In a year fraught with declining enrollment, inflating tuition costs and decreasing funds for the Commonwealth Educational System, administrators are still hopeful of strengthening the system.
At a presentation before the University Board of Trustees Friday, Robert Dunham, senior vice president and dean for the CES, said each campus executive officer was asked to outline a specified reduction plan.
"Despite the difficult times, I am bullish about CES," Dunham said. "We will build on our strengths and change when we must."
Currently the CES is facing a $12 million budgetary shortfall that it will share with University Park.
In addition, 20 faculty and 50 staff and technical service positions will be cut, 53 fixed contracts will not be renewed and 84 unfilled positions have been collapsed, Dunham said. The CES announced the position cutbacks earlier this summer.
The CES has been plagued for years with declining enrollment, something Dunham attributed to a demographic decline in high school graduates and high tuition costs. Last year, overall CES enrollment dropped 5 percent, 1,252 students.
John J. Romano, vice provost for enrollment management and administration, said during the past two years, students overall showed greater selectivity and were more tentative in making final college choices.
Students have become more concerned with the cost of tuition and the amount of loan debt they will incur, he said.
In response to declining enrollment, the University has tried to change procedures and simplify the application process.
Priority is now being given to CES and Penn State Erie applicants. All applicants who specified the CES or Penn State Erie as their first choice of location were processed in about one week's time. Tuition for out-of-state Commonwealth Campus students has also been lowered in an effort to attract more students, Dunham said.
There is also an effort to coordinate enrollment and retention for each Commonwealth Campus by CES planning officers and teams.
Dunham said Thursday that there are no plans to close campuses, but two teams will be sent to the McKeesport and Beaver campuses to determine potential changes and ensure that the campuses remain open. Dunham said earlier this year that he had heard speculation about closing some campuses.
"Changes need to be made at both campuses if they are to have a future," Dunham said.
All Commonwealth Campuses will make sacrifices even if their individual enrollment has not declined, he said. Those not showing a decline are unhappy about the cuts, but know they have to happen, Dunham said.
"We don't have a lot of choices . . . trying to make the best choices," he said.
Student Trustee Don Lamuth raised concern about the deterioration of campus atmosphere and the elimination of various student services.
"I have heard time and time again . . . it's really the out-of-classroom experience that makes the difference," Lamuth said. He encouraged the board to make an "investment in the complete campus experience."
Keith Kozo, Council of Commonwealth Student Governments representative to the board, was also concerned about the effect of losing some student services to budget cuts. He said the University has "to provide services that will provide a well-rounded education."
Trustee Marian U. Coppersmith Fredman said the tuition difference between University Park and a Commonwealth Campus is minimal.
"There should be a larger differential because University Park has many more services," Coppersmith Fredman said. "It should be a better deal to go to a Commonwealth Campus."
Collegian Staff Writer Deepika Reddy contributed to this report
