Writer: Esteban Pages
2 min read February 2024 — Greater Philadelphia’s higher education landscape is poised for a major overhaul.
Rooted in a persistent need for access and affordability and centered on competitiveness and workforce development, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s new blueprint, announced on Jan. 26, looks to bridge the prevalent gaps and prepare the future of the Keystone State’s higher education ecosystem.
Greater Philadelphia has managed to grow its college-educated population within the 25- to 34-year-old bracket by close to 200,000 individuals between 2000 and 2021, according to Campus Philly. Half of this growth comes from city residents, meaning the city of Philadelphia saw a 155% increase in its college educated population, outpacing the national average of 62%. Yet, according to the Shapiro administration, Pennsylvania ranks 48th in affordability and 49th in state investment for higher education.
“To ensure our region has the talent it needs to grow our economy in the coming decade, regional strategies around talent attraction and retention need to shift,” said Jennifer Kebea, president of Campus Philly in an interview with Invest:.
“Our region needs to focus on three goals: increasing opportunities for local talent, retaining talent that have graduated from regional higher ed institutions, and when necessary, attracting talent from other markets. Executing this strategy calls for a collaborative effort from regional partners,” she added.
The new blueprint’s announcement comes in the context of three decades of statewide disinvestment, leaving the brunt of the financial burden of higher education on the shoulders of institutions and students, relying on reduced services, raised tuitions, increased student debt and more barriers to access. The plan aims to create a new system in which Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities and the 15 community colleges of the state will be united under a new governance system. This consolidation is expected to provide pathways to affordable credentials and degrees.
In tandem, Pennsylvanians earning up to the median income will pay no more than $1,000 in tuition and fees per semester at state-owned universities and community colleges. While no amount was specified as of yet, the blueprint also includes significant investments in higher education to make up for the lack of public resources available to date. The blueprint follows the ambitious five-year plan laid out by Superintendent Tony Watlington for Philadelphia’s public schools to address student academic achievement, attendance and enrollment declines.
“We aim to identify and serve populations whose needs are currently unmet,” Daniel Allen, president at La Salle University, told Invest:.
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