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PSU Prexy Warns of Brain Drain as Demographics Change
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- A shrinking pool of high school graduates, an aging population and the increasing privatization of public higher education are key trends facing Pennsylvania, and the state's colleges and universities need to adapt now to prepare for the new mosaic of students that will comprise future classrooms, says the president of Penn State University, Graham B. Spanier.Spanier made his comments in a presentation yesterday before the Pennsylvania Press Club."The demographic changes we are facing combined with the unmistakable trend of flagging state support and the associated privatization of public higher education are trends that tell our future -- and it is a future filled with enormous challenge," Spanier said.The percentage of high school graduates who go on to college has increased over recent decades, and Pennsylvania's rate continues to be above the national average -- reaching a high of 73% last year, he noted. However, the number of Pennsylvania high school graduates dropped by 70,000 students between 1975 and 1995 in what Spanier characterized as "one of the most profound demographic trends this state has ever seen."Given the stagnant demographics of Pennsylvania, competition for in-state students can only be expected to intensify," he continued. "Schools will invest more in out-of-state recruitment, as well as in attracting non-traditional students.In addition, while about 35% of the state's population was 18 years old or younger in the 1970s, only 25% were by 2000 -- with a further drop anticipated by 2010. At the same time, while 11% of Pennsylvania's population was 65 years or older in 1970, that figure will almost double to 21% by 2025. "This gerontological drift could have a great effect on the public support -- or more precisely the lack of it -- we receive in the future," said Spanier. "Will older individuals, who vote at much higher rates and have strong lobbies, support the education of the state's youth?" he asked.Challenges also lie ahead in maintaining student-body diversity. In recent years, the pool of qualified minority students has trended sharply upward, resulting in a 50% growth in minority enrollment at Penn State -- a trend the university devotes significant resources toward supporting. This growth in campus diversity comes despite the fact that Pennsylvania is significantly white; by 2010, the state's population is expected to be 82% white, 10% African-American and 5% Hispanic. "It's going to be pretty tough for Pennsylvania institutions to provide our students with an educational experience that mirrors the nation's diversity," said Spanier.Women -- who already make up more than 56% of the undergraduate population on U.S. campuses -- will continue to outpace men in earning college degrees. Nationally, for every 100 men who earn bachelor's degrees, 133 women do the same. By 2020, the gap is expected to widen to 156 women per 100 men earning degrees. Such a trend raises a number of questions about preparation for the future work force of America, he continued.Today's students arrive at universities with a broader array of personal and familial challenges, and Spanier warned that the 'brain drain' trend -- the out-migration of educated young people due to a lack of in-state jobs -- continues to plague Pennsylvania.Spanier also discussed the shifting landscape in funding of the nation's top public research universities, leading to the increased privatization of public higher education. Penn State, in particular, has the dubious distinction of having had its revenue lines cross two decades ago, he said. In 1984, tuition replaced state funding as the largest portion of revenue. ForĀ 2004-2005, tuition and fees make up nearly 70% of Penn State's instructional budget, and state appropriations comprise only 11% of the University's total budget -- despite the fact that, adjusted for inflation, Penn State is spending only $71 more per student than it did in 1970."Pennsylvania ranks third in the nation for its support of private colleges and universities per full-time student. When the same measures are applied to public universities in the state, Pennsylvania ranks near the bottom," he said. As a result, obtaining support from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, philanthropy and federal support is increasingly important in the effort to keep a Penn State education accessible to the citizens of Pennsylvania.Visit Penn State University: www.psu.edu"