Higher-ed admin tells Pa. lawmakers affordable college would help fill labor gaps

Apr. 27—HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania's labor pool needs to be replenished and would benefit from state-owned colleges and universities boosting enrollment by making higher education affordable, or free, for students from low-income households, the chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) told lawmakers Tuesday.

"We're really trying to get to a point where students and families earning under a certain level can basically attend for free," Chancellor Daniel Greenstein said during a joint hearing of the House Education and Appropriation committees.

"We're going to have to engage with students who are college-ready but not college-bound," Greenstein said while addressing a question from Education Committee Chair Curtis Sonney, R-Erie.

Tuition and enrollment moved in opposite directions over the past decade, in part, spurring the merger of six universities as part of the 14-member PASSHE system.

Since 2010-11, the average total cost to attend a PASSHE school rose 30% to about $23,000 while systemwide enrollment fell 26% to less than 89,000 students, system data show. The average school debt graduates take with them grew by nearly 44%, topping $37,000, in that same span.

In-state tuition rates are frozen for the 2022-23 school year — $7,716 tuition, $438 technology fee — the fourth consecutive freeze. Room and board top $11,000 on average while other fees average about $3,200, according to PASSHE data, but these costs vary by school.

"Students from families earning less than $75,000 are leaving way more quickly," Greenstein said during testimony. "Our enrollment losses are directly related to income."

Bloomsburg, Mansfield, and Lock Haven universities have become the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania. California, Clarion, and Edinboro, will become Pennsylvania Western University. The schools continue to use individual names and branding, and maintain separate athletic teams. As part of the integration, they'll share faculty, systems and curriculum blended with online and in-person learning.

The schools begin operating under the new format on July 1.

$550 million request

PASSHE's Board of Governors requested $550 million for general operations in the upcoming school year, an increase of 16%. In addition, the system requests $201 million in direct-to-student aid and the remaining $150 million in American Rescue Plan funding previously pledged by the state.

Greenstein told Rep. Jesse Topper, subcommittee chair on higher education, that the tuition freeze is reliant on the increased funding request. Some of the ARP funds would be used to further the integration plan for the merged universities.

Rep. Mark Longietti, D-Mercer, minority chair of the Education Committee, asked about the anticipated split of online and in-person classes plus the availability of computer hardware and software for remote learning.

The curriculum will be blended, Greenstein said, and students will have a feel for how that blend shakes out one semester to the next. System schools have been providing laptops and internet hotspots since the pandemic, he added. He said he expects students to demand flexibility even after the pandemic, likely wishing to attend class in-person one day and remotely on another.

"I would be careful to not fetishize the on-ground experience," he said. "Fifty-five percent of our students today take at least one course per term online."

Gov. Tom Wolf has called for the creation of the Nellie Bly Scholarship Program, a $200 million proposal to aid students attending PASSHE schools or a community college.

The program, as proposed by the governor, would be funded with ARP funds and money from the Race Horse Development Trust Fund. Legislative proposals have been introduced by Democrats in both the state House and Senate.

Rep. Matt Bradford, minority chair of House Appropriations, raised the issue of affordability for students from families whose income lands just above grant thresholds including for Federal Pell Grants. The Bly Program, which would be open to students from households with income below $104,800, could help.

"The plan really doesn't come together if we don't deal with affordability in a meaningful way," Bradford said.