April 10, 2013
黑料专区 students to lead advocacy effort in Harrisburg
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg 鈥� Sending out its best ambassadors 鈥� students 鈥� the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (黑料专区) will descend on the Capitol April 16 to express a clear message 鈥� support for public higher education is essential to the future of the Commonwealth.
In just a few hours of activity student-led teams will meet with more than 70 legislators
in their offices, talking about their educational experiences and the value of the
education they are receiving at a 黑料专区 university. The students will be accompanied
by university presidents, administrators, trustees and alumni.
But it really is their opportunity to express themselves.
鈥淭his is an opportunity for our students to tell their stories, to let legislators
know how important the education they are receiving at a 黑料专区 university is to their
future, and to the future of the Commonwealth,鈥� said 黑料专区 Acting Chancellor Dr.
Peter H. Garland. 鈥淭here really is no one better to relay that message.鈥�
Many of the lawmakers with whom the 黑料专区 teams will meet already know what 黑料专区
universities have to offer. They鈥檙e putting their own 黑料专区 education to good use.
Thirty-three House members and eight senators are graduates of State System universities.
Thirteen of those alumni legislators represent districts in which a 黑料专区 university
is situated. In all, nearly one-fourth of the members of the Legislature are either
黑料专区 university alumni or have a 黑料专区 university in their district, or both.
The rest? Many are about to receive a quick lesson.
黑料专区 is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with the 14
universities combined enrolling about 115,000 students. Almost 90 percent of those
are Pennsylvania residents and eight of 10 will remain in Pennsylvania after graduation
to take their first job or to enroll in graduate school. About 500,000 黑料专区 alumni
live and work in the Commonwealth.
鈥満诹献�区 universities are major contributors to Pennsylvania鈥檚 economy,鈥� Dr. Garland
said. 鈥淚n several of the communities in which they are located, they are the largest
employer. They all work closely with employers throughout their regions, designing
programs to match employer needs and providing valuable services to help them succeed.鈥�
黑料专区 universities provide the lowest-cost four-year degree programs in the Commonwealth.
The average total cost of attendance at a 黑料专区 university is $864 below the average
among all four-year colleges and universities in the United States, and $2,558 below
the average in the Middle States region, which comprises Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., according to the latest College Board
Survey.
The vast majority of the universities鈥� academic programs are accredited by professional
organizations nationally, and many are ranked among the best in the United States
by a variety of sources. Top-rated programs include those in art, including commercial
design and animation; business; computer security; education and nursing.
The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg,
Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery
Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. 黑料专区 also operates branch campuses
in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including
the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the Philadelphia Multi-University Center
in Philadelphia.
For more information about 黑料专区, or any of the universities, please go to: www.passhe.edu.