UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — On Jan. 22, Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi and the senior administration shared a road map for Penn State’s future and outlined several initiatives to position the University for future success. Bendapudi asked the Penn State community to share their questions as one mechanism for faculty, staff and students to participate in addressing the University’s financial challenges, business model, and several change initiatives over the next 18 months.
The following is the second in a series of Q&As to answer the most frequently asked questions shared back to senior leaders. This installment provides additional insight on Penn State’s approach to the Commonwealth Campuses, which accounted for more than 30 of the submitted questions.
“We appreciate the questions and hear your concerns about the reduction that the Commonwealth Campus operating budget is going to experience,” said Margo DelliCarpini, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor. “With this input and your partnership, we will identify innovative ways to overcome these financial hurdles and position Penn State’s 20 Commonwealth Campuses for future success.”
Below are the most frequently asked questions regarding the Commonwealth Campuses.
1. Is Penn State going to close campuses?
It is premature to forecast until we spend time deeply engaging with our campus communities and the leadership team to define a sustainable future for the Commonwealth Campuses. Each of our campuses brings a unique element and value to our Penn State community, our structure and our students. However, a handful of campuses have experienced significant enrollment declines in the last few years and some campuses are spending significantly more than they bring in revenue; with our current funding level from the state, the current business model is unfortunately not sustainable. We have already started a process, in collaboration with the chancellors, to identify the challenges some of our campuses are facing and together we are mapping a strategic plan and next steps. We are exploring many avenues for our campuses as we consider the best infrastructure and vision to meet our institutional mission and student needs.
2. Is Penn State growing and investing in University Park at the expense of the Commonwealth Campuses?
No. Demand continues to grow for University Park campus, and Penn State is in the process of exploring how to maximize programs with high interest in an effort to increase enrollment that will support the entire institution. The Commonwealth Campuses play an important role in their communities, and we are committed to maintaining access and affordability for our students — and bringing the resources of Penn State to our communities through our Commonwealth Campus ecosystem. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the University is providing $31 million of strategic funds (referred to as subvention) to the Commonwealth Campuses to support strategic needs and priorities.
3. What is Penn State doing to grow enrollment at the Commonwealth Campuses?
Penn State is focused on new strategies to grow enrollments at the campuses. This includes:
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Focusing on nontraditional students such as adult learners, and looking at articulation agreements with local community colleges to create more affordable pathways to a Penn State degree.
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Making strategic investments in successful and high-demand academic programs at the campuses that align with the state’s workforce needs to prepare students for sustainable careers in Pennsylvania.
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Participating in an institution-wide Academic Program and Portfolio Review to make sure that Penn State is offering the right mix of residential, online and blended programs, at the right locations, to better align with evolving student preferences.
4. What is the vision for research at the campuses and what are the metrics used to assess research importance at the campuses?
Growing interdisciplinary research excellence remains a priority — that hasn’t changed. However, we’re going to be more focused on investing where we can drive the most impact and greatly strengthen and grow our research enterprise. As part of the planning process, we are engaging with the chancellors to identify areas to invest where we can really make a difference and that won’t look the same for each campus. Metrics include undergraduate research experience, grant success, local and national impact, level of community engagement, support from local stakeholders including industry and community organizations. The University is also exploring new opportunities such as creating a new program to support research at the campuses and creating regional impact zones that will align academic, research and community needs to distinguish unique opportunities with local expertise.
Additional Q&As in the series include topics on: