Penn State Abington Chancellor Gary Liguori, left, joined area college and university leaders and Philadelphia City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, center, at City Hall to announce the formation of a task force to guide the future of higher education in the region.
ABINGTON, Pa. — Penn State Abington Chancellor Gary Liguori joined leaders of 16 other Philadelphia area colleges and universities and local, state and federal elected officials this week to announce the formation of a task force to plot the future of higher education during a period of seismic change that may likely have outsize effects on the area's economy.
“Penn State Abington is excited to collaborate with our colleagues to develop new ways to support students and to strengthen higher education's impact on the regional economy. Abington already provides students with an affordable education that equips them with the skills to succeed. But we all agree that there is a need to holistically assess the opportunities and challenges facing colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area," Liguori said.
"City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, an Abington alumnus, deserves our thanks for leading the formation of the Higher Academia Task Force at such a transformational time," he continued.
Committees within the task force plan to examine federal funding shifts, mergers and closures, the role of athletics, and the demographic shifts resulting in fewer high school students. They will meet at least monthly through July 2026 and then produce a report with recommendations.
We all agree there is a need to holistically assess the opportunities and challenges facing colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area.—Gary Liguori , Penn State Abington chancellor
Thomas, who authored the resolution that created the task force with the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (PA-02) are the driving forces uniting college officials and key stakeholders.
“I don’t know a time, at least in recent history, that we’ve seen these universities come together under an umbrella like this,” said Thomas, (Abington 2007) who chairs City Council’s education committee.
The task force’s work comes at a pivotal time. In the last decade, seven Philadelphia area institutions have closed or merged and another ended its degree programs.
The Philadelphia regional economy relies heavily on “eds and meds,” or higher education institutions and health systems, some of which are operated by colleges and universities. They are by far the largest individual employment sector in Philadelphia, supporting nearly 280,000 jobs, according to the Pew Charitable Trust 2025 State of the City Report. Six of the city's 10 largest employees fall into one or both eds and meds categories.
About Penn State Abington
Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher education within a world-class research university. With more than 3,100 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 26 majors, accelerated master's degrees, undergraduate research, the Schreyer Honors College, NCAA Division III athletics and more.
