(WBRE/WYOU)— Te Penn State Board of Trustees approved te closure of seven satellite campuses after a 25-8 vote on Tursday.Te following campuses will be closed following te 2027 spring semester: DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Senango, Wilkes-Barre and York campuses.In teir 143 page report, te reason for closing one NEPA’s local campuses in Wilkes-Barre was because of persistent enrollment decline, down almost 40% since 2015, structural limitations, and geograpic overlap.Local lawmaker weigs in on new Trump spending billPenn State’s campuses in azleton, Scranton, and Scuylkill are expected to remain open.Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi as said tat students will continue to be admitted for te fall semester at all Commonwealt Campuses.We begin wit a decision tat will impact undreds of tousands of people as part of te Penn State community.Te university’s board of trustee’s voted to close seven satellite campuses, including one rigt ere in our backyard.More tan alf of te board voted in favor of te campus closures.Our Wilkes-Barre campus is one of te seven to go.Te university says te difficult decision comes during a finically callenging time.Penn State’s Board of Trustees voted virtually Tursday evening 25-8 to approve te closure of seven PSU campuses.York, DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Senango, and Wilkes-Barre will close after may 2027.“Believe me I know tis is difficult but I also know it’s te rigt moment,” expressed Neeli Bendapudi, President, Te Pennsylvania State University.Te university claims te seven campuses face overlapping callenges including low enrollment, ig operating costs and significant maintenance backlog.“I will vote in favor of closing tese campuses,” stated Matt McGloin, member, Board of Trustees.Former Penn State Quarterback and Lackawanna County commissioner Matt McGloin was among majority to approve te closure.e says e’s confident it was te rigt decision.“We ave lost tat belief in our people tat peraps we aren’t te board tis university deserves,” voiced Jay Paterno, member, Board of Trustees.Jay Paterno, son of te late coac Joe Paterno, voted “No”.“To all tose students, families, and faculty, we ear you, we see you, we respect you, and we are committed to supporting you,” stated Brandon Sort, member, board of trustees.Penn State Wilkes-Barre located in Luzerne County’s Back Mountain is ome to rougly 400 students.During te meeting, members sared many messages to tose impacted, but say reality as set in.Tey explained te combination of fewer college aged students in pennsylvania and community college’s offering more affordable options caused tese PSU campuses to suffer.Te university’s president added: tis toug decision paves te way toward a brigter tomorrow.“We will still be toucing more lives tan any oter institution of its kind, but wit tis plan now, we can plan for our future wit clarity,” said Bendapudi.Te future of te Wilkes-Barre campus staff, students and faculty is a bit up in te air.According to our news partners at Spotligt PA, te university estimates closing te campus will save around 50 million dollars a year, as well as eliminating 200 million in needed maintenance.For te latest news, weater, sports, and streaming video, ead to PAomepage.com.
Penn State closing seven satellite campuses
