Dan Greenstein, chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), visited Shippensburg University on Thursday for the first Council of Trustees meeting of the new year.

The visit came on the heels of the beginning of the second phase in PASSHE’s redesign process. For the most part, Greenstein stayed silent, but said he sees a future in which the state-owned universities can flourish.

President Laurie Carter also used the meeting as an opportunity to announce former College of Arts & Sciences dean James Mike as the university’s interim provost. Mike will serve in this capacity until a permanent successor is found for Barbara Lyman, who retired from the role at the end of the fall semester.

A number of achievements were shared by Carter and her staff during the meeting. 

Donta Truss, vice president of enrollment management and student success, described new initiatives being put into place to improve SU’s retention rate. 

This included the hiring of directors of retention and the first generation college students’ programs, respectively. He also announced the implementation of Friday tutoring hours in the Student Success Center.

Student participation numbers are up at SU’s tutoring center, according to Carter. She also said early spring enrollment data suggests that the First Year Experience program, unveiled in the fall, appears to have been successful.

Carter referred to her own college experience at PASSHE-owned Clarion University when describing a new program SU is creating for first-generation college students and their families.

“[This] program will really serve as not just a resource for the students, but for the families who are going through this for the first time,” she said.

The meeting concluded with the council’s recognition of Lyman and SU’s field hockey team, which in November won its fourth national championship in six years.

The Council of Trustees will next meet on March 22.

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