Pennsylvania-owned universities hope to increase financial aid, graduation rates

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is starting the final stage of its plan to rethink how it manages state-owned schools.

PASSHE’s board of governors approved the third phase during a meeting this week. Among numerous goals, it aims to increase financial aid and graduation rates for students at its 10 universities.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to turn this page and move forward in this direction,” said PASSHE Chancellor Daniel Greenstein during Thursday’s meeting.

The state system announced the redesign plan in 2017 after former Chancellor Frank Brogan called the system’s operations “unsustainable.”

Since then, it has merged six state-owned universities into two. In Western Pa., the consolidated California, Clarion and Edinboro universities formed Pennsylvania Western University, or PennWest. Slippery Rock University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania remain separate entities.

In addition to upping financial aid and graduation rates, stage three hopes to:

• Increase retention rates;

• Attract nontraditional students;

• Seek increased state funding;

• Support professional development of universities’ faculty and staff;

• Ensure universities’ programs are financially viable;

•Enable collaboration among schools.

Greenstein said a record increase in state funding will bolster efforts during phase three. The system’s funding climbed 16% in the 2022-23 budget for a $552.5 million allotment.

“We’re really at a watershed moment,” Greenstein said. “We can rebuild. We can reinvigorate. We can reinvest.”

By attaining these goals, Greenstein said PASSHE universities hope to increase enrollment, which he believes is vital to meeting the state’s employment demands.

Systemwide, enrollment has declined 25% in the past 10 years. In fall 2021, over 88,000 students attended state-owned universities, compared to over 118,000 in fall 2011.