Temple University President John Fry believes Philadelphia’s colleges might be on the verge of a “generational transformation.”
He is co-chairing a task force launched Tuesday that intends to guide the fate of higher education in the region. Members include university leaders, as well as federal, state and local elected officials.
“The future is not a dream,” said the other co-chair, St. Joseph’s University President Cheryl McConnell, during an afternoon event at City Hall. “The future is a decision, and it is one we must make together. This task force will help guide our future decisions and identify opportunities for a better tomorrow.”
Nationwide demographic shifts, with fewer high school graduates and college freshmen, along with federal funding uncertainties are putting pressure on universities, particularly smaller institutions.
Philadelphia’s economy is heavily reliant on “eds and meds,” members of the task force noted. Educational and health services are by far the individual largest sector, supporting nearly 270,000 jobs, according to Pew’s 2025 State of the City report. Six of the city’s ten largest employers are universities or their health systems.
“This is not a looming threat,” Fry added. “Consolidation is here. Closures are happening. Mergers are happening.”
Most recently, in March, Bryn Mawr’s Rosemont College announced it would be merged into nearby Villanova University. Last year, Villanova took over Cabrini University, and the University of the Arts, in Center City, closed on short notice, leading to student and faculty protests.
Salus University, Hussian College, the University of the Sciences and Philadelphia University are among the other institutions in the region that have closed or merged over the past decade. In addition, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts has ended its degree-granting programs.
The task force is establishing committees to separately examine federal funding shifts, mergers, and the role of athletics. City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas said the body will meet at least monthly through July 2026, after which it will produce a report with specific recommendations.
“I don’t know a time, at least in recent history, that we’ve seen these universities come together under an umbrella like this,” added Thomas, who authored a resolution to convene the task force in conjunction with the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Thomas, chair of Council’s education committee, said the idea came from conversations with college leaders about the impact of student athletes now being able to profit from their name, image and likeness (also known as NIL).
Several Philadelphia-based state lawmakers, Council members, City Controller Christy Brady and U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle’s Office are part of the task force, according to information distributed by Thomas’s staff.
The committee includes representation from Arcadia, Holy Family, Delaware Valley, Ursinus, Penn State Abington, Eastern, Villanova, La Salle, Neumann, Peirce, Bryn Mawr, Chestnut Hill, Swarthmore, Immaculata, Gwynedd Mercy, Moore College of Art & Design, and the University of Pennsylvania.
