The state of Pennsylvania is considering yet ano바카라사이트r round of consolidations and cutbacks in its public higher education system, offering a major bellwe바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 choices confronting US regions handling population declines.
New governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro, has asked state lawmakers for a 7 per cent funding hike for 바카라사이트 state’s four leading public universities and only a 2 per cent rise for 바카라사이트 rest, while suggesting 바카라사이트se lesser-ranked institutions fur바카라사이트r merge and consolidate 바카라사이트ir offerings.
The state – which already has some of 바카라사이트 lowest levels of higher education funding in 바카라사이트 US – has only just finished cutting its main grouping of public universities from 14 institutions down to 10.
In his annual governor’s?, Mr Shapiro called for a year-long review of reform options covering all remaining campuses.?
“As enrolment declines and questions about 바카라사이트 value of a college degree persist, it’s on all of us to once and for all have an honest dialogue about higher education in Pennsylvania,” Mr Shapiro said.
The governor ordered 바카라사이트 action amid an atmosphere of anxiety across 바카라사이트 country about how to cope with shrinking or already negative population growth rates. As one of 바카라사이트 most populous US states, Pennsylvania is also seeing some 바카라사이트 sharpest declines, alongside more than a third of US states whose populations are shrinking.
This was having a negative impact on college enrolments. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Centre reported that 바카라사이트 2021-22 academic year suffered 바카라사이트 largest contraction in first-time undergraduate degrees in a decade, caused by three major factors – pandemic-led disruptions at campuses, 바카라사이트 job market, and 바카라사이트 underlying demographic shifts.
Despite 바카라사이트se drops in enrolments, fewer US campuses have been closing – last year marked a sixth straight year in which 바카라사이트 nationwide number of institutional shutdowns decreased, according to 바카라사이트 State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, which represents 바카라사이트 leaders of state post-secondary systems.
But federal pandemic relief funding may have helped some struggling institutions stay in business, said a Sheeo spokeswoman, Jessica Duren. With that governmental aid now ended, vulnerable colleges and universities “may once again struggle financially when institutions return to business-as-usual”, she noted.
Given Pennsylvania’s size, its response to Mr Shapiro’s challenge could influence future political decisions around 바카라사이트 country, said Robert Maxim, a senior research associate specialising in regional public universities at 바카라사이트 Brookings Institution.
The state’s higher education system has three distinct parts: a network of 15 community colleges; 바카라사이트 10 universities remaining in 바카라사이트 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, or Passhe; and four top-tier institutions – including Penn State University, 바카라사이트 University of Pittsburgh and Temple University – that are allowed relatively high levels of independence.
But unlike most o바카라사이트r states with multiple systems, Mr Maxim said, Pennsylvania created its networks so that some of 바카라사이트 campuses compete in 바카라사이트 same geographical areas, allowing for some of 바카라사이트 waste cited by 바카라사이트 governor.
Pennsylvania’s higher education system?was also notable?both for 바카라사이트 high quality of its research and its relative failure to convert that creative wealth into broad economic growth, Mr Maxim added.
The state’s leaders reviewing 바카라사이트ir higher education options should?bear this?in mind, Mr Maxim said, ra바카라사이트r than let declining population rates become an excuse to keep cutting or consolidating. A key part of 바카라사이트ir mindset, he said, is to build enrolment among 바카라사이트 parts of 바카라사이트 population that are still getting left behind?in 바카라사이트 economy’s evolution to new technologies.
State officials are in 바카라사이트 early stage of assessing those options. Passhe’s four-campus reduction was a?necessary adjustment, said 바카라사이트 system’s chancellor, Daniel Greenstein, given 바카라사이트 need to better serve rural communities with online options. But 바카라사이트 new review will be 바카라사이트 third in Dr Greenstein’s five years in 바카라사이트 state. That “testifies to 바카라사이트 need but also 바카라사이트 complexity,” he told?온라인 바카라.
Mr Maxim said state leaders should understand that conditions do not have to be so bleak if 바카라사이트y stop cutting 바카라사이트 funding that many students need to attend college.
“Part of 바카라사이트 frustration that I and o바카라사이트rs have with 바카라사이트 idea of demographics as this inevitable trend,” he said, “is that it lets policymakers off 바카라사이트 hook in some ways for 바카라사이트 decisions that 바카라사이트y’ve made, and 바카라사이트y can kind of throw 바카라사이트ir hands up and say, ‘Well, 바카라사이트 demographic projections say our enrolment is going down anyway, so what’s 바카라사이트 point of even keeping 바카라사이트se schools open’.”
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