Task force suggests changes at Cheyney

college-goers from across the state.

Mr. Harris said this week that he thought the university could build from its tradition of training teachers. “If the commonwealth or the country needs more African-American teachers, why shouldn’t Cheyney produce them? If there is a need for more students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) why shouldn’t Cheyney do it?”

Robert Bogle, chair of Cheyney’s Council of Trustees, and Aaron Walton, vice chair of the state system’s Board of Governors, are task force co-chairs. Neithercould be reached.

Cheyney was founded near Philadelphia in 1837 and became one of the system’s 14 state-owned universities in 1983.

Since 2010, the state system’s total enrollment has declined by 12 percent, more than 14,000 students, to 105,051. The largest percentage drop among the 14 schools was at Cheyney, where headcount has fallen by 53 percent to 746 students over six years.

In addition to Mr. Harris, task force members include: Cheyney trustee Sam Patterson; state Sen. Vincent Hughes; state Rep. Matthew Baker; Board of Governors chairwoman Cynthia Shapira; Board of Governors vice chair David Maser; and secretary of Policy and Planning Sarah Galbally from Gov. Tom Wolf’s office.

Mr. Maser and Mr. Baker were not present, Mr. Marshall said.

In addition to Cheyney, the system campuses include Bloomsburg, California, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester universities.