Penn State leases part of DuBois campus as closure of commonwealth campuses approaches
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- Penn State will lease Swift Building space to Mount Aloysius starting July 1.
- Mount Aloysius will operate separately and host nursing program in DuBois.
- Penn State will retain DuBois campus ownership through the closure timeline.
Penn State has entered into a lease agreement with Mount Aloysius College that would allow them to use a portion of classroom and office space at Penn State DuBois, which is one of seven commonwealth campuses set to close next year.
The “transitional use of space” agreement for a portion of the campus’s Swift Building takes effect July 1, according to a press release from the university. The university will retain ownership of the DuBois campus and serve as the landlord through spring 2027. Any long-term plans for the property will be evaluated separately from the lease agreement, the university wrote.
Penn State’s Dubois campus is one of seven campuses scheduled to close after the spring 2027 semester, along with Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre and York. University leaders have said each campus will have its own redevelopment or reuse plan rather than a single statewide approach.
“As the University moves through the planned closure of seven Commonwealth Campuses, we are approaching each campus with careful attention to its local circumstances and long-term community context,” Renata Engel, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor, wrote in the press release.
“This agreement at DuBois reflects a campus-specific solution and meaningful progress in our work to identify responsible paths forward for each closing campus.”
Mount Aloysius would operate separately within the building, maintaining their own academic programs, faculty and student services under its existing accreditation and governance structure, Penn State wrote.
In a separate press release, Mount Aloysius College said it will utilize the facility to support the launch of its new nursing program in DuBois, hosting pre-nursing courses and courses in surgical technology and radiography.
Their nursing program is a collaboration between Mount Aloysius and Penn Highlands Healthcare, who provided significant funding to address the shortage of healthcare providers in rural communities, according to the release.
“The Mount’s growth arrives at a pivotal moment, as several established institutions have scaled back or exited the region entirely due to shifting demographics and statewide Consolidation,” the college wrote.
The plans at Penn State DuBois are among the first hints at building reuse for soon-to-be shuttered commonwealth campuses. In a January meeting, officials told the board of trustees that they had three or four possible reuse deals in development, without sharing further details. They emphasized that discussions with local stakeholders are ongoing and progress will happen at different speeds for each campus.
“Our priority remains supporting our students, faculty and staff through spring 2027,” Jungwoo Ryoo, chancellor of Penn State DuBois, wrote in Wednesday’s press release. “Instruction, advising and campus services will continue as planned, and we remain committed to maintaining a strong and supportive campus environment. We also look forward to welcoming Mount Aloysius to campus and to the DuBois community.”
State Sen. Wayne Langerholc, R-Johnstown, called the college’s expansion of its nursing program to DuBois “an important step toward addressing the region’s healthcare workforce shortage.”
“By repurposing facilities at Penn State DuBois, the college is ensuring that students have convenient access to high‑quality training and employment opportunities while addressing healthcare needs in our community,” he wrote in the press release.
With the closure of commonwealth campuses a year away, Penn State previously launched surveys and advising resources to help students at closing campuses plan their transfers and complete their degrees. Students will also be able to waive the additional tuition surcharge for taking more than 19 credits per semester, Engel previously said, adding that student activity fees will be suspended at affected campuses next academic year, although student services and activities will continue.
The university is prioritizing hiring and reassignment opportunities across the system for faculty and staff affected by the closures, Engel said in the January meeting. Some academic programs are already being moved to other campuses.
