Commissioner Steve Murray issued the following statement regarding plans to integrate six State System universities..
Last week, a unanimous vote by the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System
of Higher Education (PASSHE) to integrate six member institutions into two universities
with six separate campuses was passed. All six institutions, Bloomsburg, California,
Clarion, Edinboro, Lock Haven and Mansfield are also members of the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference, along with, the NCAA Division II.
From the beginning of this process, the PSAC has been fully supportive of the member
institutions that will be integrating under the PASSHE plan including a letter of
support to the NCAA on behalf of the PSAC Board of Directors. My office has been
in frequent contact with the member institution's leadership and State System representatives.
Most recently, I have been directly involved in the development of responses by the
integrating institutions to questions asked by the Division II Membership Committee.
It is important to the other 12 members of our Conference that these six campuses
remain as PSAC members.
Now that PASSHE has formally initiated the process, the academic entities that review
the integration will consider the plans and take appropriate actions. The Middle States
Commission on Higher Education will review accreditation for the new institutions
later this Fall. After Middle States takes action then it is our hope the Division
II Membership Committee will also take action on the request for the six member campuses
to remain as independent intercollegiate athletic programs within Division II.
Integrated institutions under one executive leadership team but with separate campuses
and athletic programs is not unique in the NCAA, however it is a new model for Division
II to consider. The Division II Membership Committee and staff have been, and will
continue to be, very diligent in their review of the circumstances surrounding the
integrating institutions. To this point the dialogue between those entities has been
positive, and we fully expect it to continue to be so.
I am extremely optimistic that now that the formal academic processes of integration
have begun for the six campuses that all necessary processes needed for continued
membership in Division II will occur. This process may not be as fast as some would
desire, but all involved agencies need to carefully review the plans and render necessary
decisions.
For a longtime into the future there will be Huskies, Vulcans, Golden Eagles, Fighting
Scots, Bald Eagles and Mountaineers competing as members of the PSAC and Division
II. Intercollegiate athletics is a vital contributor to the lifeblood of these campuses
and I certainly expect those programs to thrive under this new paradigm.