On Tuesday, June 17, Chestnut Hill College Interim President, Brian McCloskey, MBA, D.M., joined presidents and representatives from several Philadelphia-area colleges and universities for a press conference announcing a new task force aimed at examining the current state of the higher ed landscape in the city and surrounding suburbs.
The task force, which is being co-chaired by Temple University President John Fry and St. Joseph’s University President Cheryl McConnell, is uniting all local institutions of higher education in a collaborative effort to find a path forward.
According to research from Pew and as noted by members of the new task force, Philadelphia’s economy is bolstered primarily by “eds and meds” with six of the city’s top 10 largest employers falling into one or both of those categories. Nearly 270,000 employees fall into this sector making the viability of the Philadelphia-area’s institutions of higher learning that much more impactful.
Philly is known for our colleges & universities. We’re gathering ALL local higher eds to forge a path forward together.
Thanks to @templeuniv & @saintjosephs presidents for serving as co-chairs, and to every local institution for joining in on this important endeavor.
📺: @6abc pic.twitter.com/XGUm7otoqc
— Councilmember Isaiah Thomas (@CMThomasPHL) June 18, 2025
“I don’t know a time, at least in recent history, that we’ve seen these universities come together under an umbrella like this,” noted Philadelphia city council member Isaiah Thomas, who authored the resolution needed to create such a task force. Thomas is leading the charge alongside the Pennsylvania General Assembly, fellow council members, and U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle. Their goal is to work with college presidents and key stakeholders to identify the pitfalls and possible solutions to some of the issues surrounding the higher ed landscape including demographic shifts resulting in fewer high school students, question marks related to federal funding, and external pressures being put on universities, especially smaller colleges throughout the city.
The creation of this new task force comes at a pivotal time as the area has seen several closures or mergers in the post-Covid era. The task force will examine these mergers, in addition to the role athletics plays in a college’s vitality, and examination of federal funding shifts and the impacts they have had and continue to have on a college’s ability to operate and educate.
“Chestnut Hill College is proud to be included in this task force with colleagues in our surrounding Philadelphia community to make recommendations for our colleges and universities and to continue to support students who rely on Pell grants and loans to reach for a better life,” says McCloskey. “I look forward to seeing the final report in the upcoming year with a path forward and road to a bright future for all our area college-aged students. I also want to thank City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas for putting this much-needed task force together at such a transformational moment in the local higher ed landscape.”
– Marilee Gallagher ’14