Closing of Penn State Fayette leaves people feeling "betrayed," leader says
Penn State announced on May 23 that it would be closing seven of its branch campuses across the state after the 2026-27 academic year wraps up.
Three of those campuses are here in the Pittsburgh region, including DuBois, New Kensington, and Fayette.
We are now learning more about the next steps for faculty and students, and we have reaction to the campus closing from one prominent member of Fayette County government who fought hard to save the campus from shuttering. That person is Fayette County Controller Robert Rhodes. He says the announcement of the closing of Penn State Fayette, the county's only four-year degree school, is a tough pill to swallow.
"When you graduate from Penn State Fayette, or any branch campus, your diploma doesn't say Penn State Fayette; it says Penn State University," Rhodes said. "You are part of that pride that comes with being a Penn Stater, and I think a lot of people are going to feel betrayed with them pulling out. And it is sad to lose that entity because it was such a big part of the fibers of this county."
Rhodes, along with dozens of members of Fayette County government, fought to keep the campus from closing. One of the county commissioners even accompanied Rhodes to State College to try to have an in-person meeting with Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi on the day of the closer vote, but he says Bendapudi wasn't in and they were turned away.
Rhodes and many here in Fayette County are worried about not only the economic and educational hole this campus closing will bring, but also about the faculty and students who call this campus home.
KDKA reached out to Dr. Megan Nagel, the regional chancellor in charge of closing campuses in Fayette and New Kensington. She responded by email, saying that students will be helped by the university to finish their degrees either in person or online, and that faculty and staff will be given priority hiring if they apply for another job within Penn State.
"While Penn State's academic operations will wind down at these sites, University leaders are committed to partnering with local, state, and federal officials — as well as local and regional business leaders, developers, and community members — to reimagine what could come next," Nagel said.
However, Rhodes says he is unaware of any conversations about the campus's redevelopment.
"My hope is that somebody is able to fill their void," said Rhodes. "I don't know how soon. I would hope expeditiously, obviously. The ability to provide somebody with a postgraduate or a bachelor's degree here in Fayette County is so important to us moving forward as a community. I guess I am optimistic, but I am also scared at the same time."
