Board of governors to vote on university mergers
The board of governors for the state System of Higher Education is set to vote today on merging six universities, including California University of Pennsylvania, into two institutions.
The motion on the table would merge Cal U. with Edinboro and Clarion and combines three others in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
It also prohibits the closure of the campuses at any of the six schools, the agenda for the 10:30 a.m. meeting indicates.
The vote is expected after many stakeholders, including the council of trustees at Cal U., have asked for the governors to delay a vote on the mergers. The Cal U. trustees have expressed concerns about the school’s reserves being used to pay down debts at Clarion and Edinboro.
State System chancellor Daniel Greenestein has said financial losses were complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The mergers in the 2022-23 term address the need to reform to deal with lower enrollments and funding shortfalls into the millions.
State system spokesman David Pidgeon said, like any government agenda, there was no guarantee the governors will vote on the motion.
Each integrated university will have:
• A single president and leadership team with one reporting relationship to the Board of Governors through the Chancellor
• A unified faculty providing instruction in a single academic program array that leverages program, faculty, and facilities strengths at the three partner campuses and in which the majority of credentials, majors, minors, and areas of concentration are available to all students at each of the partner campuses through a combination of face-to-face and remote instruction – with general education courses available on each campus through face-to-face instruction
• An integrated enrollment management strategy and student-facing supports and services
• A robust student recruitment process with an expanding array of high schools, community colleges, and other education providers, including robust dual enrollment and transfer articulation agreements and associated student supports
• Significantly expanded opportunities for adult students seeking to re-skill and up-skill through nondegree credentialing courses
• Continued use of each campus’ historic name and brand identity as part of its respective integrated university
The plan revisions include:
• An extended timeline for the curriculum integration process
• Survey data that show current and prospective students (and their parents) overwhelmingly are open to taking some classes online in exchange for more access to options
• Community impact study data that show both the West and Northeast integrations would have a greater positive economic impact than their institutions would have if not integrated
• Updated financial projections with current information about 2021-22 student tuition and the availability of federal funding
• Clarity that motion language used to approve integrations would prohibit the closure of any partner campus that was previously an independently accredited university
• Recommendations regarding the possible structure of the Councils of Trustees at the integrated universities
• Clarification regarding the intended use of, support for, and reliance upon online modalities
• Results from a third-party review of financial projections that verify the plans’ assumptions are within industry standards
• Transitional financial protections for universities operating sustainably at integration
• Clarified integration goals and objectives;
• Clarified implementation timelines including timelines for more detailed organizational information
• Clarified importance and role of advocacy for greater state funding