Penn State’s administration is transforming operations for its commonwealth campuses, including a new shared regional administrative model and a one-time infusion of up to $20 million in additional funding.

Commonwealth campus enrollments have declined in aggregate by about 24% over the last 10 years, contributing to a $49 million aggregate budget deficit. A Voluntary Separation Incentive Program was launched earlier this year
to help reduce that deficit by incentivizing commonwealth campus employees to leave the university or retire. In all, 383 employees, or about 21% of those eligible, opted for the VSIP, resulting in an overall 10% reduction in personnel. The dollar value of salary and fringe expense associated with these 383 employees is $43 million; however, actual savings will not be known until later in the year when university leaders know which positions will be backfilled.

Several chancellors retired, left for other positions, or accepted the VSIP offer, and the university implemented a regional leadership model on July 1 that streamlined the leadership of multiple campuses under a single administration:

1. In the west, Penn State Beaver and Penn State Shenango are now led by Chancellor Carey McDougall.
2. In the southwest, Penn State Fayette, Penn State Greater Allegheny, and Penn State New Kensington are now led by Chancellor Megan Nagel. Penn State New Kensington Chancellor Kevin Snider remains in his position through his Dec. 31 retirement.
3. In the northeast, Penn State Hazleton, Penn State Scranton, and Penn State Wilkes-Barre are now led by Chancellor Elizabeth Wright. Wilkes-Barre Chancellor Lynda Goldstein will remain in her position through the end of her contract in 2025 to work with Wright and the director of academic affairs at Scranton to facilitate the transition.
4. In the southeast, Penn State Brandywine, Penn State Mont Alto, and Penn State York are now led by Chancellor Marilyn Wells.