PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The state university system in Pennsylvania is considering merging six of the 14 state-owned schools into two. The Pennsylvania System of Secondary Higher Education is looking at plans that could save money for the state and for students.
The plan is to merge Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Lock Haven University and Mansfield University of Pennsylvania into one in the northeast, and California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University of Pennsylvania and Edinboro University into one in the western part of the state.
PASSHE chancellor Dr. David Greenstein talked about the plan before the State House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday and said today’s jobs require that 60% of adults have some college education.
But Greenstein added that number is actually shrinking.
“We can't meet that goal, we can’t achieve that growth without our universities and colleges doing better with people who have been underserved historically: low-income students, rural students, students of color, and adults who are looking to reskill and upskill,” Greenstein said.
PASSHE is working on a plan that will allow more online degree programs at the western universities, and incorporate more certification programs at the northeastern ones.
Greenstein hopes to have a plan to submit to the legislature by April.
He said 1,000 workers at those six state universities are working on plans to reimagine what higher education can be.
If the plan is approved, the new state university integration plan could be in effect by fall of 2022.