7 Penn State Campuses Recommended For Closure In Detailed Plan

PENNSYLVANIA — Penn State has confirmed administrators recommend closing seven branch campuses and has released a detailed report university trustees have will review before taking a final vote on the closures.

The report was released late Tuesday after published reports revealed which branches likely will close.

“I am truly sorry that our community is learning of the recommendation through media coverage, rather than hearing about it with additional context directly from me or the board,” university president Neeli Bendapudi said in a statement.

“I understand the concern this will cause on our campuses until the decision is finalized — during an already distressing time for those who may be affected. I believe the recommendation balances our need to adapt to the changing needs of Pennsylvania with compassion for those these decisions affect, both within Penn State and across the commonwealth, in part because of the two-year period before any campus would close."

Penn State plans to shutter the Dubois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre and York campuses. They are among the dozen of the 20 branch campuses that initially were studied for closure along with Beaver, Greater Allegheny, Hazleton, Schuykill and Scranton.

According to enrollment statistics on the university's website, the seven campuses slated to close had 3,200 students during the fall semester. All have experienced enrollment declines of as much as 32 percent over the past five years.

The 143-page report released by the university cited "significant structural challenges" as the reason for the impending closures.

"Declining enrollment, stagnant state funding, rising operational costs, and shifting student demographics have placed enormous financial strain on the network of campuses, threatening the university’s ability to maintain access and quality across the state," the report states. "Importantly, Penn State is not alone in facing these headwinds."

Penn State says changing demographics and population are one component behind the proposed changes.

"These demographic shifts present critical challenges and opportunities for Penn State's
strategic planning as we work to balance enrollment, resources, and sustainability across
our campuses," the report stated.

The report was shared with trustees late last month to provide members with time to review and discuss the recommendations in advance of a yet-to-be-scheduled public meeting to vote on the matter. The board will meet Thursday in executive session to discuss the plan.

See the entire report here.

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