Letter to the editor: Penn State must close some campuses

The article “As deadline looms for Penn State’s future, former PSNK chancellors share thoughts” (May 5, TribLive) was written as though the drastic reduction of student enrollment at Penn State campuses and other colleges has just suddenly happened. My goodness, it’s been going on for 25-plus years! To see this, it only takes periodically looking at the local birth rates and the K-12 student numbers, all easily available. Where have those previously in charge been?

Around 2005 when Penn State was tussling with financial issues, I was part of a group discussion with the chancellor of the McKeesport campus. I questioned why Penn State was not studying the long-term viability of some of the campuses, as many seem to “overlap” other colleges, such as the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Community College of Allegheny County, Community College of Westmoreland County, Saint Vincent College. I suggested that a study must include the other college campuses with similar curricula.

How many more 20-40% drops in attendance will be acceptable? The major expense at each facility is the building/ infrastructure, not a few administrators, as PennWest chose.

My comments at McKeesport in 2005 were met with a typical bureaucratic response. An appropriate study should be undertaken — “working with the alternative colleges” — to come up with a viable solution for Pennsylvania taxpayers.

Given the projected decline in Pennsylvania student population, some campuses, Penn State or others, must be closed. I say this as a proud Penn Stater — but one who believes in getting to a viable long-term solution.

William R. Iski

Penn Township, Westmoreland County