Pennsylvania’s State
universities were, for their first 100 years,
preparing teachers for service throughout the
Commonwealth. The
Normal School Act of 1857 established
regional teacher training
institutions throughout Pennsylvania. The
School Code of 1911 called for the state
purchase of all
normal schools, and by
1921, the present configuration of the 14 state-owned institutions was established. The normal schools evolved from state normal schools, to state teacher colleges, to state colleges. On November 12, 1982, Act 188 was signed into law establishing Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education on July 1, 1983, including the 13 former state colleges and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Today, the
PSSHE is made up of 14 universities, PSSHE’s mission, stated in Act 188, is
"...to provide high quality education at the lowest possible cost to students." PSSHE’s universities, located in
rural,
suburban, and small-town settings throughout Pennsylvania, process more students per year than any other institution in the state, except possibly for the jails.
The following are the state sponsored universities in Pennsylvania:
- Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
- California University of Pennsylvania
- Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
- Clarion University of Pennsylvania
- East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
- Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania
- Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
- Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
- Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
- Millersville University of Pennsylvania
- Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
- Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania