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Community voices rise as Penn State targets campuses for closure

Stories by Centre Daily Times journalists, with AI summarization

Penn State’s recommendation to close seven commonwealth campuses sparked swift and organized responses. Students at Mont Alto quickly gathered dozens of pages of testimonies to show support for keeping their campus open, highlighting how important these campuses are to local communities.

Even before the recommendation report was released, faculty members voiced their deep concerns at meetings and described historic lows in morale amid rumors and uncertainty. The Penn State AAUP called on administration to reverse the decision to close campuses, while state lawmakers proposed legislation demanding public input before any closures. Across the state, petitions and campaigns show that students, faculty, staff and local leaders are working together to make their voices heard before final decisions are made.

People walk across Old Main lawn on Penn State’s University Park campus in State College. By Abby Drey

NO. 1: PENN STATE COMMONWEALTH CAMPUSES TO LOSE 10% OF STAFF THROUGH BUYOUTS

Chancellors are among those set to leave, with a new leadership model planned for the commonwealth campuses. | Published June 11, 2024 | Read Full Story by Halie Kines

Students walk past the Penn State seal on the first day of spring classes on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, at the HUB-Robeson Center in University Park, Pa.

NO. 2: ARE PENN STATE’S COMMONWEALTH CAMPUSES AT RISK OF CLOSING? FACULTY SENATE SEEKS ANSWERS

When asked directly whether commonwealth campuses would close, university leaders did not give a yes or no answer. | Published January 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Halie Kines

Students walk along Pollock Road and past Old Main on the Penn State campus on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. By Abby Drey

NO. 3: MORE BUDGET CUTS PLANNED FOR PENN STATE’S COMMONWEALTH CAMPUSES AS PART OF 2026-27 ALLOCATIONS

Individual campus budgets won’t be finalized until later this year. | Published February 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Halie Kines

Pedestrians walk behind Old Main on the Penn State campus on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. By Abby Drey

NO. 4: ‘LONG OVERDUE.’ PENN STATE FACULTY MEMBERS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UNIONIZING

“The issues are structural; as such they can only be addressed through structural changes that will come with an empowered faculty. If anything, a faculty union is long overdue,” a website for the Penn State Faculty Alliance states. | Published February 27, 2025 | Read Full Story by Halie Kines

Soon to be graduates take photos at the Pennsylvania State University sign along Park Avenue on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. By Abby Drey

NO. 5: PENN STATE AAUP CALLS ON ADMINISTRATION TO KEEP COMMONWEALTH CAMPUSES OPEN

“Penn State AAUP finds the administration derelict in its duty to the students, faculty, staff, and community members of the Commonwealth when it announced statewide campus closures.” | Published April 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Halie Kines

Transparency advocates are questioning the Penn State Board of Trustees’ use of closed-door meetings for discussion of potential campus closures that would affect thousands of employees and students. By Abby Drey

NO. 6: PENN STATE TRUSTEES’ PRIVATE TALKS ON CAMPUS CLOSURES ARE ‘EXACT TYPE’ OF DISCUSSIONS THAT SHOULD HAPPEN IN PUBLIC, EXPERT SAYS

Transparency advocates are questioning the Penn State Board of Trustees’ use of closed-door meetings for discussion of potential campus closures that would affect thousands of employees and students. | Published May 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

An image of Mont Alto Hall at Penn State Mont Alto.

NO. 7: PENN STATE’S PROPOSED CLOSURES DRAW ANGER, FRUSTRATION. ‘WE STILL WANT TO BE HEARD’

Some faculty members say they should have been given the report on recommended closures “a long time ago,” and been part of the process. | Published May 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Halie Kines

Penn State students walk infron of Old Main on Tuesday, April 1 2025. By Abby Drey

NO. 8: PENN STATE BOARD OF TRUSTEES PLANS PUBLIC MEETING TO DETERMINE FUTURE OF CAMPUSES

The board met in executive session Thursday. | Published May 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Halie Kines

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.