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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | October 25, 2016 06:37 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Seth M. Grove |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Financial Solvency for PASSHE and Lowering Tuition for Pennsylvania Students |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that addresses the issue of the financially failing Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities. Over 30 years ago, the General Assembly established the 14 PASSHE universities by statute with the intention of providing high-quality education at the lowest possible cost to students. Since that time, several PASSHE universities have exhibited financial struggles which have not been resolved leading to these universities becoming financial liabilities to the system. Despite the Board of Governors annually raising the cost of tuition for the past 15 years, and the General Assembly providing state appropriations annually (in the 2016-17 fiscal year alone, PASSHE’s line-item was $444 million), these universities have not been able to stabilize their debts. To address some of PASSHE’s universities’ financially insolvency, my bill will first identify those schools which are financially failing and create a contingency plan for students attending the universities are closed. My legislation will then direct the Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS) to sell and auction off these universities’ assets and use the revenue from the sales and auctions to pay down the debt of the remaining financially solvent schools. Finally, as the debt is paid off, PASSHE will be directed to reduce in-state tuition accordingly, in order to ensure that PASSHE reverts to its prescribed mission: providing low-cost education to Pennsylvanians. Please join me in this effort to solve PASSHE’s ongoing financial difficulties and provide affordable post-secondary options for our students by co-sponsoring this very important piece of legislation. |