Letter to the editor: Spotlighting Pa.'s lack of oversight of higher education

You are to be commended for publishing the long-overdue article on the declining enrollment of related Pennsylvania institutions’ branches — particularly PSU/Pitt (“Pitt, Penn State branch campuses bleeding enrollment; decline expected to continue,” June 25, TribLIVE).

The six Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education schools were excoriated last year for their declining enrollment, which led to the two 3-in-1 “universities.” Cal U, where I taught, became, with Clarion/Edinboro, the stupidly named PennWest University. During this process, the related schools were not mentioned.

This article has indeed raised the issue of the total lack of higher ed oversight in the commonwealth. The ironies, relative to the PSSHE, are too many to mention; however, few know that it is the only public-owned system and that appropriations have lessened over the decades. “We” have always been the “stepchildren,” denigrated as lowly teacher ed schools for decades in small towns/boroughs until the ’60s, cf. to the related schools, and that continues.

Will there be any substantive change at PSU/Pitt? No; too much political clout.

John K. Folmar

California, Pa.