PSEA Interactive --- Pennsylvania Association of Higher Education

A unique opportunity

As the state’s largest Education Association, PSEA holds the unique opportunity to improve the quality of public education at all levels from Kindergarten to post-graduate degrees while fighting for the dignity and worth of its members.

With the support of our higher education members, PSEA positively impacts not only the lives of students in Pennsylvania, but the quality of life for our more than 185,000 members.

Working for You

As a higher education professional, you represent the final gateway to a student’s success in life.

As PSEA continues its work to improve the quality of public education in our Commonwealth, we do so in the hope that our public education students will be fully prepared to enter the undergraduate arena — whether at a four-year college or one of our many excellent community colleges throughout the state.

As higher education faculty, you know how crucial it is to not only have well-prepared students entering your classroom, but also talented and dedicated colleagues who are able to provide the most challenging and insightful instruction.

With your support, PSEA holds the unique position of being the only statewide organization that can bridge the gap between K-12 instruction and higher education. Together, we have the opportunity to improve the level of college-preparedness of our scholastic students while fighting to improve the quality of life for our higher education members.

Protecting your economic future & security

• Through PSEA’s efforts in Harrisburg, most of our higher education faculty members retire with at least 75% of their pre-retirement income — one of the very best retirement plans in the nation.

• PSEA will work for more competitive salaries so that Pennsylvania’s public colleges and universities can recruit and retain the most highly qualified faculty.

• Faculty salaries and benefits at community colleges organized with PSEA average over $10,000 more than compensation packages at unorganized colleges.

• Through the strength of the Association, we make it more difficult for administrations to cut salaries and eliminate programs, departments, or campuses without faculty consent.

• PSEA fights to maintain affordable employee contributions to health insurance.

Promoting quality education in Pennsylvania

• With more than 185,000 PSEA members and 2.7 million NEA members, we represent a powerful voice in the state and national legislatures for improving public education at all levels.

• Our legislative program supports improved opportunities for students to learn, including reduced class sizes, full funding of legislative mandates, and increasing equitable school funding.

• PSEA and NEA advocate before the state legislature and Congress, as well as state and federal agencies, for common-sense laws and regulations that support quality schools and to lobby for revisions to damaging legislation such as No Child Left Behind.

Department of Higher Education (DHE)

Four-year and two-year college and university educators who are members of PSEA are represented in PSEA’s structure by the Department of Higher Education (DHE). The department initiates, conducts and disseminates studies bearing on the welfare of members; develops and advocates policies that further the interests of society through higher education and provides critical analysis on existing policies in this area; conducts studies in support of higher education and on conditions of service; and develops a continuing process for further professional negotiations. The DHE president sits as a non-voting member of the PSEA Board of Directors.

Useful Higher Education Links