Opposition to university merger plan expressed
By CHRISTINE HAINES
chaines@yourmvi.com
The plan to merge six state-owned universities to create two new universities drew criticism Thursday in the first of four informal public input sessions hosted by the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties.
Clover Wright, who has taught at California University of Pennsylvania for the past 12 years, has participated in the committees working on the integration plan, which would combine Cal U with Clarion and Edinboro. She worries that the integration plan will hurt specialty programs at the universities, particularly the deaf education program at Edinboro and the professional studies in education program at Cal U.
“It seems that specific programs at universities are going to be trimmed off,” she said.
Wright is also worried about a domino effect that could damage the universities and their communities.
“We’re already losing students. We’re going to lose faculty. California is a dot. It’s basically an intersection with a light,” Wright said. “If the university falls, it’s going to affect the whole town. I feel like we’re being railroaded into this consolidation without consideration for what it means.”
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