Penn State’s Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote today on a proposal to close seven of its Commonwealth campuses. The move is sparking fierce resistance from lawmakers whose districts would lose access to local higher education.
The closures, aimed at addressing declining enrollment and financial pressures, would affect campuses in Fayette, Wilkes-Barre, York, Shenango, Mont Alto, DuBois, and New Kensington. University leaders argue the decision follows a broad analysis of enrollment trends, population shifts, and infrastructure needs.
But the political fallout has been swift and forceful. Multiple Republican legislators have signaled they may oppose Penn State’s annual funding request—particularly the proposed \$30 million increase—if the closures proceed. Their opposition carries weight: approval requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature.
The Fayette campus is the only two- and four-year college in its county. In DuBois, lawmakers argue the university failed to consider the area’s global role in powdered metal manufacturing. In Mont Alto, concerns center on the loss of forestry programs crucial to the state’s natural resource economy. Wilkes-Barre officials have pushed for public hearings before any decisions are made, citing the campus’s central role in the region.
The university is being criticized for a perceived lack of transparency, especially from faculty groups that say they were excluded from the process. A petition opposing the closures has drawn hundreds of signatures, and several trustees remain publicly undecided, setting the stage for a potentially divided vote.
Even if the plan passes, opposition may simply shift to the budget process. Some legislators have already warned they will re-evaluate their support for Penn State if the closures go forward, citing a broader pattern of institutions abandoning rural Pennsylvania.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer