Hearings for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education were held Feb. 21. Click here for the archived video. Here are our collated posts from the Senate hearing:
Today’s @statesystem appropriations hearing has begun in person, but the livestream has not started. https://t.co/DmE6MdMZiM
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Livestream is up, a few minutes into hearing. Watch here or here:https://t.co/DvNVEPt8bKhttps://t.co/DmE6MdMZiM
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenatorArgall is asking about buildings on State System campuses. Chancellor talking about buildings with debt, buildings stated for demolition, sales, repurposing.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenWilliamsPA asks if a 15% increase would allow State System to offer $1,000 tuition. Chancellor says he’s waiting for details about governor’s higher ed blueprint. Is a 15% increase going to be enough, Williams asks. Chancellor says he does not yet know.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Williams asks for lessons learned from consolidation. “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” chancellor says of evaluating reasons why to consolidate.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
How do we change affordability, Williams asks. Consolidation wasn’t designed to lower tuition, says says. She mentions tuitions freeze. Still needs to be a real conversation about investment, putting money into students, she says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Williams asks about consulting with employees, students on blueprint. You cannot consult enough, chancellor says. “We consulted with everybody a lot,” he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenatorKristin asks how much consolidation has saved. Chancellor says they’re tracking, “significant savings,” but can’t give number now. Chancellor refers to personnel expenditure, contracting costs, etc.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
She asks about staff and faculty cost savings. Chancellor talks about headcount reductions. She pushes for numbers since consolidation. Rationale for consolidation was to ensure students had access, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenatorKristin asks about enrollment declines, asks what is being done to mitigate. Chancellor talks about increases, retention improvement. “All the numbers are moving in the right direction” at Commonwealth, he says. PennWest is “turning around aggressively,” he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@sennickmiller asks about cost savings of remote learning. Research doesn’t suggest there is, chancellor says. Rationale is access, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Miller asks for advice on retaining students in Pennsylvania. “We cost too much,” chancellor says. “I’m not sure where we get our workforce from.”
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Can’t solve it by not educating people, and you can’t educate people if they can’t afford to go to college, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@rothman_greg asks about governor’s blueprint and what $1,000 includes. Not enough detail in proposal to do math, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
“Affordability is a big deal,” chancellor says. A problem that will only get solved with consensus, he says. Rothman pushes about who will pay for plan. Chancellor says details needed.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenJudySchwank points out that governor’s plan is a proposal, many questions have been ones chancellor can’t yet answer. She asks about connections with community colleges and benefits for students.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Systems have tremendous advantages, chancellor says. He talks about innovation. Important to specify goals, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Schwank asks opportunities at consolidated universities. He talks about faculty members who are doing great work and are exhausted.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@Sen_Pennycuick asks about what new governance model would look like under new blueprint. New system would be created of co-equal members, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Pennycuick asks what would happen with local support for community colleges, endowments. Chancellor can only speak for PASSHE, he says. Pennycuick asks about working groups. University presidents involved, chancellor answers.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Pennycuick asks about shifting focuses of schools. Universities constantly evolving, chancellor says, playing to strengths as four-year universities. Need to think about affordability, workforce alignment, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenatorRBrown talks about blueprint being a big deal, questions involvement. Chancellor clarifies has been involved in conversations, is a thought partner.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Brown asks why chancellor not kicking and screaming to have answers about blueprint. “This is a process, and it’s a long process,” chancellor says. He looks forward to conversations, he says. Affordability and workforce a big deal, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@senatorsaval asks opportunities with community colleges. Chancellor talks about improving transfer rates, articulation agreements. Work would need to be done.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor talks about transfer numbers stabilizing after long period of decline.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Saval asks about performance-based funding and benefits. Chancellor talks about challenges, encouraging behaviors that drive student success, mission. Make sure formula recognizes basic costs, he says. Performance-based funding can work, but it can also not work, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Sen. Cris Dush asks about Cheyney scholarships, graduation rate, accreditation. Chancellor says he can’t speculate about Middle States decision.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenatorHaywood asks about codes of conduct. Strong codes of conduct provide tools to deal with harassment, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Haywood talks about investing in students versus dollars in interest-bearing account. Chancellor talks about return on investment for PASSHE students. He talks about workforce needs and recruiting.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Haywood asks about dual enrollments. Good for students, chancellor says. Must be careful of economics, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenElderVogelJr asks about use of capital funding. Chancellor talks about deferred maintenance.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Vogel asks about building demolition. Many are former instructional, office buildings, chancellor says. Vogel talks about enticing juniors and seniors to live in dorms on campus.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenRobinsonPA asks whether costs of new collective bargaining agreements factored into new system. He asks about CBAs in new system. Chancellor does not have definitive answer.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenSantarsiero talks about aging demographics. Investment in higher ed would be a good thing, he says, asks for agreement. “I think affordability is a good thing,” chancellor says. Santarsiero talks about history of underfunding; investment required.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenSantarsiero asks for opinion about management of community colleges moving forward. Back to question of system’s design, chancellor says. He mentions objectives, references State System’s redesign.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenSharifStreet asks about how System is targeting CTE programs, microcredentials, workforce demands. Chancellor talks about what is happening on System campuses. Credentials valuable for students who may stop out, chancellor says. Chancellor talks about national recognition.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor talks about jewels in Pennsylvania (community colleges and universities) and people who are there because they care.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
As second round begins, @SenatorArgall starts with thank you to chancellor. He asks if “I don’t knows” about blueprint are because of secretiveness or stage of planning. “It feels to me like it’s an early stage,” chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Have any nonconsolidated universities asked to “jump into that process,” Argall asks. Will there be more, he asks. Board no longer has authority to integrate, chancellor says. Chancellor talks about program sharing.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Argall asks about fundraising from alumni. Public higher education generally got slower start, but “we’re catching up,” chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenWilliamsPA asks about 90-credit bachelor degrees, whether PASSHE still exploring. We are not actively exploring but great idea, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
If we don’t invest in students, not just systems, and don’t include workers, we won’t address workforce needs, Williams says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor calls himself an unrepentant optimist. “We’re running out of time,” he says. Worried about state of Pennsylvania, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenatorKristin, looking over System enrollment data, highlights PennWest and Commonwealth declines. What are you doing to mitigate, she asks. “We did a fundamental reset” at PennWest, chancellor says. Things are beginning to stabilize, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Phillips-Hill “really really concerned” about lack of answers about blueprint, she says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenatorSaval talks about approach to managing collective bargaining agreements. Chancellor says “I’m not driving this bus” about governor’s proposal. His understanding is system will be new system with new structure.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
About CBAs, “this is a people business,” chancellor says. Talks about low morale and exhaustion. Invest in upskilling and reskilling, he says. Goes well beyond contract, jobs are changing, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor asked: If he did not have to deal with checks and balances, what would chancellor do to make Pennsylvania higher ed superior. Invest in students and people, chancellor says. Have to earn trust of legislators and Pennsylvanians, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor mentions that Texas is “killing it,” aligning workforce planning and investment. Louisiana killing it in interesting ways as well, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor asked about savings of consolidations. Will see more savings over time. Asked if professors are no longer teaching full time but still receiving full-time pay. Chancellor talks about how much more professors are taking on.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenSantarsiero and chancellor discuss workforce, credentials. “We have tremendous people who have transformed pretty much everything we do. We’re reinventing higher education,” chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Sen. Cris Dush asks about increase in APSCUF salaries. Chancellor says faculty agreement in principle, not yet ratified. (Coaches still in negotiations.)
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Dush asks about faculty veto of program changes; chancellor mentions shared governance. “Policy-makers need to be the policy-makers,” Dush says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Dush asks about diversity, equity and inclusion. Chancellor talks about employers wanting employees who are comfortable in diverse environments. “We need to stretch people” but make sure people feel welcome, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@SenSharifStreet talks about importance of diversity, equity and inclusion. He asks about nontraditional students and building trades. Chancellor talks about opportunities.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
“We want to get to the answers as well” about blueprint, @SenatorHughes says. Enticing but cannot be achieved without a lot of deliberation, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
We put the money in, we get it out with positive outcomes, Hughes says. All related to thoughtful decisions, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chair @ScottFMartin talks about investment. Biggest threat to PA is demographic decline, he says, references aging population. Must focus on how we grow PA, he says. Have to get higher ed right, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Martin asks for chancellor’s viewpoint of about need for teachers, nurses, trades, criminal-justice careers. What if PA offered “big time assistance” for certain fields but must stay in PA for five years, he asks.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor mentions last year’s budget request for funding for degree fields.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Improving career-aligned pathways creates advantages for PA, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@ScottFMartin points out PASSHE’s existing relationships with community colleges.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Martin asks about students who don’t feel they need degrees. How to adjust and accelerate, he says. He lauds Florida higher ed. He talks about students going out of state. He talks about seeing West Chester advertising in other states. What is overall plan, he asks.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor talks about push in enrollment management, building playbooks. It’s about upskilling our own people, he says. Our price is just high, chancellor says. Will require continued transformation, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@ScottFMartin mentions the whys of costing more. Politics continues to put hurdles of doing what you need to do to right-size, he says. He mentions IUP doing “what is necessary” to be viable.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
We can never create scenario where something pulls other institutions to edge of financial brink, Martin says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
Chancellor talks about phases of redesign — financial stabilization and credentialing productivity (different kind of redesign). You have partnered with us in journey, chancellor says. Keep head down and stay focused on work, he says.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
.@ScottFMartin asks if PASSHE’s budget request would enable tuition freeze. Chancellor says yes.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024
That wraps this hearing: https://t.co/w19j6JjK9B
House hearing begins 1 p.m. today.
— APSCUF (@APSCUF) February 21, 2024