Penn State delays campus closure announcement to mid-May

Penn State University has delayed its decision on which of 12 Commonwealth Campuses may be closed, with President Neeli Bendapudi announcing that the final decision will be made after final exams and commencement, likely in mid-May when the Board of Trustees meets. Originally, the announcement was expected before the end of the spring semester, but input from students, faculty, and staff led to the postponement to avoid impacting milestone academic events. The campuses under consideration include Beaver, DuBois, Greater Allegheny, Fayette, Hazleton, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Schuylkill, Shenango, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and York, while the seven largest Commonwealth campuses and several specialized campuses will remain open. The university cited declining enrollments and shifting demographics as reasons for the review. Any closures would not occur before the 2026-27 academic year, and Penn State has pledged to support affected students, faculty, and staff through any transitions. No final decisions will be made until the Board of Trustees has acted on the president’s recommendations.