Leaders at Penn State are proposing to close seven of its branch campuses, including New Kensington, leaving many students and staff in limbo.
On Thursday morning, Norma Smith of Upper Burrell reflected on her son’s time at Penn State New Kensington.
“He found out as he went on, it was a thorough good education up there,” Smith said.
It was a great first step before he went on to continue studying engineering somewhere else.
“He very much enjoyed it because he was close to home, and of course, it saved money,” Smith said.
However, now her great-grandkids may not have the chance to go there, nor the kindergarteners Christine Guercio teaches in the Burrell School District.
“Just not a good sign for the community or the area,” Guercio said.
It’s because Penn State leadership published a new report recommending the closures of New Kensington, Fayette, and Shenango campuses in the Pittsburgh region, along with DuBois, Mont Alto, Wilkes-Barre, and York. This would affect more than 11,000 students, PSU said are currently enrolled at the three schools in our region.
Originally, leaders were also looking to close Beaver and Greater Allegheny, but the report states they “are recommended to remain open and receive focused investment to support their long-term success.”
According to PSU, the reasons behind the potential closures are due to declining enrollment, changes in student demographics, and financial problems like flat state funding.
Leaders said none of the campuses would close before the end of the spring 2027 semester, but at this time, nothing is final.
In a statement, President Neeli Bendapudi said in part, “I believe the recommendation balances our need to adapt to the changing needs of Pennsylvania with compassion for those these decisions affect…”
PSU said they have resources available for those who may be impacted, including ensuring students can complete their degrees through the university and offering priority hiring consideration for faculty at other campuses.
For Smith, she just hopes leaders think twice before making their decision.
“I think it’s very obvious if people would just look at it with common sense,” Smith said.
The Board of Trustees is expected to hold an executive session on Thursday to discuss the recommendations. They will then need to hold a public meeting to vote, but no word on when that will happen.