PA's Bloomsburg, Mansfield, Lock Haven Universities Renamed

Pittsburgh PA

03 March, 2022

8:30 AM

Description

HARRISBURG, PA — Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield universities in Pennsylvania now will be collectively known as Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education board approved the move on Wednesday. But agency officials emphasized that each campus will retain its existing university name, logo, colors and mascots. The Commonwealth University name for the integrated universities is meant to serve accreditation and contractual purposes. "We are proud that at each university's name will remain prominent across our campuses and in our ongoing outreach to families across the state as we showcase the power of our three universities through the breadth of educational experiences accessible to current and future students," Bashar Hanna, the president of Bloomsburg and interim president of Lock Haven and Mansfield, said in a statement. The agency decided in March to integrate the three universities, as well as three in western Pennsylvania: California, Clarion and Edinboro. In October, they collectively were renamed Pennsylvania West University, or Penn West. The State System contended the mergers, effective July 1, were necessary because over the past decade, it has lost 21 percent of its enrollment and hasn't adjusted cost structures. Anticipated cost savings from the integrations should allow each of the integrated universities to survive. In addition to the six integrated universities,the other schools in the state system are Bloomsburg, Cheyney, East Stroudsburg, Indiana, Kutztown, Mansfield, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester. Be the first to know what's happening in your community and region. With a free Patch subscription, you'll always be up to date on local and state news: https://patch.com/subscribe.