Investing for the Future

Pennsylvania is at a crossroad as we enter the time of year when decisions will be made regarding how to invest the public’s hard-earned money. Governor Wolf’s support of higher education rang loud and clear this week with his proposal to increase investment in the State System’s 14 universities by 11 percent. This is welcome news after seven years without an increase in state funding.

We all recognize the important role our universities have in providing access to opportunity for 110,000 students. Our state universities are engines of economic development for the communities they serve and the entire Commonwealth—providing the talent that fuels business and industry across Pennsylvania.

Providing a high-quality, high-value education has always been the mission of the State System. Even as it has endured significant budget cuts for much of the past decade, we have limited tuition increases to around the rate of inflation in most years.

The Governor has challenged publicly supported colleges and universities to hold the line on tuition. We are answering that call. The Board of Governors said in October that base tuition could be frozen next year if the State System received enough funding to fill next year’s budget gap. That continues to be our position, and we are grateful for the Governor’s leadership on this issue.

We are engaged in this important dialogue with the Governor and our friends in the General Assembly as they begin their work on the budget, which will not be an easy task. Our students are a great investment, and every tax dollar allocated toward our universities provides a real return on investment.

14 universities. Infinite opportunities.

What exactly does that mean?

It means that when students are part of one of our 14 universities, they have access to a wide range of enriching opportunities—academically, socially, and professionally.

We recently developed our first “14 universities. Infinite opportunities.” video, which highlights the experiences of some students and alumni from our universities. This will be the first in a series of short videos that show why our universities, students, faculty and alumni have, and will continue to have, a powerful impact on the Commonwealth. 

Watch the video now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IExPylQTDNw

Advancing the State System in 2015

While it’s only a few days into 2015, I already can feel the excitement and optimism all across the State System—from the Board of Governors to Trustees and university leaders to faculty, staff, and students—as we look forward to the year ahead. I want to take a moment at the start of this new year to outline a number of important initiatives—all of which will continue our momentum toward becoming the most student-centered, flexible, and collaborative university system in America.

Looking at some of those key initiatives, it’s easy to see it’s going to be a very busy year:

Advocate for investment 
Our universities are engines of economic growth for the communities they serve and the Commonwealth as a whole. We will continue engaging with elected leaders, business leaders, and community leaders to enhance support for and investment in the State System’s 14 universities by identifying new revenue streams and advocating for sound public policy.

Promote academic program alignment 
The world is changing, and our universities are doing their part to adapt and evolve to ensure relevance well into the future. With more than 80 percent of State System alumni remaining in Pennsylvania after graduation to live and work, our universities are working to align their academic program offerings to reflect the changing demands of students and the needs of the Commonwealth.

Advance key strategic initiatives designed to meet the goals of the 2020 State System Strategic Plan
By making advances in areas such as closing the gap between degree production and workforce demands; expanding international education; enhancing online learning opportunities; and enhancing the general education program, we will create even greater learning and career development opportunities for our students as laid out in the System’s strategic plan.

Enhance accountability, planning, and transparency
We are introducing an accountability framework built on the State System’s Strategic Plan. This will lead to individual university action plans that will outline the future path of each institution and an annual accountability report that will capture the progress of all institutions on key metrics in an easy-to-use format.

Promote strategies to improve university financial stability
We will further advance strategies to increase cost savings, and improve the efficiency of shared services to help ensure the high-quality, high-value education our students expect and deserve.

As with any journey, we will face ups and downs along the way; but, if we continue to keep the students at our 14 universities our top priority, we will accomplish these things, and more.

Commencement marks important milestone for students

While most of us have been getting ready for the holidays, this past weekend marked an important milestone for many others as commencement ceremonies across our 14 State System universities were conducted. I would like to congratulate our undergrad and graduate students on this exciting achievement and wish them success and happiness as they continue their journeys.

As a lifelong educator, I’m proud of the dedication of our students and all those who have helped them attain this goal. Along with their families and friends, our students were supported by countless faculty and staff at each of their universities. It was those individuals who helped on the days when life was challenging, and the road ahead seemed impossible; but with that support, these newly minted graduates pushed through to success. And they did so knowing that they can overcome any obstacle that might stand in their way, something that will be invaluable in their careers.

As I mentioned in my previous post, a college education is one of the best investments anyone can make. According to a recent study by the U.S. Census Bureau, an individual with a bachelor’s degree can expect lifetime earnings to be more than double that of someone with a high school diploma alone. Add a graduate or professional degree, and that figure goes even higher.

In turn, investing in higher education, is one of the best investments the state can make. Nearly 90 percent of State System students are Pennsylvania residents, most of whom will remain here after graduation to live, work, and raise their families, supporting the state’s economy as they do.

I’m personally looking forward to seeing even more from our graduates as they leave campus and make a difference in our Commonwealth and the world.

Finally, we all would like to wish you and your family a very happy and healthy holiday season and the very best in the new year.

The high cost of not going to college

Is college really worth it—all of that time and effort, not to mention how much it costs, to earn a degree?

Articles about rising college costs and growing student debt dominate the national headlines. There was even a feature film made on the subject—Ivory Tower—which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and made its television debut Thursday night on CNN. There’s no doubt it’s a question on the minds of many high school students and their families as they ponder the future.

Certainly, paying for college is a major investment—for many, second only to the cost of buying a home. But, how do you judge a good investment from a bad one? The best way is to consider its rate of return.

While not every job requires four years of college, according to a recent study by the U.S. Census Bureau, an individual with a bachelor’s degree can expect lifetime earnings to be more than double that of someone with a high school diploma alone. Add a graduate or professional degree, and that figure goes even higher. It’s hard to argue that a college education isn’t one of the best investments you will ever make.

What’s more, unemployment among college graduates is about one-third that compared to those without a degree. Put another way, earn a college degree and you’re much more likely to have a job, and one that pays more. In that sense, the cost of not going to college is very high.

Still, the price tag can be daunting, especially to someone who comes from a family background where no one has gone to college before. The thought of going into debt to pay for college scares away many talented potential students—an important issue that calls for serious and ongoing dialogue.
 
That’s why it’s important to keep the price of high-quality higher education as affordable as possible, which is the mission of the 14 universities within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.

Our state-owned universities are focused on three things: access, quality and value. We are working to ensure the high-quality, high-demand degree programs we offer align with the demands of our students and their future employers. We continue our efforts to increase efficiency and accountability as a means to keep tuition manageable for Pennsylvania’s families.
In fact, the average price of tuition and fees at the State System universities is approximately half that of state-related schools Penn State, Pitt and Temple and a fraction of what many private universities charge. What’s more, the average total price of attendance—combined tuition, fees, room and board—at our 14 institutions is below the national average.

There is little question that higher education funding is an investment for the Commonwealth too, and the rate of return is just as high because our graduates form the foundation of Pennsylvania’s future. Nearly 90 percent of State System students are Pennsylvania residents, most of whom will remain here after graduation to live, work and raise their families, supporting the state’s economy as they do.

Is college worth it? The answer to that question remains a resounding yes—both for Pennsylvania’s families and for the Commonwealth as a whole.

Take the Business Plan Competition Challenge

Last year, more than 140 student teams competed in the State System’s annual Student Business Plan Competition. I had the honor to see firsthand some of the incredible ingenuity and imagination of our students. As examples, a student from Shippensburg was part of the winning team that created Oak Hill Farm Naturals—an all-natural fly repellant for use on horses. The second place winners, also from Shippensburg, developed new recreational facility management software. The third place winner, an IUP student, created the Dirt-Doc— a user-friendly search engine to advertise the buying and selling of topsoil or other earth products. 

So much hard work goes into these business plans, but the benefits are well worth it. Not only do students get the opportunity to work with faculty and business mentors to fine tune every detail of their plans, but they also get to hone “real world” skills such as team building, public speaking, and strategic planning. Of course, prizes include $10,000 for 1st place, $5,000 for 2nd place, and $2,500 for 3rd place.

The “Intent to Compete” registration deadline is Nov. 30. 

Honor to whom honor is due

Today we honor all veterans—past and present—who have given of themselves in service to our country. As a nation of free people, we express sincere gratitude for their protection, courage, and bravery.

Whether active-duty, in-reserve, or returning from service, veterans should have access to support during their transition into higher education. At the State System, not only do our 14 universities offer special assistance to veterans, ranging from admissions and financial aid counseling to tutoring, but we now provide veterans with class scheduling preference that will afford them an early opportunity to lock-in their preferred courses. These are just a few simple things we can do for those who have done so much for us already.

We also owe gratitude to the many military veterans who are already part of our campus communities. Without their service and their sacrifice, the rest of us would not be able to enjoy the freedoms we do today. Everyone should say thank you to our veterans; not just today, but every day.