Board OKs budget, VP hiring, CAC naming-rights

The Pennsylvania College of Technology Board of Directors on Thursday approved the college’s 2024-25 budget, authorized the hiring of a vice president for workforce development and OK’d a naming-rights agreement for the Community Arts Center with Journey Bank.

The operating budget is $127 million and includes no increase in tuition or educational fees. The total budget – which includes revenue-generating auxiliary budgets and the restricted current fund budget (grants, contracts and restricted donations for which outside entities direct the use of funds) – is $189.5 million, a 2.83% increase over 2023-24.

In 2024-25, tuition and fees combined will be $18,240 annually for a typical Pennsylvania resident student enrolled for two 15-credit semesters – the same as 2023-24. Combined tuition and fees for non-Pennsylvania residents will again total $25,980 annually for students taking the same credit load over two semesters.

Residence Life’s student housing rates and Dining Services’ meal plan rates will increase by 2% in 2024-25 in order to keep pace with inflation. Fall 2024 enrollment is projected to increase by approximately 150 students.

The college’s state appropriation is budgeted at $31.5 million, based on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2024-25 state budget, a 5% increase. The state has not passed its budget yet.

Jon A. Nichols, executive director of finance/controller, presented an overview of the budget to the board, noting these are “challenging times” in higher education. He said the college still is feeling the impact on enrollment from COVID-19 as a final student cohort moves through the system through Spring 2025. He also cited inflation’s effect on expenses, the costs associated with implementing a new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software system for business operations and students seeking less costly alternatives for general-education coursework.

He said those aspects have been mitigated, however, by record-setting donor and industry support in Fiscal 2024 and enrollment that is trending higher for the second consecutive academic year, resulting in positive momentum for fall.

The board approved the hiring of Alison A. Diehl as vice president for workforce development. She has been serving as executive director of the college’s Clean Energy Center since November 2023; she begins her new duties on Aug. 5. Diehl began her employment with the college in 2009. Previously, she was director of the Clean Energy Center, assistant director of the National Sustainable Structures Center and training coordinator for the Pennsylvania Housing Resource Center. Before that, she was employed as a training and acquisition specialist with a Virginia company.

As vice president, Diehl will develop strategy for workforce programming in all areas within Workforce Development at Penn College, including the Plastics Innovation & Resource Center, the Clean Energy Center, the Apprenticeship Center, Penn College at Wellsboro, and all core operations within the department.

Shannon Munro, the current vice president for workforce development, is transitioning into an executive leadership role with WEDnetPA, an alliance of educational providers across Pennsylvania — including Penn College, other colleges and universities, community colleges and other entities – that acts as a delivery mechanism for workforce training grants.

President Michael J. Reed had high praise for Diehl and the work she has done with the Clean Energy Center, calling her an exceptional, transformational leader. He also lauded Munro for her “exceptional leadership and service” to the college for many years, helping the institution weather the financial impact of the pandemic and creating an environment that will enable her successor to thrive.

The board authorized senior administration to negotiate a contract that will include a 10-year renaming of the Community Arts Center – a renowned regional performing arts venue owned and operated by the college in downtown Williamsport – to the Journey Bank Community Arts Center. The action is to take effect July 1, 2025.

The Arts Center issued a request for naming-rights proposals last month to help it continue to meet its economic, cultural and community-focused mission – while potentially reaching an even wider audience.

Additionally, the board approved the appointment of Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management LLC as investment manager for the college and, via a unanimous-consent resolution, ratified a five-year lease agreement with Cisco to upgrade wireless internet connectivity for students, employees and campus visitors.

In another action item, the board appointed Lisa L. Mendler as its assistant secretary, succeeding Valerie Baier, who retired in May. Mendler is coordinator of president’s office operations. (Secretaries and assistants need not be actual members of the Board of Directors.)

Loni N. Kline, senior vice president for college relations, presented to the board on the Baja SAE Williamsport competition, hosted by the college for the first time ever. The event took place May 16-19 at the Heavy Construction Equipment Operations Site in Brady Township and featured an estimated total of 5,000 attendees and participants, she said.

The presentation featured an eight-minute video showing the Penn College Baja team’s months-long preparation for the event and its stellar performance: fourth out of 89 cars in the culminating endurance race, and 10th overall among 102 competing colleges and universities from the U.S. Canada and Brazil. The video was produced and edited by Tom Speicher, writer/video producer, with additional footage from Christopher J. Leigh, video producer, and Braxton A. Shope, assistant video producer.

In his comments to the board, Reed said that Fall 2024 total enrollment is projected to increase for the second consecutive year. He said it should eclipse the performance of Fall 2023, when the college saw its largest enrollment increase since 2008.

Other highlights Reed provided for the board were an increase in the graduate-placement rate to 97.7%, record-breaking fundraising of $19 million in Fiscal 2024 and a 20% decrease in academic suspensions.

Penn College, he said, is bucking the trend of disruptions in the higher-education space, particularly technical/technology education, resulting in positive momentum moving into the 2024-25 academic year.

State Sen. Gene Yaw, board chair, also addressed the recent closings of technical schools in Pennsylvania, noting the costs associated with that type of education far exceed those related to liberal arts programming. He said he continues to advocate passionately in Harrisburg for increased funding for technology education – and for Penn College in particular.

“That’s a constant challenge for us,” he told the board.

Yaw also raved about the Baja SAE Williamsport event, marveling how Penn College’s student team could hold its own among the likes of much larger colleges and universities in the various competitions. He added that the spirit of camaraderie and cooperation he observed among the 100-plus competing teams was encouraging and “gave me hope that the next generation maybe will be OK.”

Recounting an eventful few months at the college, the chairman concluded, “We’ve really had a good spring.”

The next regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting is Aug. 1.