Penn State is making decisions about which of 12 Commonwealth Campuses the university might close.
The decision has been dangled since February. President Neeli Bendapudi announced then that she had a team compiling recommendations. The university has its flagship campus at University Park and 19 branches scattered across the state.
Those campuses provide opportunities such as associate’s degrees and a limited number of four-year programs that may differ from place to place. At Penn State Fayette, you can major in humanities and nursing, while the New Kensington campus offers a bachelor’s degree in biobehavioral health and information technology. Penn State Beaver in Monaca provides four-year programs in biology, cybersecurity and more targeted business options.
The campuses also act as local feeders. Start at a branch campus for two years, finish at University Park or via the online World Campus.
But while seven branches are safe, 12 are not. The question is which will be closed.
That question will not be answered until mid-May. According to a statement from Bendapudi, no recommendations will be announced until after graduation. The board of trustees will meet after those recommendations are made to consider them and potentially act.
The reason is so as not to disturb the “milestone events.”
Well, there are other events to consider. One is the added burden of an additional meeting. Penn State’s graduation ceremonies are scheduled May 9-11. The board’s next meeting is May 8-9.
A more important date? May 1. That is the date that new students must accept their admission offers.
The university’s delay puts an announcement firmly after when students have to decide about their futures. Yes, the closures will not take place until after the 2026-27 school year ends. However, that’s two years. What about students in four-year programs who are making decisions based on availability and proximity to home, something that dramatically changes the cost of a Penn State degree?
The delay could make low enrollments at branch campuses even lower if students choose schools that seem more stable. Or is that the idea? Is Penn State making these campuses less attractive to incoming students on purpose?
Why would a potential four-year student pick a school that might not be open for half of their education? Why make a commitment to an educational investment that could demand in two years the unplanned high cost of room and board?
Someone who gets into a Big Ten school should be smart enough to see the problem. The people who run that school absolutely should.