HARRISBURG, Pa. — State representatives will be holding a hearing on Oct. 4 in Harrisburg on higher education funding in Pennsylvania.
This hearing comes as Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education, also known as PASSHE, approved a merger among six of its schools over the summer. PASSHE says the merger will help its budget, while also opening up more opportunities for students.
Lawmakers want to focus on the state's $1.86 billion budget when it comes to education in a joint House and Senate hearing. They want to review exactly how state dollars are being spent with the money allocated to higher education.
This year's budget for PASSHE was more than $450 million, as was the case for last year's budget. Over the summer, the PASSHE Board voted unanimously to turn six state institutions into two new universities. Each of the two schools will have a single administration, faculty, enrollment management strategy, and budget.
The PASSHE Board says the consolidation is in an effort to bolster student success and institutional sustainability. At the time, Cindy Shapira, chair of the board, said the consolidation was to ensure student and institutional success while providing quality education at the lowest possible price.
PASSHE said the schools merging will keep their names and identities. However, the merger would expand academic programs.
The hearing is set to begin at 9 a.m. You can stream the hearing here.