You can help shape the future of the State System

As you likely know, the Board of Governors has been undertaking a strategic review of the entire State System, including the Office of the Chancellor and all 14 universities. The goal of the review is to ensure that we are organized to meet the needs of students and the changing needs of Pennsylvania for decades to come. 

A team from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) is assisting with the review and has been meeting with students, faculty, staff, and others to gather insights. They also want to hear directly from you. As we approach the end of the semester, we want to be sure you have an opportunity to provide input directly to NCHEMS, which has created a website through which you can track the status of the review and share your thoughts. 

Together, we can shape an even brighter future for the State System and all 14 universities—a future that ensures we hold true to our mission of providing a high-quality, affordable higher education. Please take a few minutes and provide your input at www.NCHEMSproject.com/system-review.

Students take center stage

At each quarterly Board of Governors meeting, we have a special “student spotlight” to focus on examples of how our students—working alongside talented faculty—are accomplishing remarkable things. The April meeting was no different, except that we had even more opportunities to celebrate students even beyond the student spotlight:

• the State System’s Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence was given to Sarah Polinski of Mansfield University; 
• previous winners of the Student Business Plan Competition shared how winning helped them make their business ideas a reality while this year’s winner, Nathaniel Treichler of Bloomsburg University, was announced; and 
• art and design students from East Stroudsburg University demonstrated the capability of 3D printing and how they are putting it to good use in the community. In fact, they did a live demonstration of this technology by doing a 3D scan of my head (go ahead, insert your own jokes here.)

We are also pleased to report that three students have taken their places on the Board. A little over a week before the April meeting, the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously confirmed these student leaders who were nominated by Gov. Wolf to serve on the Board. Shaina Hilsey (CalU), Brian Swatt (IUP), and Logan Steigerwalt (Slippery Rock) are the elected heads of student government at their home universities and will serve on the Board of Governors until they graduate. The students are full, voting members of the Board of Governors and have an equal voice in helping to steer the future direction for our State System and its 14 universities. That seems fitting because everything we do—the very reason our universities exist—is for the students.

Looking at the caliber of the students we met with last week, I know the future of the State System and the Commonwealth is in very good hands.