On Tuesday, Penn State University President Neeli Bendapudi announced in a news release that multiple branch campuses may face closure. The university is evaluating a dozen campuses to determine which ones will shut down.
“While it is clear that not all 12 campuses can continue, it is equally clear that a number of them will,” Bendapudi stated. However, the university confirmed that its seven largest branch campuses—Abington, Altoona, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Harrisburg, and Lehigh Valley—will remain open.
Why is Penn State considering campus closures?
According to the official release, the decision is driven by three major challenges: declining enrollments, demographic shifts, and financial pressures.
“The challenges we face—declining enrollments, demographic shifts, and financial pressures—are not unique to Penn State, but they require us to make difficult choices. Across higher education, institutions are grappling with similar headwinds, and we have reached a moment where doing nothing is no longer an option,” the statement read.
The release further highlighted that Pennsylvania is experiencing significant demographic challenges, particularly in regions where Commonwealth Campuses are located. Many of these counties have shrinking populations, a trend expected to continue for the next 30 years or more. Historically, smaller Penn State campuses have relied on local student enrollment, and there is no viable way to attract enough national or international students to sustain them.
After exploring all reasonable alternatives, the university has determined that restructuring is necessary to ensure long-term sustainability.
What happens next?
In the release, Penn State has outlined three key points regarding the transition:
No immediate closures – No campus identified for closure will shut down before the end of the 2026-27 academic year. This ensures that associate degree students enrolling in Fall 2025 can complete their programs, and 2+2 bachelor’s degree students can transition to another Penn State campus as planned.
Fall 2025 admissions remain open – The university will continue accepting and enrolling new students at all Commonwealth campuses for Fall 2025.
Commitment to student completion – Penn State assures that every student who begins a degree at the university will have the opportunity to complete it, even if their campus is among those slated for closure.
By restructuring its campuses, Penn State aims to adapt to changing demographics and financial realities while continuing to provide quality education to its students.
Click here to read the official news release
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