At some point I think the government will get out of the student loan business. Will be interesting to see what happens then…
FC: Prez Bendapudi announces that campus closures are forthcoming
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Got an email from the alumni association to meet with a rep over coffee.
Are they buying?
How much longer does UP have? 10 years? 20? Just wondering how much mileage we’ll get out of the $700 MM stadium renovation.
Hopefully not until after I die. Looking at my latest report from TIAFF, I don’t know if I will ever be able to retire from Penn State.
The government took over student loans in 2010 on the promise that taxpayers would save money.
Presidential livestream on Commonwealth Campuses planned for May 22 | Penn State University
Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi will address the Penn State community on Thursday, May 22, following the conclusion of the virtual Board of Trustees meeting to vote on the recommendation for the future composition of the Commonwealth Campus ecosystem. The president’s livestream address...
www.psu.edu
Some recent opinion pieces and commentaries wrt the Commonwealth Campus Closures
Op-Ed: May No Act of Ours Bring Shame | State College, PA
Today’s Challenges vs. Tomorrow’s Dreams: A Call for Defiant Optimism | State College, PA
PSU needs to be open about closings | News, Sports, Jobs - Altoona Mirror
Reactions to Penn State’s campus closure recommendation | Centre Daily Times
Op-Ed: May No Act of Ours Bring Shame | State College, PA
Today’s Challenges vs. Tomorrow’s Dreams: A Call for Defiant Optimism | State College, PA
PSU needs to be open about closings | News, Sports, Jobs - Altoona Mirror
Reactions to Penn State’s campus closure recommendation | Centre Daily Times
It is clear that Neeli is running the university more like a corporation compared to her predecessors. More than any president before her, she is working to cut costs and is rethinking allocation (which is not to say that she is doing all of the right things or enough). The closure of campuses is akin to a company closing facilities. Affected employees are not consulted with in advance and do not get a say. Leaders decide and do and employees find out their fate after communication of the final decision.
PSU: It’s nothing personal. It’s just business.
You can take shared governance only so far.It is clear that Neeli is running the university more like a corporation compared to her predecessors. More than any president before her, she is working to cut costs and is rethinking allocation (which is not to say that she is doing all of the right things or enough). The closure of campuses is akin to a company closing facilities. Affected employees are not consulted with in advance and do not get a say. Leaders decide and do and employees find out their fate after communication of the final decision.
PSU: It’s nothing personal. It’s just business.
Sure, sounds great. But it wouldn't make sense for PSU to run such a system - that should fall to the counties or the state (could be run as part of PASSHE I suppose).
That would interfere w/ a major cash cow for PSU - Penn College in Williamsport. They'll teach you anything there. Just sign the loan agreement and marvel at the pretty new buildings and landscaping.
One of the articles has a good map of the situation:
I see a ton of green and yellow dots on that map. It doesn't seem to me that the university is abandoning anything other than locations that are not drawing students.
I'm sorry that some campuses with 300 students are going to close, but there will still be opportunities for any future students to attend PSU at a variety of other campuses. I feel like the only solution that the naysayers about closures want is a guarantee that all the campuses will continue to operate as is which is absurd.
I mean, if someone has some great idea as to what to do about redundant campuses that have declining enrollment in areas of the state that have declining populations then... let everyone know. All I see are people complaining about the process or communication rather than coming up with any answer that makes sense.
I see a ton of green and yellow dots on that map. It doesn't seem to me that the university is abandoning anything other than locations that are not drawing students.
I'm sorry that some campuses with 300 students are going to close, but there will still be opportunities for any future students to attend PSU at a variety of other campuses. I feel like the only solution that the naysayers about closures want is a guarantee that all the campuses will continue to operate as is which is absurd.
I mean, if someone has some great idea as to what to do about redundant campuses that have declining enrollment in areas of the state that have declining populations then... let everyone know. All I see are people complaining about the process or communication rather than coming up with any answer that makes sense.
Trustees ratify plan to reshape Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses for long-term success | Penn State University
The Penn State Board of Trustees on May 22 ratified the University’s recommendation to optimize the Penn State Commonwealth Campus ecosystem, positioning it to meet the needs of students for years to come, while working to minimize impacts on students, faculty and staff.
www.psu.edu
Bendapudi addresses Penn State community following Commonwealth Campus decision
Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi delivered a live address to the Penn State community on May 22 following the Board of Trustees’ ratification of the University’s plans to optimize its Commonwealth Campus ecosystem . Video of the president’s address, and a transcript, are available below. The...
roadmap.psu.edu
From the first article:
”Even after this change, Penn State will continue to have the largest statewide footprint of any university in the Big Ten and any land-grant institution in the country, a reflection of the University’s ongoing commitment to its core mission to serve the citizens of the commonwealth.”
So, we will still be too big to fail.
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I’m extremely disappointed for PS New Ken. That area was working to make deals with high schools and local businesses etc for students to go to PS New Ken. Sad that they didi’t take into account that SE Butler co is following the trend of Cranberry Twp in growing in population. That area is maybe 20 min from New Ken. I’m also concerned about the sheer numbers slated for Happy Valley. If you have not been up there on a school week you should go just to get your eyes opened. That infrastructure is going to be stretched thin just by the sheer number of cars and e-bikes flying by at any given hour. It’s pushing the limits now. Rant over 
Video of tonight's meeting linked below (my comments begin at the 1:03:50 mark... and again at the 1:23:40 mark)
Public Board of Trustees Meeting May 22, 2025 - Penn State MediaSpace
It is worth watching.
I believe that Jay Paterno, Nicholas Rowland, Anthony Lubrano, Chris Hoffman and a few others had some interesting comments.
Barring intervention from Governor Shapiro:
The vote tonight will close the 7 Commonwealth Campuses.
Public Board of Trustees Meeting May 22, 2025 - Penn State MediaSpace
It is worth watching.
I believe that Jay Paterno, Nicholas Rowland, Anthony Lubrano, Chris Hoffman and a few others had some interesting comments.
Barring intervention from Governor Shapiro:
The vote tonight will close the 7 Commonwealth Campuses.
My post from the Den......
Jay was a "no" vote and tried rallying the troops by saying Penn Staters would come together and find a way to fund the branch campuses in order to keep them open. The conversation about closing campuses began quite some time ago. If a bloc of trustees were opposed, they've had plenty of time to find a solution. Instead, they vote "no" and offer nothing except hypotheticals. It reminds me of the vote for the West Shore Home sponsorship. The "no" crowd voted against $50 million because they said there was $100 million to be had elsewhere. They didn't offer any facts or committed donors - only pie in the sky.
The mention of football and Franklin's salary was meant as an example (I think) of how Penn Staters come together to get things done. I'd like to think Jay is smart enough to know the football program balances the books with revenue far beyond donations. Media deals, ticket sales, concessions, parking, etc. None of that exists at branch campuses. That's why they lose millions. That's why some were recommended for closure.
I saw Jay's remarks but missed the first hour of the meeting, so I don't know if anyone else mentioned football. It was odd to do so since it wasn't at all relevant to campus closures.
This is my take. There's been a lot of bluster admonishing the university for closing these campuses and precious little actual workable solutions. The campuses have miniscule and shrinking enrollments. I've yet to see strong arguments that even justify their continued operation and the large costs associated with doing so (for a relatively small number of students). It's not like this hasn't been considered for years and PSU is not alone in seeing decreased enrollment for smaller schools; there's a trend nationwide of schools closing their doors because they cannot attract enough students and there is an impending "enrollment cliff" as the number of high school graduates is shrinking in upcoming years.
The campuses that are closing only service ~3,000 students and all who are currently/about to be enrolled will be able to complete 2 years at them. For most future students who would enroll at these campuses there are alternative options not that far away (Wilkes-Barre could go to Scranton or Hazleton; New Kensington and Fayette can go to Greater Allegheny; Shenango an go to Beaver; York can go to Harrisburg; admittedly Dubois and Mont Alto are a little more isolated but also are not large enrollments). Penn State has ~75,000 undergraduates across the system so this is a relatively small percentage of impacted students most of who will be able to otherwise be serviced with existing PSU campuses. The vast majority of Commonwealth Campuses are continuing and will be available for students both in state and out of state to attend. And World Campus is a convenient option for many if housing costs is an issue.
If he’d had a real job, Jay would know that by the time the PIP goes out it’s too late.
Summary:
Guy who can't manage his own household finances without begging for money on the internet tries to criticize the budgeting of a major university.
Guy who argued that goodwill is a PSU balance sheet item when it, in fact, can NOT be a balance sheet item, tries to criticize the accounting practices of a major university.
Guy with no solutions cries and criticizes for 7+ minutes just to hear himself speak ... again ... and gets cut off because of his unreasonable time utilization ... again.
You two should stage a boxing match for charity.....maybe enough could be raised to save a branch campus
No holds barred of course!
FWIW, in 1985-87 I was the elected student representative to the Penn State Board of Trustees representing all commonwealth campus students... attended and participated in every general meeting. I myself attended Altoona for two years before 3 more years at main campus. I have a deep seated love of the branch campus model. In fact, Eric Walker originally wanted all undergraduate education to take place at branch campuses and designate main campus for graduate and research only.
Now, granted I haven't followed the story super closely, but everything i have read would indicate this was an unavoidable inevitability. The financials of higher education have changed. My father was a college dean in New England and several years ago told me there is a clear and unavoidable contraction in higher education coming in in mid 2020s.
This decision taking place in the shadows of a $700M stadium rebuild casts bad optics... however sometimes reality trumps emotion.
Now, granted I haven't followed the story super closely, but everything i have read would indicate this was an unavoidable inevitability. The financials of higher education have changed. My father was a college dean in New England and several years ago told me there is a clear and unavoidable contraction in higher education coming in in mid 2020s.
This decision taking place in the shadows of a $700M stadium rebuild casts bad optics... however sometimes reality trumps emotion.
Even DuBois is not that far from UP.
I know employees that work in UP and live in Dubois...daily commute.
It's 60+ miles and a 1:15 drive each way. These employees must be desperate for gainful employment.
I've always appreciated your candidness about all aspects of your life, ups and downs, but especially this topic. With what's going on right now, Gov't is telling Universities that they can't enroll foreign students. Higher education is officially effed. Done. Bye.
@PSUFTG
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Appreciate the kind words. The ratcheting up of pressure on foreign students is a head scratcher. There is clearly some next level ego battles going on with Harvard. I'd like to think current admin is using them as an example to placate their base. Foreign students are a cash cow for major universities as they almost all pay full price tuition. Penn State in particular leveraged increased in foreign students to off sett Sandusky settlements.
The higher education institutions that will suffer the most are small private liberal arts schools. Like with most major industries, economics eventfully force consolidation.
Malcom Gladwell did a great popcast a few years ago on this exact issue. Really good.
I'm glad Berks is okay and wasn't up for consideration. The Berks Campus has been a great asset to Reading and the Greater Berks County Community. Both my wife and I attended PSU Berks and we wouldn't be where we are in our careers today without it.
Bump. And we're worried about branch campuses?
And you et al are somehow off put with this news.
.It’s amazing we reside on the same rotating orb.
Hope you're fluent in Ruzzian.And you et al are somehow off put with this news.
It’s amazing we reside on the same rotating orb.
Trump banning foreigners from entering U.S. to study at Harvard
President Donald Trump is preventing foreigners from entering the United States to study at Harvard University, according to an executive order announced Wednesday night.
www.nbcboston.com