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APSCUF President Dr. Kenneth M. Mash today pledged that APSCUF will do whatever it can to fulfill The Pennsylvania Promise, an affordable-tuition plan unveiled today at a press conference in the Capitol.

“We must make a difference, and we must provide opportunities,” Mash said at the event for the Keystone Research Center and Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center‘s report. “The Pennsylvania Promise: Making College Affordable and Securing Pennsylvania’s Economic Future” outlines how the Commonwealth could make tuition affordable for Pennsylvania students for about $1 billion per year. Click here to read the full report.

KRC and PBPC will further explain the report in a webinar 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, for which you can register here.

One of the report’s authors, Mark Price, KRC labor economist, will go live to answer questions 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, on APSCUF’s Facebook page. We welcome members, students, and other supporters of quality, affordable higher education to join the discussion. If you’d like to submit questions in advance, email .

Senate Democrats recorded the press conference, which included statements from State Sen. Vincent Hughes, State Rep. Jim Roebuck, State Rep. Jordan A. Harris, and Daniel Le, a sophomore at Shippensburg University. Watch video of the full event here.

Graphics/Keystone Research Center and Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center

Today’s report is the fourth in a series by KRC and PBPC tackling upward mobility and higher education affordability in the Keystone state. Previous reports are:

Pennsylvania Higher Education at a Crossroads: To Boost Opportunity and Growth, Pennsylvania Needs to Invest in Higher Education (August 2017)

At Students’ Expense: Rising Costs Threaten Pennsylvania Public Universities’ Role in Upward Mobility (June 2017)

Pennsylvania’s Great Working-Class Colleges (April 2017)

Dr. John Mansfield addresses Mansfield University APSCUF members at a chapter meeting in April 2016. Photo/Kathryn Morton

Today we are all mourning the passing this morning of a great APSCUF leader, Dr. John Mansfield, associate professor of social work and APSCUF chapter president at Mansfield University. Dr. Mansfield was a wonderful advocate for his students and his colleagues, and we will miss him dearly. His family is in our thoughts during this heartbreaking time.

Visitation will be 5–7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at Tussey Mosher Funeral Home, 139 Main St. in Wellsboro. Mass will be 9:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 26, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 38 Central Ave. in Wellsboro.

APSCUF President Dr. Kenneth M. Mash encouraged the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors this morning to involve faculty and coaches in its system redesign and the search for a new chancellor. Watch his full comments on YouTube:

As 2018 begins, we thank you for your membership. We look forward to continuing to advocate for faculty and coach rights and for public higher education. We will continue to work for students, just as you do every day in your classroom and on the field. Here’s to a great year.

APSCUF President Dr. Kenneth M. Mash

APSCUF President Dr. Kenneth M. Mash has made two television appearances in the past week, speaking about college affordability on “Pennsylvania Newsmakers” and “Behind the Headlines.”

In his discussions, Mash referred to these reports from the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center and Keystone Research Center:

• Pennsylvania Higher Education at a Crossroads: To Boost Opportunity and Growth, Pennsylvania Needs to Invest in Higher Education
• At Students’ Expense: Rising Costs Threaten Pennsylvania Public Universities’ Role in Upward Mobility
• Pennsylvania’s Great Working-Class Colleges