Penn State ‘considering changes’ to operations

After some cryptic remarks at a staff meeting regarding potential changes, Penn State satellite campuses are on edge, worried they could be cut.
“We’ve heard that they’ve had a meeting to discuss the feasibility and the sustainability of running the amount of campuses that they currently have, but we have not had any outcomes as far as what they plan to do," said Bill Finley, Mercer County Commissioner.
A statement from Penn State University was released about the meeting:
“As noted in the Faculty Senate meeting last week, Penn State is considering changes to its operations across the commonwealth aimed at enhancing the student experience and in response to shifting demographics, financial realities, and enrollment trends and projections. No decisions have been made about the specifics of those changes, but all options are on the table…”
The statement goes on to say the current Commonwealth Campus structure is out of date, and not sustainable now or in the future.
Out of the 20 satellite locations across the state, Penn State Shenango has the lowest enrollment in the past five years. Even so, county and city leaders are remaining optimistic.
Robert Fiscus, City manager of Sharon, acknowledged the Shenango campus is the smallest, but is remaining positive.
Here is a statement from Fiscus:
“The City of Sharon remains optimistic about the future of our Penn State Shenango campus, confident that it will remain open and continue to flourish. Although it is the smallest Penn State campus, it is thriving thanks to several recent developments. These include the addition of collegiate athletic programs, increased private investment around the campus, the introduction of student housing, the establishment of an economic development fund, and the success of the LaunchBox initiative. Furthermore, the community enjoys a strong and collaborative relationship with campus leadership, fostering continued growth and success.”
Fiscus has not seen any specific notice indicating that Penn State Shenango is in danger of closing.
Finley feels it’s too early to tell what these conversations mean for Penn State Shenango, but plans to reach out to ensure the future of the campus.
“We'll definitely reach out with our local campus and follow their lead. You know, they are going to work as hard as anybody to keep their spot open, so we're going to coordinate with them, and find out what resources they need, and you know, what we could do to be a good partner with them,” said Finley.
With no final decisions made, conversations about the campus's future can still happen.
“There’s plenty of time that everybody can come to the table and discuss the plans going forward. You know, it wasn’t like they came out and said that something bad is happening and the place is closing, so I think we have lots of time to sit down at the table and work with everyone.” said Finley.
Finley remains optimistic about the campus's future, and pointed out that Penn State Shenango was never mentioned by name during the meeting.