PA Seeks To Hold Penn State Board Of Trustees More Accountable

STATE COLLEGE, PA — Seeking to hold Penn State University's leadership to the same standard as other state universities, lawmakers plan to introduce legislation that would mandate the inclusion of state senators and state representatives on the Board of Trustees.

"Currently, Penn State is the only state-related university with no House or Senate representation on the Board of Trustees," State Rep. Ryan Warner (R-Fayette) wrote in a co-sponsorship memorandum.

The legislation comes amid growing public concern regarding oversight on Penn State's Board. Trustees spent around $318,000 on expenses like food and lodging during meetings for its 38 board members from Sept. 2021 to Sept. 2022. At the time, the university acknowledged the cost of the Board's operation and said that a chunk of recent meetings focused on efforts to "further develop a Board culture that prioritizes fiduciary duties and core responsibilities be carried out effectively and efficiently."

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Under Warner's forthcoming bill, the Board would be composed of 34 total members. Four would be appointed by the governor, four by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, four by the Speaker of the House, and 22 would be elected in accordance with the University's Charter.

The bill would also mandate that the governor, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Agriculture would serve as non-voting members of the Board.

Beyond the handling of the Board's internal financials, there are also broader concerns from faculty and students about the university's spending strategies at large. Tuition was raised last July amid inflation, with a 5 percent increase for residents and a 6 percent increase for non-residents. And concerns linger over how the university allocates money to athletics.

"Would the $12.5 million the AD is spending to remodel its Field Hockey Stadium be better used to fund scholarships for needy students?" professor of labor studies Paul Clark commented back in the fall.

This past week, the university announced that a major renovation project of the football team's Beaver Stadium would be undertaken. University President Neeli Bendapudi said that "no part of this project will be funded by tuition, student fees or any of our educational budget," though planning remains in the very preliminary stages.