Consolidation of 6 Pennsylvania State Universities Approved by Middle States Commission on Higher Education

In mid-March 2022, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education announced that it had granted accreditation to Commonwealth University and Pennsylvania Western University. Based on this decision, the degree-granting authority and accreditation of Bloomsburg, Mansfield, and Lock Haven universities have been transferred to the Commonwealth University. Pennsylvania Western University will receive degree-granting authority and accreditation from California, Clarion, and Edinboro universities.

This merger was first proposed several years ago, and this accreditation was one of the last remaining hurdles in making it a reality. The accreditation and degree-granting authority changes will be effective on July 1, 2022. Let’s take a closer look at what this future means for these universities.

Merging PASSHE Schools Will Retain University Identities

The Commonwealth University and Pennsylvania Western University will remain “behind-the-scenes” names, as each university will retain its campus name and branding, including school colors, logos, and mascots. According to system officials, the names of the newly merged universities will not be marketed.

Students on the campuses of Commonwealth University will continue to be students of Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities. Students at the three Pennsylvania Western campuses will also continue to be students of California, Clarion, and Edinboro. PASSHE officials are hopeful that the NCAA would follow suit and approve a request for each of the six universities to maintain their own separate athletics programs.

Potential Benefits of the PASSHE Mergers

The consolidation of these six universities is a response to recent issues faced by not only the PASSHE universities but universities throughout Pennsylvania and across the nation. Since 2010, the universities that comprise PASSHE have seen drastic drops in student enrollment. During that period, Cheyney, Edinboro, Clarion, Mansfield, and Lock Haven universities have experienced drops of 45 percent or more. As a whole, the schools that make up the PASSHE system have seen a 25.8 percent decrease in student enrollment since 2010.

In 2020 the Pennsylvania State System’s Board of Governors approved the consolidation to address this pressing issue. PASSHE leadership hopes that the merger will help make PASSHE more financially stable, expand access to education and opportunities, and make progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

Improving Academic Opportunities

Academic opportunities will likely increase because students enrolled at one campus will have the option to pursue programs, internships, and other academic opportunities at the campuses that fall under the same consolidated university. Pennsylvania Western University also plans to expand academic opportunities by offering fully online degree programs.

How PASSHE Merger Could Lead to DEI Progress

PASSHE leaders are hopeful that these mergers will help each university improve its DEI capabilities. They see the consolidation as an opportunity to reevaluate each aspect of university operations, including enrollment, academic success, hiring practices, and more, and find areas where the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion could be better served.

This new focus on DEI has the potential to resolve current inequities between white and non-white students on these campuses. While the number of underrepresented students at PASSHE campuses has doubled since 2008, their graduation rate remains 20 percent lower than white students. Additionally, some students have expressed concerns regarding discrimination and inequality in the PASSHE system.

PASSHE began its DEI reevaluation in August 2020, after hiring inaugural vice-chancellor and chief DEI officer Denise Pearson, PhD. After speaking with students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders, Pearson identified five areas of focus for DEI improvement:

● Faculty, staff, and student diversity

● Equitable student outcomes

● Inclusive campus environments

● Curriculum diversity

● Infrastructure

Pearson says that each university was doing good work in DEI at the time she was appointed, albeit independently. This new merger will allow the campuses to analyze collective data to determine which DEI policies most effectively build inclusive learning environments to improve both retention and graduation rates.

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania & Pennsylvania Western University Expected to Launch in August

PASSHE officials expect the first students of the newly consolidated universities to enroll in August 2022. The course programs that will be offered across multiple campuses are expected to be gradually phased in over the next three years. Additionally, university officials must also settle logistics, such as where the headquarters of each department will lie. The approval of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education makes it easier for these universities to begin preparing for the first class of incoming freshmen at the newly consolidated universities.

PASSHE is awaiting the NCCA’s decision on whether these six universities can retain their own athletics programs. They are hopeful that these athletics programs will hold on to their storied histories, colors, and mascots.