**Penn State Faces Backlash Over Proposed Campus Closures**

Penn State University is facing significant backlash after announcing a proposal to close several of its campuses. Among the outspoken critics is Julio Palma, a professor at Penn State Fayette, who equated the closures to the way coal companies have historically abandoned Appalachian communities. Palma emphasized that Penn State, as a public university funded by state taxpayers from all corners of Pennsylvania, has a responsibility to serve all its constituencies rather than closing doors on them.

The proposed closures are expected to affect approximately 520 full-time employees, with non-tenure-line faculty and staff possibly being rehired or given priority consideration for positions at remaining campuses. The university has not provided an exact cost estimate but anticipates that severance costs will be the most significant expense. Penn State plans to mitigate these expenses through measures like attrition, retirements, and voluntary separations.

According to university data, over 3,100 students were enrolled in the seven campuses slated for closure in the fall of 2024, representing 3.6% of Penn State's total enrollment. The administration believes that other campuses can absorb these students without the need to hire additional staff. Affected students may receive additional financial aid, adjusted costs for attending different campuses, or even gas cards to ease their transition. These students will also be provided with "navigation coaches" to help them stay motivated and achieve their academic goals.

Andrea Adolph, a professor at Penn State New Kensington, highlighted the difficulties some students will face in traveling to other campuses. She argued that the administration and trustees are disconnected from the reality that many students cannot simply relocate.

Penn State defends its proposal by arguing that fewer campuses would allow for more targeted investments, particularly benefiting first-generation, Pell-eligible, and underserved students. The university will stop accepting new student applications for the closed campuses after the fall of 2025.

The trustees were initially scheduled to vote on the proposal but postponed the decision due to numerous questions and concerns from board members. The discussion will continue in private executive sessions, adding a layer of complexity to the already controversial plan. Board Chair Kleppinger has urged trustees to fully consider the recommendation, reflecting the extensive work that has gone into its development over the past eighteen months.

Some trustees have publicly questioned the administration's approach, with figures like Jay Paterno, Ted Brown, and Nicholas Rowland expressing their dissent in various op-eds. However, the large size of the board, consisting of 36 voting members, makes it difficult to stop the measure unless a significant number of trustees vote against it.

Legal experts have raised concerns that holding a virtual-only meeting to vote on the proposal could potentially violate Pennsylvania’s open meetings law, which might open the decision to legal challenges.

Throughout this process, the majority of the 500+ public comments Penn State received opposed the closures, with many community members, alumni, and lawmakers urging the university to keep all locations open. Despite this, the administration argues that no fully developed alternatives or financial support have been offered to counter the proposal.

Penn State does not expect long-term negative effects on its brand from the decision, even though it acknowledges potential short-term dissatisfaction in local communities and negative media coverage.