MANSFIELD, Pa. (WENY) - This week, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education gave the OK for plans to integrate six state universities in Pennsylvania. 

Three of those universities are located in the north-central region of the commonwealth. 

The idea of integrating the three universities; Mansfield, Lockhaven, and Bloomsburg, first came up during the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education re-design process about five years ago. 

“The objective of that process was to make sure we could find ways to ensure that our universities remain sustainable for the long term, remained affordable for students and their families, and also so that we could maximize educational opportunities for our students,” said Dr. John Ulrich, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs at Mansfield University. “What we realized during that process, was that it would be best if our universities could share resources, share expertise and that's what really led to the proposal to integrate Mansfield University with Bloomsburg University and Lockhaven University,” he added. 

The recent decision was one of the last major steps that had to be completed before moving forward with the process. 

In the integration, the three state schools will be formally recognized as a single entity: “Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania.”  

However, at each individual university, there won’t be any major changes on campus. 

At Mansfield, officials say they’re maintaining their mission and their local identity while providing more opportunities for students. 

“We made sure that we maintained our local identity, our name. Mansfield University, our school mascot, our nickname, our colors - all of that is remaining, it's not being changed,” said Dr. Ulrich. “I am most looking forward to expanding opportunities for our students. I think that is the huge benefit for our campus, our students and their families.” 

Dr. Ulrich says the consolidation of the universities will provide a unique opportunity for the three schools to collaborate and offer more for all students. 

“The more choices students have, the more pathways they have to meet their educational and career goals, the better. We're able to provide more resources and leverage best practices across all three campuses to meet our students’ needs the best,” said Dr. Ulrich. 

The Commonwealth University merger takes effect July 1, which is also when Pennsylvania lawmakers are scheduled to finalize the 2022-23 fiscal year budget. It will be around that time when the new Commonwealth University will see what funding from the state will look like. 

Integrated academic programs and new curriculums will take a bit longer to be implemented as faculty work to get everything in place, likely for fall of 2023. 

“The main thing to remember is that Mansfield University is still Mansfield University. That's still our name,” said Dr. Ulrich. “We're still meeting our mission and our purpose, which is to serve this community by providing access to higher education affordably and in a high-quality environment where our students can learn best.”