The board of trustees at Pennsylvania State University has approved a plan to close seven of its campuses after the spring of the 2026-27 academic year while continuing to invest in the 13 remaining locations.
The board voted 25 to 8 to close the DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango Wilkes-Barre and York campuses. In a statement, the university said 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.
“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.”
Bendapudi added, “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. 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.”
Photo courtesy of Penn State
