Jay Paterno, 2 other incumbents seeking reelection on Penn State’s board of trustees
Three of Penn State’s alumni-elected trustees — Jay Paterno, Anthony Lubrano and Alice Pope — announced together Thursday morning that they will all seek reelection again this spring.
All three, whose terms end June 30, boast an ample amount of experience on the university board. Paterno, the son of Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions’ former quarterbacks coach, was first elected in 2017 and has served two terms. Lubrano, president of a financial services and wealth management firm, has served since 2012 and won three elections, taking a two-year break in 2018 for personal reasons. And Pope, a retired associate professor of psychology at St. John’s University, has served continuously since 2014.
“We have spoken with thousands of alumni to learn their goals and understand their vision of the future,” Pope said in a written statement. “Many have expressed their hope that we will continue the work we began as a team over a decade ago.”
The three have often voiced disagreement with the full board over student price hikes and what they’ve intimated as irresponsible spending. All three voted against Penn State’s 2022-2023 tuition increase, with Lubrano and Paterno additionally declining to support increased room and board rates. The trio also voted against a new $85 million art museum and the $48 million renovation of the Lasch Football Building.
In June 2018, Lubrano, Paterno and Pope made headlines for joining other alumni-elected trustees in calling for a special meeting to announce their review of the Freeh report, which rejected all the report’s conclusions. Their counter-report was later leaked to WJAC-TV in Johnstown and argued that Joe Paterno and other high-ranking Penn State officials would not have knowingly allowed a pedophile to operate freely on campus or put children in danger.
Their three-year terms officially come to an end June 30, with the online vote to be held between April 10 and 9 a.m. May 4. The three top vote-getters will take over July 1, as part of the nine alumni-elected trustees on the 38-member governing board.
But, unlike the 2020 trustees election, this one might prove harder for the trio to sweep.
In 2020, only one other candidate ran for the three open seats. So far, in 2023, three additional candidates have already declared their intent to run — including two-time Women’s World Cup champ Ali Krieger — and more candidates can be nominated up until 5 p.m. Feb. 25.
The three opposing candidates are supported by Penn State Forward, a progressive coalition of alumni and students that began in 2021.
The three incumbents graduated from Penn State within 12 years of one another. Pope graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Penn State in 1979, before earning a master’s in 1983 and Ph.D. in 1986. Lubrano graduated in 1982 with a bachelor’s in accounting. And Paterno earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1991.
“Today we’re seeing new momentum to address a range of challenges facing Penn State and facing America’s leading research institutions,” Jay Paterno said. “Penn Staters both here in Pennsylvania and around the country are feeling that momentum too. Together our board and the university’s administration can attack these challenges and re-establish Penn State in the national leadership role we have long held. I look forward to serving again to help lead that process.”
Added Lubrano: “I pledge to be fully engaged, truthful, and will always do right by those who helped Penn State ascend to the prominence we all enjoy today.”
This story was originally published January 12, 2023 at 7:39 AM with the headline "Jay Paterno, 2 other incumbents seeking reelection on Penn State’s board of trustees."
