March 09, 2017
National Center for Higher Education Management Systems to assist State System with strategic review
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg 鈥� The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) will assist
Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education in conducting a strategic review of
the System鈥檚 overall operations鈥攊ncluding those at each of the universities and in
the Office of the Chancellor鈥攁nd will make recommendations for changes that may be
necessary to help ensure the System鈥檚 long-term future.
The review is being undertaken at the direction of the Board of Governors as the System
works to ensure the 14 state-owned universities are prepared to meet the needs of
students and employers in every region of the Commonwealth. It comes at a time when
the State System universities are facing unprecedented challenges, fueled largely
by lagging state funding and decreasing numbers of high school graduates, leading
to declining enrollments at many universities.
鈥淭his is our opportunity for bold, strategic thinking,鈥� said Board of Governors Chairwoman
Cynthia D. Shapira. 鈥淚f we are willing to work together and challenge each other,
we can shape a stronger future for our universities. This review will be comprehensive
and all-inclusive, and with NCHEMS鈥� assistance, I鈥檓 confident we can achieve an even
greater level of excellence for our students.鈥�
NCHEMS in recent years has worked with several other higher education systems facing
similar challenges, including systems in Colorado, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon and
Tennessee. The non-profit organization has extensive experience in collecting and
analyzing data and in the areas of student success, enrollment management, financial
planning and system governance.
This next phase of the strategic review will examine every aspect of the universities鈥�
and the System鈥檚 operations, and look for ways to enhance them. Students, faculty,
staff, university trustees and alumni will be asked for their input, as will other
interested system stakeholders, including business and community leaders and elected
officials.
The review is expected to conclude by the end of the summer, after which NCHEMS will
provide its recommendations for the State System.
鈥淣CHEMS knows about the challenges facing the State System and the future of higher
education in Pennsylvania,鈥� said NCHEMS Vice President Patrick Kelly, who indicated
the strategic review will involve a thorough examination of issues including access,
affordability, and the availability of resources and their sources鈥攁ll within the
context of the higher education marketplace in which the campuses operate.
鈥淎ll of these and other varying conditions and challenges will be analyzed and tied
together in such a way as to help the State System make the decisions necessary to
create a path to sustainability for Pennsylvania鈥檚 future that continues the promise
of providing access to affordable higher education to students in all parts of the
state,鈥� Dr. Kelly said.
鈥淥ur universities, with their dedicated faculty and staff, do a tremendous job providing
outstanding educational opportunities to students, and have done so for many years,鈥�
Ms. Shapira said. 鈥淲e have the opportunity to do things even better as we move forward
into the future.鈥�
Citing NCHEMS as a leader in the field of higher education management, Chancellor
Frank T. Brogan called the upcoming review 鈥渁 real opportunity to make some dynamic
changes.鈥�
鈥淲e can鈥檛 just tinker around the edges; this is our chance to shape the future of
our 14 universities and the future of our students鈥� lives, which is what matters most,鈥�
Mr. Brogan said.
The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems has more than forty years鈥�
experience in providing the information and tools necessary to assist policymakers
in states and higher education systems to make the right decisions for their students
and communities.
Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher
education in the Commonwealth, enrolling more than 100,000 degree-seeking students
and thousands more in certificate and other career-development programs. Collectively,
the 14 universities that comprise the State System offer more than 2,300 degree and
certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Nearly 520,000 State System
university alumni live in Pennsylvania.
The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg,
Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery
Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate
branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield
(Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including
the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.