Trustees ratify plan to reshape Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses for long-term success

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Board of Trustees today (May 22) approved the University’s recommendation to optimize the Penn State Commonwealth Campus ecosystem, positioning it to meet the needs of students today and into the future. As part of its plan, the University will close seven Commonwealth Campuses after the spring of the 2026-27 academic year, while continuing to invest in 13 others. Collectively, the campuses slated for closure represent 3.6% of Penn State students, 3.4% of the University’s faculty and 2.2% of its total staff. 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.

After discussion and deliberation, the recommendation was ratified by the board in a 25 to 8 vote, with the board approving the administration’s proposal to close Penn State’s DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre and York campuses.

The University will maintain a robust presence to serve citizens across Pennsylvania. Under the plan, Penn State will continue strategic, long-term investment in the 13 remaining Commonwealth Campus locations, including Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Great Valley, Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Hazleton, Lehigh Valley, Schuylkill and Scranton. The University’s state-wide footprint also includes its online World Campus; the Penn State College of Medicine; Penn State Dickinson Law; the Pennsylvania College of Technology; and a Penn State Extension presence in all 67 Pennsylvania counties.

The recommendation follows evaluation of each campus individually and all campuses collectively, informed by extensive analyses of enrollment trends, demographic shifts and projections, financial pressures, the abundance of higher education institutions in Pennsylvania, student experience and success factors, and other critical metrics.

“Our objective is to redefine how we approach our land-grant mission, and our Commonwealth Campuses are integral to that vision” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “These recommendations, now ratified by the board, will allow our campuses to be competitive and responsive to the needs of students, employers and communities, particularly during times of great change in higher education, and in the face of demographic realities.”

“I know that change of this magnitude is tremendously difficult for our students and employees who learn and work on the campuses that will close,” said Bendapudi. “These were incredibly tough decisions, and we did not make them lightly. For many decades, our dedicated faculty and staff have educated thousands of students at these locations, and our graduates have gone on to make remarkable contributions to Pennsylvania, the country and the world.”

“I want to underscore that we have and are continuing to develop extensive transition plans to support all members of the Penn State community directly affected by these changes. Our environment has been changing and will continue to change, and we have to pivot for the future, but, make no mistake, the impact our students, faculty and staff have made has formed the foundation for an even greater Penn State.”

David Kleppinger, chair of the Penn State Board of Trustees, said that while difficult, the decision to close some campuses will keep others on a path for continued strength long into the future.

“Members of this board are here because they are passionate about Penn State and want to contribute to student success and the long-term health of the University. I appreciate the hard work and deliberation that it took for the board to reach this decision. While this decision was not easy or unanimous, I strongly believe the final direction we have taken is in the best interest of Penn State and the commonwealth,” Kleppinger said. “Part of the power of Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses is that students from all parts of Pennsylvania have access to the same world-class degree, closer to home. This decision -- while challenging for this board, and difficult for members of impacted communities -- ultimately supports the continuation of our mission to provide Pennsylvanians with access to high quality education, even in a changing environment. It positions Penn State to continue providing a top-notch educational experience to thousands of students at 13 Commonwealth Campuses statewide.”

Supporting our students

Every student who begins a degree at a closing campus will have the opportunity to complete their degree at Penn State. The two-year closure timeline at these campuses will allow students currently enrolled — and those enrolling for the fall 2025 semester — time to complete or make significant progress toward their degrees. With two academic years before closure, associate’s degree students will have the opportunity to complete their programs. Bachelor’s degree students can follow the University’s 2+2 Plan to begin at the campus where they initially enrolled and then transition to another Penn State campus at the end of the 2026-27 academic year.

Campuses closing after the spring of the 2026-27 academic year will not be accepting new students or transfer students beyond the fall 2025 semester.

LEARN MORE: More information for our students, including resources and frequently asked questions, is available on the University’s Road Map website.

There will be continued availability and access for students to receive federal, state and institutional aid, and each impacted student will be offered personalized guidance and advising support so that they clearly understand degree completion options, timelines and pathways to other Penn State campuses, including online options through Penn State World Campus for students who may not be able to transfer to other campuses. One-on-one support will be provided in an ongoing manner so that students can be set up for success, regardless of the path they choose.

Navigation coaches have begun reaching out to students at campuses slated for closure to answer questions and to connect students with University resources, including support staff and academic and financial advisers. Students also will receive information about how and where to reach out for assistance when they need it. Each student’s support team will help them create individual academic, financial and graduation plans; guide students through available support options; and assist students in reaching educational objectives.

Supporting our faculty and staff

The University also will provide transition support for faculty and staff at the closing campuses, according to Tracy Langkilde, Penn State interim executive vice president and provost.

“I want to underscore that the University will do all it can to support our dedicated employees who want to continue their careers at Penn State,” Langkilde said. “We stand firm in our commitment to honoring tenure and respecting non-tenure-line (NTL) contracts. For tenure-line faculty (those who are tenured as well as those in their probationary period) at closing campuses, the University will offer need-driven reassignments to remaining campuses, including Commonwealth Campuses and University Park. For non-tenure-line faculty and for our staff employees, we will offer priority hiring consideration for those applying to open roles across Penn State locations.”

Throughout the upcoming two-year period, faculty, staff and students will be engaged in processes for winding down operations at campuses slated for closure. Their input will help to guide the transition of faculty and staff, and to support students through their academic progress and transitions. In addition, to maintain the integrity of academic offerings and support a smooth transition for impacted programs, the student, faculty and staff transition and retention workstreams will work with partners across the University to implement a process for program transitions that adheres to existing curricular processes.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to review resources and frequently asked questions on the University’s Road Map for Penn State’s Future website, which will continue to be updated as additional information is available. Those with additional questions can submit them to the workstream leads via this online form. 

Penn State’s commitment to surrounding communities

University leaders know these campus sites are valued in the communities they have served for so many years and understand the potential impact the decisions to close these seven campuses will have in the coming years. While many decisions still must be made about the future of these locations and their facilities, Penn State is committed to having local communities included in decision-making regarding the future of these facilities and land.

These campus locations have the potential to serve as regional economic zones and hubs for innovation, development and community engagement. While Penn State’s academic operations will wind down at these sites, University leaders are committed to partnering with local, state and federal officials — as well as local and regional business leaders, developers and community members — to reimagine what could come next. The future use of these locations may or may not involve Penn State directly, but we will play a convening role to help catalyze possibilities that benefit the surrounding regions.

Beyond campus: Extension and Invent Penn State remain a force across Pennsylvania

Penn State Extension offices will remain open and a priority across Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, and services will continue across the state regardless of any changes at a campus location. Penn State Extension, which is part of the College of Agricultural Sciences, provides education and resources to citizens, businesses and communities throughout Pennsylvania, and plays a critical role in helping Pennsylvania farmers and the state’s agriculture industry to succeed in their work to feed Pennsylvanians and the world.

In addition, with continued support from the commonwealth, donors and community partners, the University plans to maintain Penn State LaunchBox locations, and the services they provide, in communities across the state. The Invent Penn State LaunchBox and Innovation Network has become an integral part of local communities by delivering entrepreneurial resources, programming, consulting, coworking spaces and funding opportunities across Pennsylvania.

Building a recommendation for the future of Penn State

In February, Bendapudi announced that Langkilde; Margo DelliCarpini, former vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor; and Michael Wade Smith, senior vice president and chief of staff, would lead a group charged with making recommendations to her about the future composition of the Commonwealth Campus ecosystem. The full recommendation report describes the workgroup’s approach and outlines the recommendations for which campuses should remain open and receive continued investment, and which campuses should be closed, with a focus on positioning Penn State’s campuses to thrive in their service to Pennsylvania students.

“From the beginning, we have been as comprehensive as possible in our analysis, knowing there would not be one deciding variable or overarching scorecard, but rather a multi-dimensional review of all the campuses as an ecosystem, as well as each campus individually,” Langkilde said. “Our work was shaped by a set of guiding principles, including continuing to focus on a high-quality, robust experience for students; prioritizing our people to the greatest extent possible; being strategic and forward-looking; and identifying the investments that would enable students to have the greatest chance for success within vibrant campus environments.”

As Bendapudi noted in February, the University has been working to find ways to strengthen and stabilize the Commonwealth Campuses. This work included: listening to the needs of current and future students; gathering data from regional charette committees and from the Academic Portfolio and Program Review (APPR) and Future State; collecting data; and consulting with campus leadership, faculty and staff.

“I am grateful to everyone who has contributed to this initiative to strengthen our Commonwealth Campus infrastructure,” Bendapudi said. “This includes the meaningful outpouring of support for and from our campus communities. The workgroup and I took all of this information into account and ultimately formed a decision that is in the best interest of Penn State’s long-term success.”

Positioning Penn State’s campuses for long-term success has been a challenge to University leadership for decades. In recent years, university leaders have explored, along with input from the Penn State community over time, many ways to stabilize and strengthen Penn State’s Commonwealth Campus ecosystem. However, despite these efforts and as outlined in the final recommendation, the decision to close some campuses is necessary in order to maintain a healthy and vibrant campus experience long into the future.

Looking ahead

For the last year, the Future State Integrated Design team, comprised of faculty, staff and students from across Penn State, was tasked with gathering information and input to generate innovative ideas around the campus structure. The team also worked with suggestions from regional external partners on concepts.

More recently, the workgroup also launched multiple workstreams on critical topics and questions related to campus transitions, with workstream leaders engaging subject matter experts and shared governance bodies representing faculty, staff and students. These workstreams will continue their efforts through the 2026-27 academic year, with the goal of minimizing impacts on students, faculty and staff, and addressing challenges that arise leading up to campus closures. The workstreams include:

• Student Transition and Retention: Providing every student with a clear, supported path to degree completion at Penn State, with as much of it occurring on the local campus as dictated by student preference and availability of course offerings.
• Faculty Transitions: Providing ongoing support to students and personnel through at least the spring semester of 2027, identifying opportunities for reassignment whenever possible, and career transition support.
• Staff Transitions: Providing ongoing support to personnel and student employees through this period of change, identifying opportunities for reassignment whenever possible, and career transition support.  
• Facilities and Finance: Managing resources and infrastructure investments at remaining campuses. 
• Regulatory issues, accreditation and data: Ensuring continued compliance with accreditation and state requirements. 
• Alumni, Community and Donor Engagement: Engaging stakeholders and maintaining strong external relationships. 
• Communications: Proactively communicating changes and addressing concerns. 
• Research and External Funding: Understanding the impact to the research enterprise and providing transition support, where necessary. 
• Cross-functional Engagement and Mapping: Planning, coordination and engagement across workstreams.

As the work of these teams progresses, more information will be shared with the University community on the Penn State Road Map website and through other University communications.