HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Efforts to keep Penn State Commonwealth Campuses open attracted a large crowd to Hazleton today.
State Lawmakers are holding a community meeting to talk about their ongoing mission to convince Penn State officials to keep the Hazleton campus as well as others in Northeastern Pennsylvania open.
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Penn State announced that declining enrollment and financial challenges have led to a decision to close several Commonwealth campuses.
Hazleton PSU is on the possible chopping block.
Efforts are ramping up to keep Penn State commonwealth campuses open in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Penn State officials announced earlier this year that 12 of the university's 19 'satellite campuses' are under consideration for closure because of enrollment and financial challenges. State lawmakers held a meeting today in Hazleton.
Penn State Hazleton is on that potential chopping block list and the community turned out in a bigtime way to send a loud and clear message to Penn State officials: keep our campus open!
It was standing room only thursday at the penn state launchbox in downtown hazleton as supporters of the penn state campus, also known as "The high acres" campus, to voice their concerns of it's possible closure.
State lawmakers heard from a wide variety of community leaders, Penn State alum, and business leaders. John Beltrami is a member of the PSU Hazleton Citizens Advisory Council.
"I think there are some hardships for some of the campuses, but Penn State Hazleton, to give you an example, is a campus that can really sustain itself and I think that the message we want to send is the campus is in good shape. It has a wonderful endowment," voiced Beltrami.
Mary Malone is President of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce who told lawmakers that PSU contributes tens of millions of dollars to the Hazleton area economy ever year.
"We're right at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and 81 campus located right here. The multi-county location for both students and teachers for access make it very, very easy," said Malone.
State lawmakers say what they heard will help in their efforts to keep PSU Hazleton and other campuses in the northeast open.
"I mean the facts are on our side. This is one of the fastest growing areas in Pennsylvania in terms of population, in terms of economic development. All of those high school students here in Hazleton could be future Penn State students some day. We're trying to convince Penn State of that fact," explained Sen. Dave Argall (R) 29th District.
"I'm just wanting Penn State University to pay attention. We have a big voice here we have a lot of students. Enrollment is staying steady over the last couple of years. We're hoping to draw attention to the president focus in the Hazleton campus," added Rep. Dani Watro (R) 116th District.
Other Penn sate campuses on the hit list include Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Schuylkill. The Penn State president is expected to make her decision before the end of the current spring semester which ends in May.
