Enrollment challenges at PA State Colleges

[Tom McAndrew]

this subject has been previously discussed on this board. In that context, I'm posting here what I posted on the BWI/McAndrew board earlier today.


The PA State System of Higher Education released enrollment figures for the PA State Colleges. You can find articles in papers today throughout the Commonwealth that report on the info.
I'll just review the numbers, and the percent change from the fall of 2017.

1. Bloomsburg - 8,924 (-3.9%)
2. California - 7,312 (-6.1%)
3. Cheyney - 469 (-37.9%)
4. Clarion - 4,869 (-6.8%)
5. East Stroudsburg - 6,425 (-4.7%)
6. Edinboro - 4,834 (-13.3%)
7. Indiana - 11,325 (-8.0%)
8. Kutztown - 8,309 (-0.2%)
9. Lock Haven - 3,425 (-10.5%)
10. Mansfield - 1,637 (-13.7%)
11. Millersville - 7,781 (+0.4%)
12. Shippensburg - 6,408 (-2.6%)
13. Slipper Rock - 8,824 (-0.8%)
14. West Chester - 17,552 (+1.2%)

"Many of our universities continue to be challenged by the state's changing demographics, especially in Western Pennsylvania, which has seen a significant decline in the number of high school graduates in recent years," said system spokesman Kenn Marshall. "That trend is expected to continue."

The system's total enrollment peaked around 120,000 in 2010. This year the total fell below 100,000 -- the first time it was below that threshold since 2001.

 

[RoarLions1]

Thanks Tom, interesting data.

Four of the schools listed have D1 wrestling programs...so one has to wonder how safe they are. It wasn't that long ago that several Pennsylvania schools shut down their wrestling programs, including Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Slippery Rock and Bucknell. Go back further, and you'll see Shippensburg, Cal of PA, and even West Chester, just to mention those I remember off the top of my head back to 1990 or so. Bucknell did manage to bring back their program, so that's a bit of good news.

Time will tell how this plays out. In the meantime, not wrestling related, here's a story on Cheyney State and how they're re-inventing themselves. It's an interesting read, imo.

http://www2.philly.com/philly/educa...lment-plummets-state-university-20181015.html

 

[johnstownsteel]

Always looking for silver linings....

Maybe it’ll be easier for my “not so motivated” son to actually be accepted into one of these colleges.

 

[amattaro]

PA has one of the most expensive State school systems in the country. They have no in-State tuition reciprocity agreements (that I know of) with other states. The state has one of the older populations in the country. I’ve observed this for a few years now (left at 25, came back a year ago at 35, and with two soon to be three kids, planning to be gone against j by 37). Property tax is absurd (Allegheny County is 4x what I paid in Colorado). I lived in Colorado (six years) and Florida (four years) and found both to be better fits for the outdoor lifestyle that I want to live. The weather in PA is BAD! I imagine others in my age range and younger share similar opinions. There are lots of places to live where the sun always shines and jobs are plentiful. Just my two cents.

 

[Ian]

They will all eventually fold into the PSU “system” and be Branch campuses.

 

[Bob_Anderson]

They will all eventually fold into the PSU “system” and be Branch campuses.

tha would be a disaster. We already have too many branch campuses. money doesn't grow on trees.

 

[7brwnpsu]

Always looking for silver linings....

Maybe it’ll be easier for my “not so motivated” son to actually be accepted into one of these colleges.

DAD! I do read these posts from time to time!

Your loving Son

 

[matter7172]

Always looking for silver linings....

Maybe it’ll be easier for my “not so motivated” son to actually be accepted into one of these colleges.

I'm totally sure that all is required to be accepted by Cheyney State is to apply.

I'm reasonably high up on the fund raising chain at my alma mater and am privy to detailed data regarding the viability of colleges. The prospects for higher education institutions is pretty dire going forward - especially four-year schools. Between the dwindling pool of potential students and the high costs, we're going to see a tremendous shakeout of schools over the next 20 years. Many will not survive.

 

[nitlion6]

I'm totally sure that all is required to be accepted by Cheyney State is to apply.

I'm reasonably high up on the fund raising chain at my alma mater and am privy to detailed data regarding the viability of colleges. The prospects for higher education institutions is pretty dire going forward - especially four-year schools. Between the dwindling pool of potential students and the high costs, the next. We're going to see a tremendous shakeout of schools over the next 20 years. Many will not survive.

Is Coe College on solid financial footing? At least for the next 3 or 4 years?

 

[ptomaselli]

Why is Mansfield still open? Also, is Cheyney still a thing? I thought they were folded into West Chester? Can they merge Clarion and Slippery Rock...Lock Haven and Bloom?

 

[matter7172]

Is Coe College on solid financial footing? At least for the next 3 or 4 years?

I remember looking up their acceptance rates and endowments back when Larry took the job there. They are probably good for the next 3 or 4, but I'd say on the cusp long term. From a career standpoint, the move made little sense unless it was a huge promotion. Even then, puzzling.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Also, is Cheyney still a thing? I thought they were folded into West Chester?

Cheyney still exists. There were some mention in the press and perhaps by those in government and the State System of possibly merging some functions with West Chester, but that did not take place.

In July of this year, Cheyney partnered with Thomas Jefferson University and Epcot Crenshaw Corporation to form the Institute for the Contemporary African American Experience (ICAAE). Starbucks, through the Starbucks Foundation, also announced at the time that they will partner with ICAAE on a future research project.

The ICAAE was recommended by the Cheyney University Task Force, which was created by the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to develop a new business model for Cheyney.

Cheyney is the oldest historically black university in the US, so there is some motivation to try and change their dynamics, and make the university viable for the future. At the same time, there also is a reluctance to merge its operations with any other institution.

 

[matter7172]

Cheyney still exists. There were some mention in the press and perhaps by those in government and the State System of possibly merging some functions with West Chester, but that did not take place.

In July of this year, Cheyney partnered with Thomas Jefferson University and Epcot Crenshaw Corporation to form the Institute for the Contemporary African American Experience (ICAAE). Starbucks, through the Starbucks Foundation, also announced at the time that they will partner with ICAAE on a future research project.

The ICAAE was recommended by the Cheyney University Task Force, which was created by the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to develop a new business model for Cheyney.

Cheyney is the oldest historically black university in the US, so there is some motivation to try and change their dynamics, and make the university viable for the future. At the same time, there also is a reluctance to merge its operations with any other institution.

Partnerships are the way to the future in many ways. My alma mater is fairly aggressive, but very selective, in forming them these days.

 

[dms87]

Also, is Cheyney still a thing? I thought they were folded into West Chester?

I always thought Cheyney would merge with Lincoln University. They are close geographically and similar in design. Lincoln University is the United States' first degree-granting historically black university. Founded as a private university in 1854, it has been a public institution since 1972. Its main campus is located on 422 acres near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania.

 

[psumacw]

i drive by cheyney every morning on my way to work and had no idea they were struggling that badly. they demolished one of the buildings on campus in the past year so i was assuming they were going to build something bigger in its place the way psu has been doing.

 

[Callthestall]

My daughter graduated from West Chester. Truly does not come resemble a typical PA State University. I attended Bloomsburg in 1980. My older daughter graduated from East Stroudsburg U. Everything about West Chester was superior to ESU from athletics to administration.
I believe West Chester feilds the most sports team of any other Division II school. They currently have 24 sports teams not counting club sports. Go to a football game and you will see the West Chester band is 300 strong. Quite impressive for a non Division I school.
The thought was that West Chester was going to become independent of PA system 2 years ago ,but since then they removed the president of school who was behind the possible switch.

 

[nittinsc]

Thanks Tom, interesting data.

Four of the schools listed have D1 wrestling programs...so one has to wonder how safe they are. It wasn't that long ago that several Pennsylvania schools shut down their wrestling programs, including Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Slippery Rock and Bucknell. Go back further, and you'll see Shippensburg, Cal of PA, and even West Chester, just to mention those I remember off the top of my head back to 1990 or so. Bucknell did manage to bring back their program, so that's a bit of good news.

Time will tell how this plays out. In the meantime, not wrestling related, here's a story on Cheyney State and how they're re-inventing themselves. It's an interesting read, imo.

http://www2.philly.com/philly/educa...lment-plummets-state-university-20181015.html

Millersville, East Stroudsburg and Shippensburg all have DII programs

 

[Reslo]

Why is Mansfield still open? Also, is Cheyney still a thing? I thought they were folded into West Chester? Can they merge Clarion and Slippery Rock...Lock Haven and Bloom?

I performed scientific research for 6 years at Mansfield. It's a great school, one that afforded me the opportunity to collaborate and travel with other scientists all over the world. Jest if you must, but school size means little in the way of education quality.

 

[ptomaselli]

I performed scientific research for 6 years at Mansfield. It's a great school, one that afforded me the opportunity to collaborate and travel with other scientists all over the world. Jest if you must, but school size means little in the way of education quality.

I have no gripe at all with ANY of the state schools as far as education quality. I just questioned due to remote location and low enrollment.

 

[Reslo]

I have no gripe at all with ANY of the state schools as far as education quality. I just questioned due to remote location and low enrollment.

No problem, I apologize for taking it too personally.

You're right about the enrollment. Not many of the PSAC schools will be able to survive with the continued dwindling of student numbers.

 

[ptomaselli]

No problem, I apologize for taking it too personally.

You're right about the enrollment. Not many of the PSAC schools will be able to survive with the continued dwindling of student numbers.

No worries.

 

[Ja1339]

For those following the declining enrollment story set or state schools, there's an update in Pennlive:

https://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/10/pa_state_universities_to_ask_f.html

 

[jtothemfp]

EDSBS is doing a D2 feature this year and lo & behold, they went PSAC this week: https://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2018/10/30/18040774/d2sday-goes-keystone

Winning mascot take imo was about Lock Haven's Bald Eagle: "this is the bald eagle equivalent of the sad Connecticut Husky. This is a bald eagle looking at the country right now and wondering if it can get out of its image-licensing agreement with us."

 

[jtothemfp]

EDSBS is doing a D2 feature this year and lo & behold, they went PSAC this week: https://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2018/10/30/18040774/d2sday-goes-keystone

Winning mascot take imo was about Lock Haven's Bald Eagle: "this is the bald eagle equivalent of the sad Connecticut Husky. This is a bald eagle looking at the country right now and wondering if it can get out of its image-licensing agreement with us."

n/m, that was only #13; I clearly hadn't read far enough.

 

[Ban Basketball]

And do keep in mind, folks, that this is part of a national trend and not just occurring in PA. Our situation in Iowa is almost as dire as it is in PA.

Everyone in higher education is scratching their heads and trying to come up with the new creative way to attract and keep students, but we're fighting national trends, so few efforts will prove to be very fruitful until the trends change.

https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=614315950

 

[dbldoofus]

And do keep in mind, folks, that this is part of a national trend and not just occurring in PA. Our situation in Iowa is almost as dire as it is in PA.

Everyone in higher education is scratching their heads and trying to come up with the new creative way to attract and keep students, but we're fighting national trends, so few efforts will prove to be very fruitful until the trends change.

https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=614315950

Seems simple to me.
1. Too expensive
2. Too many good jobs have been shipped offshore

I have three kids. 24, 22, 19.

Only one decided that the expense and effort of college was worth it. Even tho I have 529 $$ for them. Between that and the loans they would need, only one was passionate enough about a subject to study for 4 years, pay for a lot of it and hope there was a job in the US that wasn't off-shored that would pay the bills.

Of the other two kids, one is a sous chef. No college degree, just real world experience. The other is 19 and has no clue what he wants to do yet, but has a regular job.

So to make college worth it for some, you need to know what you enjoy learning about enough to pay $$ for it and also hope that you can get a decent job with that degree. Let's face it, the recent economic expansion over the last decade has not been passed on to the US workforce.

 

[Ban Basketball]

Seems simple to me.
1. Too expensive
2. Too many good jobs have been shipped offshore

I have three kids. 24, 22, 19.

Only one decided that the expense and effort of college was worth it. Even tho I have 529 $$ for them. Between that and the loans they would need, only one was passionate enough about a subject to study for 4 years, pay for a lot of it and hope there was a job in the US that wasn't off-shored that would pay the bills.

Of the other two kids, one is a sous chef. No college degree, just real world experience. The other is 19 and has no clue what he wants to do yet, but has a regular job.

So to make college worth it for some, you need to know what you enjoy learning about enough to pay $$ for it and also hope that you can get a decent job with that degree. Let's face it, the recent economic expansion over the last decade has not been passed on to the US workforce.

Can't argue with that.

It's also true that the majority of new jobs that we create today are filled by those needing only 1-2 years of training for them, which makes the four year degree even more increasingly obsolete. However, and with that said, we shouldn't see community colleges losing enrollments then, but we certainly are, often at higher rates than the 4 year public institutions.

Most private colleges are definitely faring worse, with Simpson College here in Iowa recently eliminating several majors, simply due to low enrollments.

 

[spoogie19041]

Close Cheyney. It is a disgrace. They only have 400 students. WTF