3 PA State Schools May Merge
 

Clarion, Edinboro, Cal U

https://www.google.com/amp/s/pittsbu...le-merger/amp/

Wonder what happens to GL?

IMO this is a result of spending too much on fancy dorms and amenities for colleges that caters to lower income students...

As far as we know, this is a merging of the online program and some administrative functions only. No campuses are closing and none of them will become “branches” of another (especially since Clarion already has a branch campus).

It is not a “merger” (the word is never mentioned) but an “integration.” KDKA obviously is trying to get views and clicks by calling it a merger.

Dear Clarion Universtiy Alumni,

Today, the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education affirmed moving to the next phase in a process that would potentially integrate Clarion, Edinboro and California universities. The affirmation follows several months of exploration that determined that integration would help the individual universities and the State System as a whole achieve financial sustainability.

Details of the plan are being discussed, but if ultimately approved next summer, the three universities would become one accredited entity with a single leadership and budget and a unified enrollment management strategy.

Would Clarion University continue to exist? Absolutely! In fact, the integration would ensure our ability to continue providing the exceptional education for which Clarion University has been known since we opened our doors in 1867.

Leveraging combined scale would create expanded opportunities for the traditional face-to-face student experience, deliver new online offerings, as well as uncover cost efficiencies, which would keep Clarion University and other State System universities accessible.

Through the collective talent of the faculty and staff at Clarion, California and Edinboro, we would reconceive, rebuild, refresh and expand what we offer to students. We would help shape the future of public higher education, not just in Pennsylvania, but nationwide.

Our current and future students would have access to a more diversified academic programming array than Clarion alone could offer, yet they would still enjoy what makes Clarion University unique. Collectively, the three universities serve more than 16,000 students, and we see this an opportunity for a greater number of students to experience what separates Clarion from other universities.

The integration would position the three schools to stand up a low-cost, high quality online undergraduate degree and degree completion program. Clarion repeatedly is recognized for excellence in online education. With the strength that California and Edinboro add, collectively we would develop a Pennsylvania-based, Pennsylvania-connected online program that’s affordable and relevant to careers in the commonwealth.

We are excited at the opportunities that lie ahead. The integration of Clarion, Edinboro and California universities, through combined scale and geographical proximity, would create opportunities to reach new markets of students and meet regional workforce needs.

Through this work, we would ensure not just the long-term viability of Clarion, but also of its 13 sister universities and Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.

Dr. Dale

Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson
President
Clarion University

Yeah, I saw the KDKA story (at work, I don’t watch that crap!) it was very confusing. They mentioned that all three schools have nursing programs, as if they were only going to offer certain programs at certain schools?

That’s how some programs used to be...like IUP was the only place for SAHE and criminal justice, Clarion was library science etc. I don’t know if this was in writing or just a gentleman’s agreement, but it seemed to work better than all the schools trying to be all things to everybody. It is a SYSTEM, it needs to work as one instead of 14 individual parts.

Not state schools and works well with what each school provides, Cleveland has 3 private schools that share resources. Students at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Cleveland Institute of Music take many of their non-major classes at Case Western Reserve University and they share a lot of amenities. Dorms are still school-specific because living arrangements are often focused on their majors.

Not an issue for Greek Life since only CWRU and only Case students are permitted to participate. But, CIA and CIM students can participate in other clubs at CWRU.

CIM and CIA students are able to participate in Greek Life at CWRU. It’s not very common but it’s certainly happened before.

CWRU students can also take some credits of CIM or CIA courses for no charge each semester if they’re interested in some of the more specific offerings.

This may be just the tip of the iceberg. A year or so ago the state commissioned a report to study the declining enrollment and financial issues within the PASSHE. The report recommended a reduction from 14 to 8. I saw a report this morning that freshmen enrollment is down 16% this year at 4 year universities. Clearly, this is tied to COVID. But, it could signal some big changes ahead for higher education. Will be interesting to see how this merger evolves.

A lot of Georgia colleges, technical colleges, and universities merged about 10 years ago. People were upset and there were a lot of bumps along the way, but everything seems to have worked out.

In case anyone was curious, per Irishpipes' Chapter Listing thread:

Active at all three:
Delta Zeta

Active at two:
Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Tau
Phi Sigma Sigma
Sigma Sigma Sigma
Zeta Tau Alpha

Active at one:
Alpha Gamma Delta
Delta Phi Epsilon
Sigma Kappa

OMG. Chapters are not merging or closing. These schools are hundreds of miles apart.

My cousin's granddaughter is a Freshman at CIA and she said she couldn't go through recruitment Winter Semester. <shrug> Granddaughter of cousin would be a legacy of one of the sororities at CWRU.
I would agree that it is not very common, though.

Understood. Just figured since we're hear on Greekchat and the OP asked about Greek Life, I would post the Greek chapters on each campus ;)

P.S. Do you know why AST closed at Clarion? I can't say I remember.

those aren't the only 3
 

https://www.wnep.com/article/news/lo...5-b545d94859ac

Mansfield, Lock Haven and Bloomsburg too. PASSHE is STRUGGLING BIG TIME. We've heard that Mansfield and Lock Haven may become Bloomsburg satellite campuses. Bloomsburg is already running their purchasing, HR and other functions. Mansfield has about 1,400 students and Lock Haven about 2,500 from what I've heard.

Is it just me, or does Pennsylvania have A LOT of colleges and universities?

Every time I drive through the state, I see the number of signs on the highways indicating an exit for a school and think, "ANOTHER one?"

It became even more apparent recently when I drove north-south through the state with my bf who grew up in the south, and every other exit he asked, "Now what the heck is THAT school?" Granted, I've heard of a lot of them simply because AST has so many chapters in the state, but it does seem like there's one on every street corner. Ok, maybe not that many, but you get the idea.

I have to wonder how long they can all keep up, especially after the effects this pandemic will have on higher education.

One of the perils of being the second U.S. state of fifty. They've had a longer time to form their educational institutions.

As I mentioned before, I think they’re pricing themselves out of business. Most of them went nuts with things like climbing walls and suite style dorms and Starbucks- I suppose, trying to compete for out of state tuition dollars. But, that’s not, and has never been, their market. When I went to :
Slippery Rock in 1998-2000 it was 8k a year and that coveted room and board and tuition and “fees.” The last time I checked, it was 16,000 for both and today it’s saying about 21,000 for both.

An average student from a lower class or working class family is just going to pass. For not much more, you could go to a flagship in a different state (even factoring in out of state tuition). And they are stingy with scholarships. My nephew looked at SRU and even with a 4.0 and everything he didn’t get any assistance. He is at Chatham, where he got like $25k right off the top. Public schools can’t keep up with that.

If they’re not actually merging at this point in time, I predict soon. PA does have a lot of colleges and a lot of community colleges too.

Huh interesting, if that is the new rule than it was changed within the last two years. If you can I’d definitely encourage your cousins granddaughter (first cousin twice removed?) to look into it more if she’s interested.

I think their numbers were down, but I honestly don’t know the exact reason.

This. Also keep in mind the terrain and weather that makes too much traveling near impossible in the winter.

IIRC they turned in their own charter.

At one time, AST was at every SSHE school except for Cheyney.

ETA: I also think some of the problem is that Generation Z just isn’t as into college as the previous two generations. More kids are going to technical and community colleges. My nephew’s boyfriend did vo tech in high school and got offered a full time job in HVAC as soon as he graduated. He makes money comparable to a recent college grad and has full benefits without sitting in college for one day. I think my sister’s youngest two kids will follow the same path; Peter is in the same vo tech for automotive right now and he loves it. I think it’s good, because not everyone is cut out for college and it’s stupid to force kids just for the sake of “everyone should go to college.”

I am reading a few books on the topic: The Five Year Party and College Unbound. I have mentioned the book “Paying for the Party” a lot on here. Basically the author, a sociologist who embedded at IU to study college students, found the lower income kids in her study fared better at branch campuses and getting a degree there, or an associates.

My nephew spent 4 years obtaining a degree in a useless major. He went to college because everyone else was going. He ended up being a paramedic for a while. He wised up and became a electrician apprentice. He's now an electrician making more money than some degree professions. He's happily married with three kids and lives in a beautiful house. My nephew loves his job! College is not for everyone. There are plenty of trade and vocational jobs out there.

Technically, but this is one of those “if you don’t turn it in we’ll close you anyway” deals. With all the chapters that are ok numbers and $ and RFM wise turning in their charters these days, let’s not get it twisted.

https://alphasigmatau.org/news-event...sN9dYz9ISTAUWE

It is very possible that she isn't interested in going through recruitment and her easy-out was to say she wasn't eligible. IDK...can't always get into the head of an 18-year old
;)

I didn’t think of it that way.

Interesting which chapters they choose to close and which they don’t at SSHE schools. I know a rotation of chapters at SRU have gone through low numbers in the past 20 years, and they still have the same six.

The thing one can say is that tiers aren’t set in stone there!

I don't know much about the Clarion/Edinboro/CalU stuff. The Bloomsburg/LHU/Mansfield "merger" isn't a merger. All three schools remain where they are at. Bloomsburg is the big school in this scenario, and will likely take over high level admin type stuff (think HR, Purchasing, etc.). Also, I believe they will eliminate majors at the smaller schools and merge them with similar majors available at Bloomsburg. I'd be shocked if they do anything with the Nursing major at all three schools, because Bloomsburg has one of the best nursing programs in the state. Like they get over 2,000 applicants and can only accept like 120.

I don't think the mergers will go as deep as we're all thinking. I asked our FSL if chapters at one school will become chapters at the others, and she said no. I guess we'll all see how this shit rolls downhill!

I guess, if they start closing majors, it could effect GL. Students in that major would have to transfer. If you have a sorority or two where a lot of girls are in the same major, it could cause some problems.

Maybe they will phase out majors and let the current students graduate?