Chancellor of State System of Higher Education announces resignation

Daniel Greenstein, chancellor of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, is resigning this fall after a transformative six-year tenure that saw controversial campus mergers, a historic jump in state university funding, and no tuition increases.

Greenstein notified the system’s Board of Governors on Monday of his intention to leave, effective Oct. 11. In an open letter sent Tuesday to students, faculty and staff at the 10 member universities, Greenstein looked back on his efforts and expressed gratitude for the job.

The letter did not specify his plans beyond calling them “a compelling opportunity … to work nationally.”

Greenstein was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.

In September 2018, Greenstein took the helm of what were 14 state-owned universities facing enrollment and financial woes. He oversaw an at-times contentious system redesign, including the mergers of six universities into two.

Pennsylvania Western University in the west (California, Clarion, Edinboro) and Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania in the north and east (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield) enrolled their first combined freshmen classes in fall 2022.

Though it drew campus-level complaints from many faculty and students, the redesign and mergers were praised by State System leaders. Overall, they said Greenstein’s tenure has seen improved financial stability for the universities, better legislative relationships and increased state investment.

New-student enrollment last fall increased for the second straight year across the system, though overall headcount continued a 13-year slide in a depressed higher education market. Enrollment systemwide stands at 82,688, down 31% from 119,513 in 2010.

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In a state near last in funding for higher education, Greenstein set out to convince skeptical lawmakers they needed to do more, even as those legislators demanded more fiscal accountability and transparency.

Some state lawmakers, including those who sparred with Greenstein, seemed to warm to the administrator who can sound wonkish, but who has a self-deprecating side. When rattling off policy arguments in rapid-fire sentences, he’d sometimes toss in humor.

“We’re in trouble in higher education. I don’t know if you noticed,” he deadpanned in a conversation with a representative of the University Innovation Alliance.

Known as an avid cyclist, Greenstein would often lead bike rides on his visits to campuses in the system.

“He is passionate about higher education, he is passionate about student success, and we are a better system today because of his leadership,” Cynthia Shapira, chair of the system’s board of governors, said in a statement.

Others are less flattering. PASSHE Defenders, a group pushing for full funding of state universities, said this after Greenstein’s departure was announced:

“He will be remembered as the chancellor who… didn’t listen to the public (students, faculty, staff and community members), did nothing to advocate for free college. Forced universities mergers and cuts,” it said on the social media platform X.

PennWest University in particular has struggled. Overall enrollment there fell in fall 2023 by 11.5%, and first-year student numbers are down by an even larger share – 20.5% — even as other Western Pennsylvania universities saw gains.

Officials have pointed to the stresses of campus mergers in a part of Pennsylvania with declining population.

“For six years, I have poured my heart and soul into our system, its people, mission, and places,” Greenstein’s letter read in part. “My passion for our work, students and cause is unwavering.”

A significant amount of “good, critical and undoubtedly hard work is yet to be done,” he wrote.

Greenstein, the system’s fifth chancellor, previously led the Postsecondary Success strategy at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He also was vice provost for academic planning and programs for the University of California system.

When Greenstein took the job, State System tuition was $7,716 yearly for in-state undergraduates. It remains so thanks to six consecutive board votes not to raise tuition.

“Perhaps the single most important thing we’ve done is freeze tuition every year since I arrived, thus securing PASSHE’s place as the most affordable four-year option for students,” said Greenstein. “That was possible only because of the hard work of our universities in controlling costs, because of the mission-mindedness of the Board of Governors and because of the renewed investment by the legislature and the governor.”

In 2022, Greenstein successfully advocated for a 16% jump to $552.5 million in State System’s state appropriation, the largest single-year increase in its history. This year’s 6% jump brings the funding level to $621 million.

But he also presided over mergers and job cuts based on what the faculty union saw as an arbitrary use of faculty-to-student ratios.

“Generally, the faculty have mixed feelings about Dan’s tenure,” said Kenneth Mash, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties.

“He managed to secure more money from the commonwealth than any chancellor in my memory. He focused on affordability, which, you know, thousands of students benefited from,” he said. “He focused on university transparency and even participated directly in faculty negotiations, previously unheard of. Those are all positive things.”

But the mergers “really angered and upset faculty across the system,” Mash said.

In Harrisburg, state Sen. Dave Argall, chair of the House Education Committee and a Republican from Schuylkill, Carbon and Luzerne counties, said this about Greenstein:

“During a very challenging time for higher education, Chancellor Greenstein improved PASSHE’s opportunity to succeed in the future. I wish him all the best.”

The Board of Governors will commence a national search for the next chancellor. In the meantime, it will identify an interim chancellor who will be appointed when Greenstein ends his service.

The 10 universities collectively enroll 83,000 students. In addition to PennWest and Commonwealth, they include Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Cheyney, East Stroudsburg, Kutztown, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester universities.