UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Enrollment, population shifts and its land grant mission will factor into recommendations from Penn State University administrators about what campuses will close.
Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi announced Feb. 25 that some of the university’s campuses will close due to declining enrollment. Penn State Shenango in Sharon is on the list of 12 campuses that may close.
A final decision is expected before spring commencement, but no campuses will close before the end of the 2026-27 academic year. The president selected a group of administrators to study the issue and make recommendations.
That committee consists of Margo DelliCarpini, vice president for commonwealth campuses and executive chancellor; Tracy Langkilde, interim executive vice president and provost; and Michael Wade Smith, senior vice president and chief of staff.
“The committee’s work has been shaped by a set of guiding principles that includes sustaining and building high-quality experiences for students, prioritizing people, being strategic and forward-looking, and advocating for investment to support long-term success,” the committee members wrote in an update about the process.
Committee members will continue to analyze data and engage with colleagues, and Bendapudi has asked that the recommendation “include a continued presence for Penn State in the Northeast and the Pittsburgh regions of the commonwealth,” according to the update released last week.
While many higher learning institutions across the country face challenges similar to Penn State’s, the committee’s update says there are others in Pennsylvania and at the university that require urgent action.
Across the 12 campuses under consideration for closing, enrollment declined by 34% – a decrease of 3,222 students – between 2014 and 2024. Overall, PSU enrollment dropped 4% during that time, while it increased 5% at the main campus.
The committee’s update also cited the university’s evolving land grant mission.
“Today, that mission is realized not only through our Commonwealth Campus ecosystem but also through Penn State Extension, World Campus, and the statewide impact of our research and industry partnerships,” the update said. The committee is examining how other land grant institutions fulfill their missions.
The update also listed population shifts among issues that contribute to the urgency.
“A 2023 report from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania and the Institute of State and Regional Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg projects a 5.8% population decline for rural counties in Pennsylvania by 2050, with overall growth in the state over the next 30 years expected to be lower than it was from 2010 to 2020,” it said.
At some of the 12 campuses under consideration for closure, up to 70% of those enrolled are residents of those respective counties.
The update also lists student experience and success as a critical factor, as well as the state’s number of higher learning institutions and students. Pennsylvania has more postsecondary institutions per capita than most states.
“Additionally, Penn State’s Academic Portfolio and Program Review is beginning to provide valuable insights about how student interest and employment aligns with the University’s bachelor- and associate-degree offerings including those at the campuses,” it said.
The update provided an email address, cwc2025@psu.edu, for people to ask questions or offer feedback.
Meanwhile, a state representative from Fayette County announced a plan to introduce three bills related to state-funded universities closing campuses.
“Penn State and other state-related institutions receive hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the Commonwealth,” Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa, R-51st, said in a news release. “As a publicly funded, land-grant university, Penn State has an obligation to serve all Pennsylvanians – not just those in urban or wealthy areas.”
The State-Related University Accountability Act would ensure publicly funded state-related universities cannot close branch campuses without legislative oversight and public input.
The Taxpayer-Funded Education Access Protection Act would protect regional access to higher education and ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly by state-related universities.
And the Economic and Workforce Impact Review Act would ensure state-related universities cannot close branch campuses without first assessing the economic and workforce consequences for the affected communities.
Pictured at top: Penn State Shenango in Sharon is on the list of 12 campuses that may close.