Are We...?

WE ARE… One University, Geographically Distributed

ARE WE...?

For decades, WE ARE… has been the rallying cry of Pennsylvania State University.

WE ARE… embodies a vibrant, interconnected, and unified educational system that has served the needs of generations in Pennsylvania and beyond. We are… signifies that a quality education is at hand, regardless of your location in the Commonwealth.

As a critical part of Penn State, the Commonwealth Campuses “enable success for so many who wish to pursue an affordable and easily accessible education…” and “serve the University's land-grant mission to provide quality higher education to all those who are qualified and want to receive it.”

Yet current PSU president Neeli Bendapudi seems intent on dismantling the campus system.

“What is clear to us as a result of looking at all of this is that our current campus ecosystem, which we know was created decades ago when things were very different in higher education, it’s not sustainable in its current — the way that it’s operating and the way that it looks currently,” said Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses Margo DelliCarpini, echoing sentiments expressed by Bendapudi. Bendapudi has strongly advocated that “the university has to evolve.” And there’s ample evidence that dismantling the Commonwealth campus system is central to her plan for evolution. The administration has repeatedly refused to address questions regarding the potential closing of campuses, sending an ominous message in their silence.

Shared governance, including meaningful and participative dialog between the administration and the faculty, is sorely lacking. The decision-making has been notably one-sided. One faculty member echoed the views of many, stating “there is a lack of confidence in the direction the administration is taking our university”

The impact is substantial. “Shuttering locations would impact the livelihoods of hundreds, if not thousands, of Pennsylvanians. The move would also be the most extreme action Penn State’s administration has taken in its effort to reduce a budget deficit and restructure operations.”

But is there truly a budget crisis? How can Penn State invest $96 million in a single new classroom building at University Park while divesting the Commonwealth Campus budgets of more than $40 million? If there’s a diminishing number of potential college-age students, why has PSU announced plans to grow University Park enrollment by thousands of students?

Undoubtedly, the landscape of higher education is evolving. And Penn State needs to evolve with it. But growing University Park while strangling the Commonwealth Campuses surely is not the only, nor the best, answer.

A review of Penn State’s 2024–2026 actual and proposed budgets tell a chilling story. While many University Park locations face only modest decreases (and in some cases, increases), the budgets of the campuses have been slashed, with many subjected to multiple years of deep double-digit decreases that will negate their ability to continue to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. It’s disingenuous to label the current situation a “budget crisis.” Isn’t it more accurate to describe this as a purposeful reallocation of resources that will decimate the Commonwealth system?

President Bendapudi envisions a monolithic University that caters only to those with the resources to succeed in a centralized powerhouse. But where does that leave the rest? What of the fate of future generations who can no longer expect to be served by our land grant mission?

Penn State’s Commonwealth Campus system has produced hundreds of thousands of success stories throughout the decades. These are our families, our friends, and our neighbors. They benefited from access to world-class resources and education delivered in smaller, more personalized, and convenient settings. And their success benefits us all.

It’s clear…

WE ARE… all beneficiaries of Penn State’s land grant mission, delivering quality education and services across Pennsylvania.

WE ARE… facing an unprecedented, secret dismantling of Penn State’s Commonwealth campuses.

WE ARE… in need of a transparent, collaborative, and thoughtful strategy that serves all Pennsylvanians.

But…

ARE WE… willing to see Penn State’s vibrant Commonwealth Campus system sacrificed?

ARE WE… content to step away from Penn State’s land-grant mission by restricting access to quality education and resources for generations of future Pennsylvanians?

ARE WE… resigned to having our tax dollars used to build a monolithic institution at the expense of tens of thousands of current and future Pennsylvanians?

ARE WE… aligned with One University, Geographically Discarded?

ARE WE… confident in the leadership of President Bendapudi?

ARE WE… if the dismantling is completed… really Penn State?

ARE WE…?