Penn State trustees vote to close seven Commonwealth campuses

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WHTM) — Seven Penn State Commonwealth Campuses will close, trustees voted Thursday evening.

The board of trustees met virtually to consider the closure of the DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, and York campuses. 

The trustees voted 25-8 after nearly two hours of deliberation.

The closures will be effective at the end of the Spring 2027 semester.

According to our news partners at Spotlight PA, the university estimates closing the seven campuses would save around $50 million a year, along with clearing around $200 million in needed maintenance at the properties.

‘Charting a new course’

Prior to the vote, members of the university’s leadership and board of trustees weighed in.

Penn State University President Neeli Bendapudi defended the move.

“We’re charting a new course for the next century, for the future of our land grant mission,” Bendapudi said. “The path that we recommend has been shaped by data.”

She said that the campuses set to close have dropped in enrollment by 43%.

“Maintaining the status quo is not sustainable,” Bendapudi said.

“It’s the right moment for courageous leadership to reposition us for the next century of excellence,” she added.

David Kleppinger, president of the Penn State Board of Trustees, called the decision “not only difficult but deeply personal for all of us involved.”

“None of us are taking this lightly, nor should we or could we given what’s at stake,” Kleppinger added.

Not ‘only, let alone best’ option, trustee says

Nicholas Rowland said he doesn’t believe closure is the “only, let alone the best” option available.

“I think that closing them now pre-empts precisely the kind of revitalization that we say we want for the campus ecosystem,” Rowland, a faculty member at Penn State Altoona, said. “I think we owe [the campus communities] more than closure. I think we owe them a fair chance to adopt and find some way to survive. This vote, in my view, cuts short that opportunity that’s before us.”

“I don’t believe we’ve given the communities themselves the opportunity to reimagine themselves,” Anthony Lubrano, trustee, said.

Lubrano read part of a letter defending Penn State New Kensington, a western Pennsylvania campus slated for closure, which cited the campus’s dedication to revitalizing the region it served and to reimagining itself.

“I want to read it into the record for the public, David,” Lubrano said following an interruption from Kleppinger, adding that the four hours of deliberation weren’t public. “I think it’s disrespectful to these people. The fact that we’re not in person is disrespectful to these communities.”

Don Cairns said if the measure doesn’t pass, he would raise an opportunity to give three campuses a “two year runway to reimagine themselves.”

‘Problem didn’t sneak up on us’

“I don’t think delay is an option,” Karen Quintos said. “We owe these students, faculty, and staff closure.”

Quintos said she supported a vote to close the campuses.

Mary Lee Schneider said she believed the system should “go deeper” with the closures.

“This problem didn’t sneak up on us,” Schneider said, fearing the system will be back in the same situation in a few years.

Kelley Lynch said she’d visited each Commonwealth Campus and said “Every campus is unique and beautiful in its own way.

“This vote is incredibly difficult for me and, truthfully, I’m struggling with it,” Lynch said. She said she wanted assurance that the remaining Commonwealth Campuses will receive full support.

David Davis called the plan “spotless and flawless,” and asked trustees to look at the facts and data, not emotion.

“I think our rollout strategy is sympathetic,” he said.

The path forward

Penn State plans to keep 13 Commonwealth Campuses open, including Penn State Harrisburg in the Midstate. The others to remain open include Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Great Valley, Greater Allegheny, Hazleton, Lehigh Valley, Schuylkill, and Scranton.

The closure process will take two years, ending after the Spring 2027 semester.

The matter will now need to be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.