Governor’s Advisory Commission on Postsecondary Education: REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS November 14, 2012 Letter from the Commission Pennsylvania has long been recognized for offering abundant and diverse opportunities for postsecondary education. Our tremendous asset includes the universities of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, the state-related universities, the community colleges, private colleges and universities, research and graduate institutions, adult education and family literacy providers, private licensed schools, proprietary institutions, specialized associate degree-granting institutions and business, trade, and technical schools that offer vocational programs. The Governor‘s charge was to create a multi-year framework that would sustain and enhance the commonwealth‘s postsecondary education system, while serving the needs of students and employers for the 21st century. During the course of our discussions, we pondered questions such as: What types of collaborations will be needed within the next 5-10 years to meet Pennsylvania‘s labor demands, to achieve sector efficiencies and to increase accessibility and affordability for all users? What role should government and state policymakers play in helping achieve these goals? What best practices exist regionally, nationally and globally that could be held as standards for replication? What strategies would be needed to overcome potential barriers that could stand in the way of making these changes? We deliberated as a commission and listened to members of the public and expert speakers from all regions of the commonwealth. We clearly heard the call for businesses, government and education providers to collectively meet the needs of lifelong learners, increase student readiness, improve business/education partnerships, provide greater accountability to commonwealth taxpayers and users of the system, increase flexibility in delivery and provide strategic financial investments based on performance. With this in mind, we developed our work through the lens of the learner, putting the student in the driver‘s seat and evaluating how providers would adapt and change to offer the greatest educational options with the most significant impact on personal development, as well as economic growth and stability. We are pleased to present these recommendations to the Governor and citizens of Pennsylvania as a culmination of our joint efforts. As business and education leaders, we look forward to working together to ensure Pennsylvania‘s postsecondary education system remains a premier asset for decades to come. Donald Block Don L. Francis Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania Frank F. Britt Penn Foster Division Kathleen A. Gallagher Eckert Seamans Lucien Calhoun Calhoun Baker Inc. Michael George QVC, Inc. John C. Cavanaugh Pennsylvania State System of Higher Davie Jane Gilmour Education Pennsylvania College of Technology William E. Griscom William G. Durden Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Dickinson College Gerald C. Eckert Amy Gutmann Millersville University University of Pennsylvania Richard M. Englert Temple University L. Jill Hans Pennsylvania Department of Education Rodney A. Erickson The Pennsylvania State University Robert R. Jennings Lincoln University Alex Johnson Karen Winner Sed Community College of Allegheny County Winner International Ronald W. Simms Michael MacDowell Petroleum Service Company Misericordia University Rex Spaulding Suzanne S. Mayes North American Trade Schools Inc. Cozen O'Connor Constance Nichols Grove City College Sara St. Peter Allegheny College Mark A. Nordenberg University of Pittsburgh Alan Todd Corporate University eXchange (CorpU) Rita D. Perez Pennsylvania Department of Education Larry A. Wittig Pennsylvania State Board of Education Guido M. Pichini Security Guards Inc. James L. Preston Rob Wonderling Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Agency Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 About the Commission .............................................................................................. 2 Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 3 Goal 1 ............................................................................................................... 3 Goal 2 ............................................................................................................... 6 Goal 3 ............................................................................................................. 10 Goal 4 ............................................................................................................. 15 Appendix .................................................................................................................. 17 Commission Member Biographies ................................................................ 18 Expert Speakers ............................................................................................. 29 Executive Order 2012-01 ............................................................................... 32 Postsecondary Education Landscape ............................................................. 34 Legislative and Regulatory Review ............................................................... 82 Work Cited ..................................................................................................... 91 Endnotes....................................................................................................... 100 Introduction By The Numbers: The Governor‘s Advisory Commission on Postsecondary Education (commission), created by Executive Order 2012-01, has been charged with The System making recommendations in relation to the establishment and maintenance of a robust and responsive postsecondary education system in Pennsylvania for the 21st century to serve students and citizens of this commonwealth. Thirty-one commission members were appointed for their expertise and leadership in the education and business communities. 402 Over the past year, the commission has met and deliberated over critical issues and challenges affecting the delivery of postsecondary education and considered ways to maintain the quality of education, assure its The number of public and longevity and adapt to the changing workforce needs and evolving private institutions. This demographics of the users. As a result of this work, the commission has includes for-profit and not- identified four key goals under which recommendations are categorized. for-profit credential What follows is the work of the commission including an overview of Pennsylvania‘s postsecondary education system, the legislative framework granting institutions. within which the system operates, including major regulations as well as critical issues and the recommendations the commission believes will IPEDS 2011-12 address these challenges and support an environment of sustainability for the future. 279 The Commission‘s Goals The number of private- licensed schools. Affirm opportunities for lifelong learning; Pennsylvania Department of Ensure greater public access, affordability and Education, Bureau of usability of postsecondary education; Postsecondary and Adult Education, 2011-12 Recognize and support the diversity and richness of the postsecondary education system; and Enhance Pennsylvania's economic vitality and the 143,766 ability for the commonwealth to compete globally. Number of Bachelor‘s Degrees, Associate‘s Degrees, and Certificates earned in Pennsylvania in 2010-11. Originated November 2012 1 About The Commission By The The Commission has met numerous times with the purpose of analyzing the Numbers: current state of Pennsylvania‘s postsecondary system, identifying challenges and possible areas for improvement, and formulating recommendations to The Process strengthen the system in both the short and long terms. Four working groups (Workforce Needs, Accessibility and Affordability, Administration and Financial Structures and Collaboration) were established to focus the Commission‘s efforts and drive discussion in the areas outlined by the 16 Executive Order. These discussions later evolved into the four key goals which organized the Commission‘s recommendations. The Number of public/field meetings As a result of these discussions, Commissioners met with colleagues, advisors and the general public to solicit input and articulate potential solutions and held across the improvements to the current postsecondary framework. Over a hundred ideas commonwealth and in were generated as a result of this exercise and later synthesized and Harrisburg to solicit consolidated to create more than thirty ideas. Over the span of several information. meetings, the Commission met to discuss, evaluate and prioritize the ideas. Subset groups of commissioners further explored each of the ideas and crafted language for formal recommendations for the purpose of discussion, revision and eventually, final consideration. To ensure transparency and public 31 participation, the Commission adopted a three-tiered strategy for soliciting input from the public. The input received from the public meetings in Harrisburg, The number of regional field meetings and the Commission‘s e-mail account were incorporated into discussions and represented in the