Questions still surround potential Cal U merger

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

A meeting Thursday involving members of the state Senate Appropriations and Education committees and the chancellor of the State System of Higher Education has left some of the lawmakers with more questions than answers.

PASSHE Chancellor Daniel Greenstein Thursday addressed the committees to outline the plan to integrate six universities. The session addressed the merger of California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University and Edinboro University in the west and Lock Haven University, Mansfield University and Bloomsburg University in the northeast.

The PASSHE board of governors voted Wednesday to move the plan into its 60-day comment period. That phase, which includes two public hearings, is mandated under Act 50 as amended last year. Sen. Jim Brewster, D-Mc-Keesport, who sits on both the Appropriations and the Education committees, says more time may be needed.

“I’m very skeptical at this point. I think we should delay this. Sixty days isn’t long enough,” Brewster said. “I will get more comfortable when mayors and councils and chambers of commerce and labor unions are on board.”

The law calls for the PASSHE board to consult with stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students and administrators, but does not spell out how that consultation should take place. It also requires two public hearings, but doesn’t specify how long those hearings should be.

Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-West View, the minority chair of the Education Committee, said PASSHE has set a 90-minute time limit on each of the hearings scheduled for June 9 and 10. Online comments are also being accepted.

“I was very disappointed when I saw that. Act 50 says two public hearings; it doesn’t say how long,” Williams said.

“It’s not long enough,” Brewster said.

Williams said she still has a lot of questions after listening to the chancellor’s briefing and reading through the plan.

“For 400 pages, there is a shocking lack of detail,” Williams said. “There were a number of places that said ‘will initially lead to cost-savings.’ How much and when? It refers to Appendix J, but there are no numbers. Appendix U is numbers, but it’s so blurry you can’t read it.”

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