FC: Prez Bendapudi announces that campus closures are forthcoming

[StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle]

A message from President Bendapudi on the Commonwealth Campuses | Penn State University

Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has shared a message on the direction for Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses. "As I have said many times before, Penn State’s Commonwealth Campus ecosystem is essential to fulfilling our land-grant mission. I believe deeply in the role our campuses play in...

www.psu.edu

 

[NittPicker]

I was looking at the histories of some of the commonwealth campuses and found this on the Mont Alto wiki page....

Merger with Penn State​

In 1929 the Forest Academy merged with Pennsylvania State University, establishing Penn State Mont Alto. Students were adamantly opposed to the merger, and they protested by hanging two state officials in effigy.

Anyway, in looking at a map, it seems there are some campuses which can/should be merged. I hate to say it but I agree with the prez.

 

[psuro]

About damn time.

 

[BobPSU92]

But we’re thriving.

 

[Catch1lion]

But we’re thriving.

Some of the enrollments are quite small and are near other campuses. Consolidation is eminent .

 

[MtNittany]

I'd say try to divert some resources into trade school applications, but PSU charges more to attend Penn College to learn to weld than in-state Michigan kids pay to attend SCum.

 

[BobPSU92]

I don’t know about you, but when I read such Neeli announcements, I ask myself, “What would rodney do?”

 

[Nittany1865Farmer]

The rumors have been very thick around the three campuses here in Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. These three are all within a half=hour to hour drive of each other and could easily come under one campus. Include PSU Schuylkill and there could be another potential merger candidate.

 

[Nittany1865Farmer]

I don’t know about you, but when I read such Neeli announcements, I ask myself, “What would rodney do?”

Save the campus by having a building named after him. That will assure the BOT will not close that particular campus.

 

[BobPSU92]

Save the campus by having a building named after him. That will assure the BOT will not close that particular campus.

University Park is safe.

 

[Midnighter]

RIP Penn State Beaver. But, thank god they're pouring billions of dollars into athletic facilities. Gonna really help you know?

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

I don’t know about you, but when I read such Neeli announcements, I ask myself, “What would rodney do?”

Rodney would say, “Now that’s what I call Marine Biology!”

 

[psuro]

RIP Penn State Beaver. But, thank god they're pouring billions of dollars into athletic facilities. Gonna really help you know?

It probably will

The kids in the 12 branch campus areas -if any are left- are not interested in higher education. So why keep campuses open if no one wants to go?

 

[MtNittany]

It probably will

The kids in the 12 branch campus areas -if any are left- are not interested n higher education. So why keep campuses open if no one wants to go?

And at ridiculously full retail prices (even for in-state). Cut half the campuses, cut half the majors, cut half the staff, cut the price is the only way out.

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

It probably will

The kids in the 12 branch campus areas -if any are left- are not interested n higher education. So why keep campuses open if no one wants to go?

Chicks and beer!

 

[doctornick]

And at ridiculously full retail prices (even for in-state). Cut half the campuses, cut half the majors, cut half the staff, cut the price is the only way out.

They should be Community Colleges, not extensions of a huge 4 year institution. I think a good compromise would be working out a deal with the counties to pick up the schools to run them as 2 year Community Colleges if they wish and have some sort of formalized program/transfer agreement to University Park for bachelors degrees. That would provide the same opportunities but get PSU out of the hassle of running such miniscule outlets. If the counties decline take over then PSU can just sell the land and wash their hands of it.

 

[Midnighter]

It probably will

The kids in the 12 branch campus areas -if any are left- are not interested n higher education. So why keep campuses open if no one wants to go?

Don’t want to go or can’t afford to go?

 

[MtNittany]

Don’t want to go or can’t afford to go?

"Just sign here kid. We'll take care of the rest. Small payments, good rates."

The fact that enrollment is shrinking actually gives me hope. There's no value there unless you're STEM or a highly motivated business type. Not every kid needs to go to college. I hope PDJT involves Mike Rowe in an effort to reiterate that fact.

 

[psuro]

Don’t want to go or can’t afford to go?

Take a look at the locations these Branch campuses are located. Neeli is correct - the demographics are changing. That is a nice way of saying "the culture does not support higher education". Because it does not. So, why continue to spend money when you don't have a customer base? It's Marketing 101.

When you say they "can't afford to go" - how much less is it to go to one of these 12 Branch campuses than Univ Park? Not appreciably much (I have not checked). The savings come from Room and Board, if they can live in their high school bedrooms while attending college. If a high school student in that area has the desire for higher education, then they have other options - like other PSU branch campuses or Univ Park or another institution.

 

[ApexLion]

I don’t know about you, but when I read such Neeli announcements, I ask myself, “What would rodney do?”

Issue the following press release: “Sandusky to Close Campuses”

then resume whatever pandering needs to be done with knee pads - a President’s work is never done!

 

[ApexLion]

RIP Penn State Beaver. But, thank god they're pouring billions of dollars into athletic facilities. Gonna really help you know?

What’s their merch like? Always wondered.

 

[ApexLion]

They should be Community Colleges, not extensions of a huge 4 year institution. I think a good compromise would be working out a deal with the counties to pick up the schools to run them as 2 year Community Colleges if they wish and have some sort of formalized program/transfer agreement to University Park for bachelors degrees. That would provide the same opportunities but get PSU out of the hassle of running such miniscule outlets. If the counties decline take over then PSU can just sell the land and wash their hands of it.

Huzzah! It’s 1985 again! Yes, this is exactly what was proposed by the Alumni directors when prices at UP shot up to 6k a year. Yes you read that right. It’s called articulation in higher ed circles. Bums like us call it doing your gen eds in your community for the first two years.

 

[BobPSU92]

And at ridiculously full retail prices (even for in-state). Cut half the campuses, cut half the majors, cut half the staff, cut the price is the only way out.

Penn State laughs at cutting the price.

 

[NittPicker]

They should be Community Colleges, not extensions of a huge 4 year institution. I think a good compromise would be working out a deal with the counties to pick up the schools to run them as 2 year Community Colleges if they wish and have some sort of formalized program/transfer agreement to University Park for bachelors degrees. That would provide the same opportunities but get PSU out of the hassle of running such miniscule outlets. If the counties decline take over then PSU can just sell the land and wash their hands of it.

I like the idea. Consider DuBois. It used to have privately run DuBois Business College which had its accreditation revoked in 2016 for some reason. I believe it only offered two-year business degrees and the vast majority of graduates stayed local upon graduation. Restarting those sorts of programs at a new community college would be good for everyone. Or, as you say, those first two years could be transferrable to UP for a potential bachelor's degree.

 

[WestSideLion]

Some of the enrollments are small and are near others . Consolidation is eminent .

Wow. All of the campuses on that list aren't even as big as many AAAA high schools. There are zero economies of scale there.

 

[psuro]

Wow. All of the campuses on that list aren't even as big as many AAAA high schools. There are zero economies of scale there.

And they have been getting smaller.

 

[fairgambit]

 

[Nittering Nabob]

A message from President Bendapudi on the Commonwealth Campuses | Penn State University

Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has shared a message on the direction for Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses. "As I have said many times before, Penn State’s Commonwealth Campus ecosystem is essential to fulfilling our land-grant mission. I believe deeply in the role our campuses play in...

www.psu.edu

One or two days after announcing that "everything's fine"?

You just have to love how the massive PSU bureaucracy is so tone deaf and then suddenly becomes deft and nimble in response to educational developments.

I'll probably get outbid, but there is some prime real estate soon to be available.

 

[BobPSU92]

And they have been getting smaller.

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

And they have been getting smaller.

“I was in the pool!”

 

[PSU Mike]

I'd say try to divert some resources into trade school applications, but PSU charges more to attend Penn College to learn to weld than in-state Michigan kids pay to attend SCum.

Well, welders >> lawyers to society anyway.

 

[psuro]

University Park is a safety campus.

FIFY.

 

[Catch1lion]

“I was in the pool!”

At least the BOT, advised against using the word shrinkage

 

[Midnighter]

Take a look at the locations these Branch campuses are located. Neeli is correct - the demographics are changing. That is a nice way of saying "the culture does not support higher education". Because it does not. So, why continue to spend money when you don't have a customer base? It's Markting 101.

When you say they "can't afford to go" - how much less is it to go to one of these 12 Branch campuses than Univ Park? Not appreciably much (I have not checked). The savings come from Room and Board, if they can live in their high school bedrooms while attending college. If a high school student in that area has the desire for higher education, then they have other options - like other PSU branch campuses or Univ Park or another institution.

Marketing 101 is creating demand for something people may not know they want/need. You're thinking 'Economics 101'. But, doesn't matter. Penn State Beaver is in my neck of the woods back home and is a beautiful campus. Will be interesting to see what becomes of it and others. Like many branch campuses, it is less than three miles from the Community College of Beaver County.

 

[TheBigUglies]

I though I also heard thru the grapevine that they want to expand the number of freshman they accept at University Park. This would also reduce the number that end up at branch campuses. Back in the day(80s), students would just apply to the branch campus because getting into University Park was very competitive which I think why some started at branch campuses. They wanted to go to PSU but didn't have the grades/creds to get accepted at University Park and we wanted to work out way there by junior year.

 

[manatree]

It's no rumor. They keep on building new dorms at University Park. While the latest one that's been announced is for non-first year students, increasing enrollment at University park has been a decades long theme.

 

[StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle]

I though I also heard thru the grapevine that they want to expand the number of freshman they accept at University Park. This would also reduce the number that end up at branch campuses. Back in the day(80s), students would just apply to the branch campus because getting into University Park was very competitive which I think why some started at branch campuses. They wanted to go to PSU but didn't have the grades/creds to get accepted at University Park and we wanted to work out way there by junior year.

Yes. They made that public last year.

Penn State leaders share road map for University's future | Penn State University

President Neeli Bendapudi and select members of her senior leadership team are outlining how several key initiatives announced this past year fit within the vision for Penn State’s future, and are beginning to articulate a road map for the strategic direction of the University.

www.psu.edu

Q: What’s the current enrollment strategy at University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses?
Melvin: Demand for University Park continues to grow, and we are planning to leverage that demand by increasing enrollment in the first-year class at University Park. We are looking to slightly increase University Park’s first-year class from 9,175 students this year to 9,500 students starting in fall 2024, as that is the current maximum with housing capacity, with the goal of moving toward 10,000 students across the next several admissions cycles. As part of this plan to increase capacity at University Park, we are looking closely at the investments that will need to be made, from physical infrastructure to additional faculty and staff, to accommodate a larger student body. We want to do this the right way, so we’ve already engaged in preliminary conversations with key groups on campus and within our community, and we are cognizant of factors such as admissions standards, class sizes, and faculty/staff ratios, which remain incredibly important. We also want to increase the racial/ethnic, socioeconomic and geographic diversity of the first-year class at both University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses, grounded in mission-based aspirations to provide opportunities to underrepresented, first-generation, Pell-eligible and rural students.

 

[BobPSU92]

Marketing 101 is creating demand for something people may not know they want/need. You're thinking 'Economics 101'. But, doesn't matter. Penn State Beaver is in my neck of the woods back home and is a beautiful campus. Will be interesting to see what becomes of it and others. Like many branch campuses, it is less than three miles from the Community College of Beaver County.

Why doesn‘t PSU use its muscle to force these community colleges to close?

 

[Catch1lion]

Why doesn‘t PSU use its muscle to force these community colleges to close?

Or offer free fiscal advice, and get them to close while appearing to be helpful.

 

[WestSideLion]

And they have been getting smaller.

Some of those enrollments wouldn’t even sustain a coffee shop, let alone a branch campus staff and infrastructure.