In remarks to the Board of Governors of the State System of Higher Education on Thursday, APSCUF President Dr. Kenneth Mash lamented what he called a “bright red line” that runs through any discussions of the “chronic bipartisan underfunding” afflicting the state-owned universities. Mash said lawmakers in the state capitol “need to be educated” about what is going on in the State System.
He focused most of his remarks on the idea of three-year degrees, which are currently in discussion at universities across the nation and at the State System. He said reducing the educational requirements for a degree to less credits over three years, whether they are bachelor’s degrees or go by some other name, threatens the academic integrity of the institution in comparison to the traditional four-year degree. Three-year degrees, Mash said, are “not the solution.”
Three-year degrees were one of several options discussed to reduce tuition and appeal to more potential students. The Board of Governors on Thursday also approved the “PASSHE Pledge”, which would waive tuition for state residents who qualify for federal and state grants based on income.
But Mash said “last-dollar scholarship programs” such as the PASSHE Pledge should be paid for by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, not by the universities. The plan would pay a student’s remaining tuition with university funding after the application of the federal Pell Grant and a Pennsylvania State Grant. It does not pay for fees, books, housing, or meals.
The PASSHE Pledge takes effect in the fall of 2027.
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