress, opportunities. Grove asks about task forces. Chancellor talks about presidents of universities and community colleges, representation on task forces.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Grove asks about consolidation timeline. Chancellor talks about years between legislation, board approval, then enrollments in new institutions.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Appropriations Chair @RepHarris asks for thoughts on performance-based funding. Goes back to what’s the goal, chancellors says. Confident that research will be utilized, chancellor says. “It can work,” he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Harris asks again, “What’s your opinion?” Chancellor says it can work, mission also critical. Harris asks about negative outcomes of performance-based funding on HBCUs. Chancellor says he is aware. Chancellor references research, conversations about mission.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Harris asks about chancellor’s involvement in blueprint task forces. Chancellor talks about availability for consultation; not on task forces. He is chancellor of State System (versus blueprint system), he clarifies.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@RepHarris begins to conclude hearing. Chancellor asks to make one last comment. He thanks for partnership. Assembly is informed on issues; conversation is a rich one, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Harris concludes the hearing. Missed it or want to rewatch? The footage is here: https://t.co/YF0o5asVxA Collated posts will be on the APSCUF blog soon.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024