New Timetable For Decision On Closing Penn State Campuses Announced

PENNSYLVANIA — Penn State has pushed back the date of an official announcement on how many of its branch campuses the university plans to close.

Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said in February that the university no longer could sustain 20 branch campuses and would study which ones will be closing. She said a final decision would be revealed before spring commencement ceremonies, which are scheduled for the weekend of May 9-11.

But Bendapudi said Thursday in an open letter to the campus that after consulting with students, faculty and staff on the timing of an announcement, she has decided to delay the disclosure of which branches will be shuttered until mid-May.

"I know this delay may bring mixed emotions – relief for some, renewed frustration for others," Bendapudi said. "Please know that this decision reflects our belief that you deserve both clarity and compassion."

Penn State's seven largest branch campuses – Abington, Altoona, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Harrisburg, and Lehigh Valley – along with the graduate focused campus at Great Valley, will remain open. Those campuses compose nearly 75 percent of total branch campus enrollments and 67 percent of campus faculty and staff.

Additionally, the three special mission campuses — Penn State Dickinson Law, the College of Medicine and the Pennsylvania College of Technology — will continue to operate as they are.

A group of university officials has been studying which of the remaining 12 campuses to close. Those branches are Beaver, DuBois, Fayette, Greater Allegheny, Hazleton, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Schuylkill, Shenango, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and York.

Bendapudi said the university's board of trustees will convene in mid-May to consider her final recommendations. She pledged to share advance notice of the board's meeting date when it is scheduled and detail how to observe it.

"Following the board meeting, you can expect immediate communication from me and other leaders," Bendapudi said. "We also know that some of you may be away from campus at that time, so we are preparing both in-person and virtual opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to come together, ask questions, and support one another."