Bigger AND better.

Those two words sum up the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) as its 14 member universities prepare for the opening of the fall semester Monday.

PASSHE universities are expecting an eighth consecutive year of record enrollment, with significant increases in both the number of incoming freshmen and transfer students. At least 10 of the universities—perhaps more—likely will break their own all-time enrollment records.

Enrollment has increased for 13 straight years across the State System and could approach 115,000 this fall. PASSHE is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth and its universities are the lowest cost among all four-year colleges and universities in Pennsylvania.

And the quality of students and programming at the universities keeps getting better too.

Students enrolling at PASSHE universities as first-time freshmen are reporting higher average scores on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), as well as higher high school grade point averages.

“Our universities are growing in every way,” said PASSHE Chancellor Dr. John C. Cavanaugh. “More students and their families are recognizing the high quality of our universities, and are discovering that they cannot find a better value.”

Several PASSHE universities have been recognized recently by national publications, for that quality and value.

Four PASSHE universities—Millersville, Bloomsburg, Shippensburg and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania—were rated among the top 25 public master’s universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report magazine in its most recent rankings, which were released last week. Edinboro University of Pennsylvania also has been cited by the magazine for its growing graduate programs, and was ranked by Animation Magazine for offering one of the top 15 animation programs in the nation.

California, Indiana, Kutztown and Slippery Rock Universities of Pennsylvania were included earlier this summer in a listing of the “Best Northeastern Colleges” by The Princeton Review. IUP also is included in the 2010 edition of The Review’s “Best 371 Colleges,” an annual guidebook of the nation’s top four-year colleges and universities, while Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania’s John L. Grove College of Business is ranked by the publication as being among the best business schools in the nation.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania recently was rated among the best values in public higher education by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.

The majority of academic programs offered by the 14 PASSHE universities are accredited by professional organizations nationally, a strong indicator of overall academic quality. Students who graduate from accredited programs have enhanced career opportunities and also are more competitive when applying to graduate schools.

Seventy-nine percent of PASSHE programs eligible for accreditation are now accredited, up from only about 53 percent in 2004. Two PASSHE universities – Clarion and IUP – have had more than 90 percent of their eligible programs accredited. Seven of the universities have received accreditation for more than 80 percent of their eligible programs compared to only two institutions achieving this mark in 2004.

The business programs at five PASSHE universities—Bloomsburg, Clarion, Indiana, Shippensburg and West Chester—are now accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), one of the most prestigious accreditations in academe. Three other PASSHE universities—East Stroudsburg, Kutztown and Slippery Rock—are in the process of seeking AACSB accreditation.

PASSHE’s full-time, undergraduate tuition rate for the academic year that begins Monday is $5,554 for Pennsylvania residents, who will comprise about 90 percent of all students. The total cost of attendance—including tuition, required fees, room and board and textbooks—will average about $14,500. That is below the national average for public colleges and universities, according to the most recent report on college costs produced by the College Board.

The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. There are more than 652,000 alumni of PASSHE universities, including approximately 454,000 who live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.