Colleges in Dire Financial Straits

[Parasaurolophus]

I hear that the chancellor of the PA State System of Higher Education has ordered three western universities (California, Clarion, and Edinboro) to consolidate into one, as well as three in the mideastern part (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield). It's being floated that 2/3 of admin will be cut, lots of faculty will be cut, and classes will be hybridized. And if that doesn't work by next year, the chancellor will propose dissolving the state system.

[FishProf]

Becker tried to merge with an out of state university collaborative.  Accreditation agency was leery b/c of the Mount Ida situation and the deal fell through.

The news that Clark stepped in to help (scavenge) is rich, as the stories ONLY seem to be talking about the Private Schools.  Nearby Worcester State is taking their sports teams, their nursing students, has transfer arrangements for about 8 majors and is pushing to hire their faculty for at least a 1 year VAP.  The press seems quiet on that.

[polly_mer]

I hear that the chancellor of the PA State System of Higher Education has ordered three western universities (California, Clarion, and Edinboro) to consolidate into one, as well as three in the mideastern part (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield). It's being floated that 2/3 of admin will be cut, lots of faculty will be cut, and classes will be hybridized. And if that doesn't work by next year, the chancellor will propose dissolving the state system.

Yes, that's been the situation for a while. 

So far, that PA chancellor is doing better than the VT chancellor who was fired for a similar read on a similar situation.

The situation was clear even before Covid and Covid didn't make anything better.

[polly_mer]

Salem State University inadvertently circulates the retrenchment plan with individual names: https://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/ssu-faculty-retrenchment-plan-accidentally-released/article_a0f22d6e-e1cd-52d5-84a1-5a794da42c57.html

[Wahoo Redux]

I hear that the chancellor of the PA State System of Higher Education has ordered three western universities (California, Clarion, and Edinboro) to consolidate into one, as well as three in the mideastern part (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield). It's being floated that 2/3 of admin will be cut, lots of faculty will be cut, and classes will be hybridized. And if that doesn't work by next year, the chancellor will propose dissolving the state system.

Yes, that's been the situation for a while. 

So far, that PA chancellor is doing better than the VT chancellor who was fired for a similar read on a similar situation.

The situation was clear even before Covid and Covid didn't make anything better.

https://www.abc27.com/investigators/leader-of-pa-state-universities-make-a-change-or-dissolve-the-system/

[kaysixteen]

Hmmm... state chancellors of public higher ed are not hired to, ahem, chloroform their systems.

[Parasaurolophus]

Salem State University inadvertently circulates the retrenchment plan with individual names: https://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/ssu-faculty-retrenchment-plan-accidentally-released/article_a0f22d6e-e1cd-52d5-84a1-5a794da42c57.html

Whoops.

[apl68]

I hear that the chancellor of the PA State System of Higher Education has ordered three western universities (California, Clarion, and Edinboro) to consolidate into one, as well as three in the mideastern part (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield). It's being floated that 2/3 of admin will be cut, lots of faculty will be cut, and classes will be hybridized. And if that doesn't work by next year, the chancellor will propose dissolving the state system.

Yes, that's been the situation for a while. 

So far, that PA chancellor is doing better than the VT chancellor who was fired for a similar read on a similar situation.

The situation was clear even before Covid and Covid didn't make anything better.

https://www.abc27.com/investigators/leader-of-pa-state-universities-make-a-change-or-dissolve-the-system/

I guess by "dissolving" they mean no more sharing of resources among schools?  They must sink or swim on their own?

[polly_mer]

Hmmm... state chancellors of public higher ed are not hired to, ahem, chloroform their systems.

They are hired to ensure the state has viable public higher ed institutions.  People who are using data to make decisions may have to make decisions that individuals won't like because reality doesn't care about feelings.

Amputation is sometimes the best option, even if it's not pleasant.

[jimbogumbo]

I hear that the chancellor of the PA State System of Higher Education has ordered three western universities (California, Clarion, and Edinboro) to consolidate into one, as well as three in the mideastern part (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield). It's being floated that 2/3 of admin will be cut, lots of faculty will be cut, and classes will be hybridized. And if that doesn't work by next year, the chancellor will propose dissolving the state system.

Ahem. Credit spork with posting this back on March 19. They have been discussing the merger for at least two years. Upthread polly and I "closed" Cheyney.

:edit: fix quotes to highlight new material

[TreadingLife]

Salem State University inadvertently circulates the retrenchment plan with individual names: https://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/ssu-faculty-retrenchment-plan-accidentally-released/article_a0f22d6e-e1cd-52d5-84a1-5a794da42c57.html

Ooof, there's no putting that toothpaste back in the tube.

[FishProf]

I'm cynical enough to wonder if it was intentional, to pit those on the chopping block against those who would survive the purge.

[selecter]

I wondered the same thing.

[kaysixteen]

Be careful to avoid the bifurcation fallacy.   It is rarely going to be an 'all or nothing' situation where 'continue the status quo unchanged forever' alternates with 'kill it'.   These institutions serve great public goals, and 'we cannot afford it' is really often just 'we do not want to do what's necessary to afford it'.   Private institutions are a whole different ball of wax.

[polly_mer]

Be careful to avoid the bifurcation fallacy.   It is rarely going to be an 'all or nothing' situation where 'continue the status quo unchanged forever' alternates with 'kill it'.   These institutions serve great public goals, and 'we cannot afford it' is really often just 'we do not want to do what's necessary to afford it'.   Private institutions are a whole different ball of wax.

You're not as right as you want to be.  Closing a seriously underperforming unit to free up resources for other units is often a very good choice, although it does mean a loss of jobs and fewer options for students.

Dissolving the PASSHE doesn't mean having zero higher ed institutions in PA.  It could, though, mean letting the institutions that should close finally close and redirecting those resources to something that will be good with just a few more resources.

Yes, let's not fall into the bifurcation fallacy of preserving everything that currently exists by draining resources from all other endeavors or doing nothing while hoping magic occurs.