Plenty to celebrate, and more to do
It’s been said that time moves faster when you’re busy. While not inviting a debate on the scientific merits of that statement, I wholeheartedly agree with it. For years, we’ve been busy — you’ve been busy — all across our PASSHE universities. Together, we’ve undertaken a significant redesign effort that has challenged all of us to rethink what we do and how we do it. Yes, very busy. Many of you have heard me say we must never confuse activity for results . So, when we are able to share good news about the progress we are making, we should celebrate and acknowledge the hard work that made it possible. This fall, PASSHE universities set a record-high retention rate of 81% — measuring the number of first-year students who returned for their second year. All of our universities are using data-driven strategies to support and retain students. They understand that remaining in college is essential for students to reach their career and income goals, which dovetails with our mission to...