Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA State College

Since Penn State announced its multimillion-dollar budget deficit in 2022, the university has deeply cut the budgets to its graduate school and engineering college, a Spotlight PA analysis found.

Penn State could close up to 12 of its 20 commonwealth campuses. It’s unclear what authority the Board of Trustees has in approving the university president’s plan.

Penn State’s commonwealth campuses enroll a more racially diverse group of people, a greater percentage of Pennsylvania residents and more first-generation college students, than its flagship at University Park.

Penn State kept its pledge to reduce the meeting costs of its 36-member board, but each gathering still totals tens of thousands of dollars.

When Penn State University’s administration brings a proposal to its governing board, the item is all but assured to pass, a Spotlight PA analysis found.

Some items before the Penn State Board of Trustees — such as the $9.9 billion budget or building projects — often pass with no or limited discussion, a Spotlight PA analysis found.

Penn State didn’t say why the board’s executive committee was now meeting in public after arguing the group’s work could legally be done in private.

Trustee Anthony Lubrano says Penn State is investigating him for proposing “Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium.” The university may also remove Barry Fenchak from its board.

Trustee Barry Fenchak alleges that Penn State leaders have prevented him from reviewing information about the university’s endowment, which he said is indicative of larger problems on the board.