The House budget-appropriations hearing for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education and community colleges was held March 11. Click here to watch the footage. Here are our collated posts:
House budget-appropriations hearing beginning for State System and community colleges. Watch live here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPMe…
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Rep. James B. Struzzi II, Republican appropriations committee chair, in introductory comments notes that governor proposed flat funding for PASSHE and community colleges for upcoming fiscal year. PASSHE’s request: passhe.edu/offices/publ…
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Rep. Emily Kinkead, a Bloomsburg graduate, asks about proposed budget versus requests. PASSHE Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino talks about Board of Governor’s request that was submitted in October. Their request would enable tuition to stay level, he explains: passhe.edu/offices/publ…
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 1:56 PM
Kinkead asks about Good Samaritan policy and enforcement. Fiorentino calls it a complex situation.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Investment in PASSHE is an investment in future of Commonwealth, Fiorentino says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 1:56 PM
Community colleges talk about not wanting to cut into student success.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 1:57 PM
Rep. Eric Nelson talks about community-college funding. Dr. Tuesday Stanley talks about code that lays out third/third/third funding model. In practice, depends on institution, she says. Students bearing much of burden of attending, underscoring importance of affordability, Stanley says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Nelson asks PASSHE asks about GrowPA and issues with classification codes. “Working on it,” chancellor says of “bureaucratic glitch.”
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Rep. Regina G. Young ask about managing tight budgets, how universities determine what to scale back on while still keeping campus safe, up-to-date and welcoming.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Rep. Marci Mustello asks about dual enrollment and what students use program. Dual enrollment an area of growth, particularly for community colleges, says Megan Coval, president of Butler County Community College.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Slippery Rock University President Karen Riley echoes that dual-enrollment is an area of growth. She talks about STEM-H program and targeting education programs.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Rep. Marci Mustello asks about getting students involved in skilled trades. Riley talks about partnership with carpenter union.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Rep. Kyle J. Mullins talks about students enrolling in fully online programs outside PA. He asks about plans to grow online learning, barriers, challenges.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:21 PM
“We can’t ignore the market,” Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino says. He talks about acceleration of online learning during pandemic. Growth area is nontraditional student population, he says. Need to move into this market more vigorously, he says. He mentions program-sharing.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Rep. Jim Rigby asks about funding for first-responder training. Community colleges offer training as community service, Dr. Tuesday Stanley says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Rep. Gina Curry asks about programs to help with insecurities in food, clothing at community colleges and universities. Community colleges talks about transfers, partnerships. SRU president talks about involving community college students in activities to ease social aspects of transfer.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Rep. Ann Flood asks about efforts to attract nontraditional students. Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino talks about progress, facilitating return of students who stopped out. Slippery Rock University President Karen Riley talks about new programs, partnerships, and approaches.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Rep. Steven Malagari asks about how legislature can support community colleges in expanding biotech and life-science workforce pathways. Community colleges talk about developing curriculum and programs to meet needs. Stanley notes funding request. Malagari praises nimbleness of community colleges.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Malagari asks PASSHE about in-demand fields and workforce preparation. Very focused on preparing graduates to meet Commonwealth needs, Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino says. Trying to move at pace of industry for new programs, Slippery Rock University President Karen Riley says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Rep. Charity Krupa asks if PASSHE consolidations are complete or ongoing.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:50 PM
“Probably always going to be an ongoing process,” Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino says. He talks about inflection point in higher ed. Continue to streamline, realign, look at program arrays, Fiorentino says. Seeing a lot of success as result, he says. Continuing to work on improving, he says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Have universities met milestones, Krupa asks. PASSHE talks about continuous adjustments, enrollment. Krupa follows up about PennWest debt. PASSHE talks about addressing structural deficit.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Krupa asks about unexpected issues or challenges of consolidations. “Yes,” chancellor says. Going through careful analysis now, he says. “Learning as we go,” he says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Rep. Justin Fleming, a Millersville University graduate, asks about deferred maintenance. Local decisions, chancellor answers. A common way to cut costs, he says. “Really at a crisis level across the System,” he says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Slippery Rock University President Karen Riley talks about SRU’s millions of deferred maintenance and priorities. It’s not just a roof, she says. By kicking can down road, limiting educational experience of students, she says. Cyber is No. 1 risk; putting selves at risk for cyber attacks, she says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Rep. Jeff Olsommer, who went to East Stroudsburg University, asks about remedial education. Is need increasing or decreasing, he asks. “We are access institutions,” Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino says. He talks about support focused on helping students move forward.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Rep. Tim Brennan, a former community college faculty member, returns to topic of first-responder training, asks for elaboration on more funding for programs at community colleges.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Brennan asks about how PASSHE funding request would be used, effects of flat funding. Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino talks about understanding differences and distributing money appropriately.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Rep. Chad Reichard asks about PASSHE-wide preparing students to enter workforce. Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino talks about programs across System. SRU president talks about breaking barriers to helps students access activities, always looking for ways to fund.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Rep. Chad Reichard asks about how to help. SRU presidents talks about funding.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Rep. Marla Brown talks about underutilization of campus facilities, finding creating ways to repurpose. Brown asks about partnerships.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Slippery Rock University President Karen Riley clarifies that SRU does not have excess housing. She talks about retention, goal of seeking partnerships.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Chancellor talks about pursuing opportunities for campuses that have excess space. Some buildings past useful life, need to be demolished, he says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Education chair Rep. Bryan Cutler asks about GrowPA program. What needs to be done to make program more efficient (such as coding issue), he asks. Chancellor notes more traction in-state. He talks about developing better processes, recruitment.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:20 PM
What efforts can ensure continued enrollment in GrowPA program, stay in correct career path, Cutler asks. All schools committing significant resources for financial aid, chancellor says. SRU president talks about combining financial aid, bridging gaps. Committed to funding students, she says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Rep. James B. Struzzi II thanks panel for providing affordable, quality education for PA students. He lauds IUP (in his district) and its proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine (www.iup.edu/president/pr…). He asked if enrollments have increased.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:25 PM
After decline, leveled off, ticking up a little bit, chancellor says. He notes upcoming high-school-graduate decline; focusing now on nontraditional and retention, chancellor says. Seeing modest uptick in applications, commitments, chancellor says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Speaks to the need to right-size higher education overall, Rep. James B. Struzzi II says.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Rep. Jordan A. Harris, majority appropriations committee chair, talks about relationships between universities and community colleges. He talks about need to cut costs for students to make funds go even further. Institutions fill the gaps, he concludes.
— APSCUF (@apscuf.org) March 11, 2026 at 3:27 PM