STATE COLLEGE – The fate of the Penn State Mont Alto campus, the university’s oldest Commonweath Campus, will be in the hands of the Board of Trustees at a meeting that will be held via conference call and Zoom at 5 p.m. Thursday. But not before many local officials have expressed opposition to the way the university went about the proposed closure.
Links to the meeting, which will be closely watched in the Franklin County area, can be found at https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/penn-state-board-trustees-meeting-set-may-22.
Educators and business leaders, along with area elected officials have expressed dismay and intense criticism of both the choice to close the Mont Alto campus and, perhaps more strongly, the way the determination about campus closures was made.
Perhaps the most outspoken of those is L. Michael Ross, president of the Franklin County Area Development Corporation.
“Reconciling the image of what is meant to be a world-class educational institution with the way this decision-making process has unfolded has been profoundly disheartening,” Ross said.
“For a university that awards degrees in communication, community and economic development and political science, the absence of transparent communication, the apparent lack of any substantive analysis of campus-level socio-economic impacts and the premature disclosure of the decision – prior to a vote by the Board of Trustees – are, quite frankly, indefensible.”
Ross noted Penn State has spent 15 years trying to rebuild its reputation, but this development “risks causing lasting reputatiional harm.” It was 15 years ago that Penn State was rocked by a child abuse scandal involving a key member of the coaching staff.
Perhaps the “deeply problematic nature” of the process, Ross suggested, will encourage the president and board of trustees to reconsider the recommendations.
Dr. Rita Sterner-Hine, superintendent of the Waynesboro Area School District, called the recommendation “very concerning” and said she is hopeful the campus will remain.
She called Mont Alto a “gem in our community” and “an essential space for learning, athletics, educational collaboration and personal growth.”
Sterner-Hine noted programs allowing students to earn college credits in high school via Mont Alto have been important components of Waynesboro Area High School, and many graduates have gone on to either complete their first two years of college or a four-year degree at Mont Alto.
“The college experience is about more than just academics,” she said. “It’s about building relationships and support networks with our educators and learners.” The satellite at Mont Alto does just that, she added.
While the committee recommending closure mentioned other college opportunities nearby, Sterner-Hine said Penn State Mont Alto is located within WASD and has served “as an outstanding” option for students. The local campus also provides support to local business, she added, and helps students who commute to school a considerable cost savings.
Chambersburg Superintendent Christopher Bigger said, “Any option that is an educational loss will impact Chambersburg and surrounding school district post-secondary options for students.
“We are fortunate to have Wilson and Shippensburg near us to absorb some of the impact. We will unfortunately lose program options for students and burden families with longer distances and increased costs.
“With Penn State being one of the most expensive state schools in the United States, I certainly hope any cost saving measures related to campus closures is passed on to students and families,” added Bigger, himself a PSU alum.
For its part, the Penn State panel studying closure noted Mont Alto is one of seven campuses recommended for shuttering, due to high costs and declining enrollments.
“These campuses face overlapping challenges, including enrollment and financial decline, low housing occupancy, and significant maintenance backlog,” the panel’s report said. “The projected low enrollments pose challenges for creating the kind of robust on-campus student experience that is consistent with the Penn State brand.
“Keeping them open would require an estimated $19 million in annual financial support, $21 million in annual overhead expense and more than $200 million in future facilities investment – resources that could be redirected to enhance and strengthen the campuses that remain,” the report continued. “These campuses currently enroll 3.6 percent of Penn State’s students and employ 3.4 percent of Penn State’s faculty and 2.2 percent of Penn State’s staff.”
However, state Rep. Chad Reichard and Rep. Robb Kauffman contend, “Mont Alto has been and continues to be a beacon of learning in Franklin County. It provides work-ready employees who fill jobs here and elsewhere. Local high school students rely on the campus for advanced learning as they prepare for post-secondary schooling.
“…We will continue to fight against this rushed decision and will advocate to keep Mont Alto open,” the two representative said. “We strongly urge the trustees to reject the president’s proposal and do a more in-depth study that truly examines the impact that Mont Alto and all branch campus have on local communities.”
The other campuses recommended for closure are: Penn State DuBois, Penn State Fayette, Penn State New Kensington, Penn State Shenango, Penn State Wilkes-Barre and Penn State York.
As for Mont Alto, the report noted the campus lost $3 million last year, had an enrollment of 613 and a graduation rate of 48 percent after four years and 57 after six. The report also noted there are four other colleges within 30 miles of Mont Alto and 12 within 50 miles.
On the other hand, the report said that Franklin County’s youth population is projected to increase by 4 percent by 2030, while nearby Adams drops by 1 percent and Cumberland increases a whopping 13 percent.
It also mentions the new New Allied Health Building at Mont Alto, a $13.5 million investment with 22,000 square feet of classroom space, along with containing simulation labs and advanced equipment. The campus has strong ties to WellSpan Health and other healthcare providers, the report said. WellSpan officials declined comment on the board’s pending decision.
The scenic campus also is Penn State’s oldest Commonwealth Campus location dating to 1901 and is an arboretum with over 1,000 trees. The campus has existing agreements with Micheaux State Forest and Waynesboro Watershed for research and classes.
Penn State Mont Alto’s forestry program is the oldest in the country, and it has attracted considerable public interest for its continuation, according to the report.
