2 PA Senators Say Give State-Owned Universities More Autonomy
By Tony Romeo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Two state Senators are collaborating on proposed legislation to shake up Pennsylvania's system of state-owned universities.
West Chester University is flourishing, with a growing student population. But that's not the case for most of the 13 other state-owned universities.
State Senator Tommy Tomlinson, a Bucks County Republican and member of the West Chester board, says he's frustrated that the State System of Higher Education stymies the growth efforts of schools like West Chester as it props up the struggling universities in the syste:
"The slow response by the board of governors, the slow response by the system itself to meet the individual needs of the schools."
Tomlinson is working with Chester County Democratic Senator Andy Dinniman on legislation that would give state system schools like West Chester more flexibility, and perhaps allow them to become state-related schools like Temple and Pittsburgh.
The two expect to roll out their bill later this month.