Hubbry Logo
Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State UniversityMain
Open search
Pennsylvania State University
Community hub
Pennsylvania State University
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855 as Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania,[13] Penn State was named the state's first land-grant university eight years later, in 1863. Its primary campus, known as Penn State University Park, is located in State College and College Township.

Key Information

Penn State enrolls more than 89,000 students, of which more than 74,000 are undergraduates and more than 14,000 are postgraduates. In addition to its land-grant designation, the university is a sea-grant, space-grant, and sun-grant university. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU).[14][15] The university has two law schools: Penn State Law on the school's University Park campus and Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle. The College of Medicine is in Hershey. The university maintains 19 commonwealth campuses and five special mission campuses located across Pennsylvania.[16]

The university competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA for most of its athletic teams, known collectively as the Penn State Nittany Lions. Since its founding, Penn State has won 82 national collegiate team championships, including 54 NCAA titles across all sports, and Penn State students, alumni, faculty, and coaches have won a total of 74 Olympic medals, including 20 gold medals.

History

[edit]
Main article: History of Pennsylvania State University

19th century

[edit]
Old Main at Penn State in 1855
The university's Electrical Engineering and Chemistry Building, c. 1894

Pennsylvania State University was founded in 1855 when James Irvin, a U.S. Congressman from Bellefonte, donated 200 acres (0.8 km2) of land in Centre County[17] to the newly-established Farmers High School of Pennsylvania, representing the first of 10,101 acres (41 km2) the school eventually acquired.

The same year, on February 22, the Pennsylvania General Assembly designated the school a degree-granting institution.[18][17] Initially sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society, the use of "college" or "university" was avoided in the school's naming since local Pennsylvanians perceived that such institutions were impractical in their curricula.

In 1862, the school's name was changed to the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania. The following year, in 1863, the Morrill Land-Grant Acts was passed by the U.S. Congress, and Pennsylvania selected the school to be the state's sole land-grant college.[17] Two years later, in 1874, the school's name was changed to the Pennsylvania State College.[17]

By 1875, enrollment fell to 64 undergraduates, and the school attempted to balance its primary focus on agricultural studies with classic education.[19] In 1882, George W. Atherton was named the school's president; Atherton set about broadening the curriculum beyond its agricultural focus.

The school developed an engineering studies program that immediately became one of the nation's ten largest engineering schools.[20][21]

A major road in State College was later named in Atherton's honor. Penn State's Atherton Hall, a well-furnished and centrally located residence hall, was named after George Atherton's wife, Frances Washburn Atherton.[22][23]

20th century

[edit]

In the 20th century, Penn State grew significantly, becoming the largest grantor of baccalaureate degrees in Pennsylvania. In 1936, its enrollment reached 5,000.[19] Around this time, Ralph D. Hetzel, the school's president, established a commonwealth of colleges to provide an alternative for Depression-era students who were economically unable to leave home to attend college.[19]

In 1953, President Milton S. Eisenhower, the brother of then-U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, sought and won permission to elevate the school to university status, and it assumed its current name, The Pennsylvania State University.[24] Under Eisenhower's successor, Eric A. Walker, the university acquired hundreds of acres of surrounding land, and enrollment nearly tripled.[19]

In 1967, the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, a college of medicine and hospital, was established in Hershey with a $50 million gift from the Hershey Trust Company.[19]

In 1970s, the university became a state-related institution, leading to its membership in the Commonwealth System of Higher Education. In 1975, the lyrics in the Penn State Alma Mater were revised to be gender-neutral in honor of International Women's Year; the revised lyrics were taken from the posthumously published autobiography of the writer of the original lyrics, Fred Lewis Pattee. Professor Patricia Farrell acted as a spokesperson for those who wanted the change.[25]

In 1989, the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport became affiliated with the university.

Students sit outside Pennsylvania State College, c. 1922
Students on the campus of present-day Penn State University Park, the university's main campus, c. 1922

21st century

[edit]

In 2000, Dickinson School of Law joined the Pennsylvania College of Technology in affiliating with the university.[26] The university is now the largest in Pennsylvania, and in 2003, it was credited with having the second-largest impact on the state economy of any organization, generating an economic effect of over $17 billion on a budget of $2.5 billion.[27] To offset the lack of funding due to the limited growth in state appropriations to Penn State, the university has concentrated its efforts on philanthropy (2003 marked the end of the Grand Destiny campaign—a seven-year effort that raised over $1.3 billion).[28]

Child sex abuse scandal

[edit]
Main article: Penn State child sex abuse scandal

In 2011, the university and its football program garnered international media attention and criticism in a sex abuse scandal in which university officials were alleged to have covered up incidents of child sexual abuse by former football team defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. Athletic director Timothy Curley and Gary Schultz, senior vice president for finance and business, were indicted for perjury. In the wake of the scandal, Coach Joe Paterno was fired[29] and school president Graham B. Spanier was forced to resign[30] by the board of trustees. Sandusky, who maintained his innocence,[31] was indicted and subsequently convicted in June 2012 on 45 counts for the abuse.

A subcommittee of the board of trustees engaged former FBI director Louis Freeh to head an independent investigation on the university's handling of the incidents. Freeh released his findings in July 2012 in which he claimed that Paterno, Spanier, Curley, and Schultz "conceal[ed] Sandusky's activities from the board of trustees, the university community and authorities" and "failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade".[32][33] Subsequently, the National Collegiate Athletic Association levied sanctions against Penn State for its role in the scandal, penalizing the Penn State football program with a $60 million fine, a ban from bowl games and post-season play for four years, a reduction in its scholarships from 25 to 15 annually for four years, the vacating of all Penn State football wins from 1998 to 2011, and a five-year probationary period.[34]

Following imposition of the NCAA sanctions, emails surfaced indicating that high-level NCAA officials did not believe they had the jurisdiction to pass down the original sanctions.[35] Subsequent emails, brought forward under subpoena, quoted an NCAA vice president, who wrote, "I characterized our approach to PSU as a bluff when talking to Mark [Emmert, NCAA president]...He basically agreed [because] I think he understands that if we made this an enforcement issue, we may win the immediate battle but lose the war."[36]

On September 8, 2014, following a report by former U.S. senator and athletics integrity monitor George J. Mitchell citing progress by Penn State in implementing reforms, the NCAA repealed the sanctions.[37][38] On January 16, 2015, all previous Penn State football records were restored.[39]

An investigation led by former U.S. attorney general Richard Thornburgh, who the Paterno family retained to review the Freeh report,[40] alleged that the report that placed so much blame on Penn State and Paterno was a "rush to injustice" that could not be relied upon.[41] He found that not only did the evidence "fall far short" of showing Paterno attempted to conceal the Sandusky scandal, but rather that "the contrary is true".[40] In November 2014, Pennsylvania state senator Jake Corman released further emails that he claimed showed "regular and substantive" contact between NCAA officials and Freeh's investigators, suggesting that Freeh's conclusions were orchestrated.[42]

Death of Timothy Piazza

[edit]
Main article: Death of Tim Piazza

On February 2, 2017, Timothy Piazza, a pledge of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity located off-campus in State College, died while undergoing hazing activities at the fraternity. Eighteen members of Penn State's Beta Theta Pi fraternity were initially charged in connection with Piazza's death, and the fraternity was closed and banned indefinitely. In July 2024, the fraternity president and vice president & pledge master each pleaded guilty to 14 misdemeanor counts of hazing and a misdemeanor count of recklessly endangering another person.[43]

Campuses

[edit]

University Park

[edit]
Main article: Penn State University Park
A panoramic view of the Ag Hill Complex at the university in September 2012
Nittany Lion Shrine on the university's main campus in March 2014

The largest of the university's 24 campuses, Penn State University Park is located in State College and College Township in Centre County, in central Pennsylvania. Its dedicated ZIP Code is 16802. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 49 percent,[44] it is the most selective campus in the Penn State system.[45] The university ranks among the most selective schools in Pennsylvania, according to various publications.[46][47][48] During the fall 2018 semester, 40,363 undergraduate students and 5,907 graduate students were enrolled at University Park.[49] Of those, 46.5 percent were female[50] and 42.4 percent were non-Pennsylvania residents.[51]

The University Park campus is centrally located at the junction of Interstate 99/U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 322, and is due south of Interstate 80. Before the arrival of the Interstates, University Park was a short distance from the Lock Haven – Altoona branch line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The last run of long-distance trains from Buffalo or Harrisburg through Lock Haven was in 1971.[52] Today, the nearest Amtrak passenger rail access is in Tyrone, 25 miles to the southwest. Intercity bus service to University Park is provided by Fullington Trailways, Greyhound Lines, Megabus, and OurBus. The State College Regional Airport, serving two regional airlines, is near University Park.

Commonwealth campuses

[edit]
Main article: Pennsylvania State University Commonwealth campuses
class=notpageimage|
A map depicting the locations of Penn State's 19 commonwealth campuses and the main Penn State University Park campus

In addition to the University Park campus, 19 campus locations throughout the commonwealth of Pennsylvania offer enrollment for undergraduate students. Over 60 percent of Penn State first-year students begin their education at a location other than University Park.[53] Each of the 19 commonwealth campuses offer a unique set of degree programs based on the student demographics. Any student in good academic standing is guaranteed a spot at University Park to finish his or her degree if required or desired, known as "change of campus" or, more accurately, "the 2+2 program"; where a Penn State student may start at any Penn State campus, including University Park, for two years and finish at any Penn State the final two years.[54]

Special mission campuses and World Campus

[edit]

Special mission campuses

[edit]
Further information: Pennsylvania College of Technology, Penn State Dickinson Law, Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, Penn State Law, and Penn State University College of Medicine
Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle in October 2013
The Main Building at Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies in Malvern, in September 2018

World Campus

[edit]
Main article: Penn State World Campus

In 1998, the university launched Penn State World Campus, or Penn State Online, which offers more than 60 online education programs, degrees, and certificates. Distance education has a long history at Penn State, one of the first universities in the country to offer a correspondence course for remote farmers in 1892. Examples of online programs include an MBA, a master of professional studies in homeland security, a Bachelor of Science in nursing, and post-baccalaureate certificates in geographic information systems and applied behavior analysis.[59]

Organization and administration

[edit]

Penn State is a state-related university and a member of Pennsylvania's Commonwealth System of Higher Education. While it receives funding from the Commonwealth and is connected to the state through its board of trustees, however, it is otherwise independent and not subject to any direct control by the state. For the 2006–2007 fiscal year, the university received 9.7 percent of its budget from state appropriations, the lowest of the four state-related institutions in Pennsylvania.[60]

Colleges

[edit]
Schreyer Honors College in May 2014
The Carnegie Building in February 2008
Huck Institute of the Life Sciences: Gateway to the Sciences in July 2017

Penn State has eighteen colleges, including three at special-mission campuses. The University Park campus is organized into fourteen distinct colleges, plus the graduate school and the division of undergraduate studies:[61]

The university's board of trustees voted in January 2007 to create a school of international affairs, with the first classes admitted in the fall 2008 semester.[62] The school is part of Penn State Law.[63]

Formerly the school of nursing, on September 25, 2013, the board of trustees granted the nursing program college status.[64]

Board of trustees

[edit]
Main article: Penn State Board of Trustees

The 32-member board of trustees governs the university. Its members include the university's president, the Governor of the Commonwealth, and the state Secretaries of Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, and Education. The other members include six trustees appointed by the Governor, nine elected by alumni, and six elected by Pennsylvania agricultural societies. Six additional trustees are elected by a board representing business and industry enterprises.[65] Undergraduate students do not elect any trustees; the court case Benner v. Oswald ruled that the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment did not require the undergraduate students be allowed to participate in the selection of trustees.

As of 2013, the chair of the board of trustees is Keith E. Masser, a graduate of Penn State and the chairman and chief executive officer of Sterman Masser, Inc.[66]

The board's main responsibilities are to select the president of Penn State, determine the goals and strategic direction of the university, and approve the annual budget.[67] Regular meetings of the board are held bi-monthly and take place primarily on the University Park campus, although on occasion meetings are held at other locations within the Commonwealth.[68]

Administration

[edit]
See also: List of Presidents of Pennsylvania State University
Old Main, the university's main administrative building on its main campus, in May 2014

The university president is selected by the board and is given the authority for actual control of the university, including day-to-day management. In practice, part of this responsibility is delegated by the president to other administrative departments, the faculty, and the student body.[67] Neeli Bendapudi became the university's 19th and current president on May 9, 2022, upon the departure of Eric J. Barron.[4] The executive vice president and provost is the chief academic officer of the university. The current provost, Nicholas P. Jones, assumed office on July 1, 2013.[69]

Student government

[edit]
HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State's student union center on the main campus, in July 2017

Penn State has a long history of student governance. Elected student leaders remain directly involved in the decision-making of the university administration, as provided for in the board of trustees' standing orders.[70] There are four student governments recognized by the university administration: the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG), and the World Campus Student Government Association (WCSGA).[71]

The University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) is the representative student government of the undergraduate students at Penn State's University Park campus, which was established in 2006 after the former student government, Undergraduate Student Government (USG), lost its recognition by way of a student referendum.[72] Graduate and professional students at the university are represented by the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), the oldest continuously existing student governance organization at Penn State.[73]

The 19 commonwealth campuses of the university are governed by the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG), formerly known as the Council of Branch Campus Student Governments (CBCSG).[74]

In 2019, the World Campus Student Government Association (WCSGA) was formed to advocate for the interests and concerns of the more than 20,000 Penn State World Campus students.[75]

Academics

[edit]

Undergraduate admissions

[edit]
Undergraduate admissions statistics
2023 entering
class[76]Change vs.
2018
Admit rate54.2%
(Neutral decrease −2.3)
Yield rate19.4%
(Decrease −7.7)
Test scores middle 50%[i]
SAT Total1230–1390
(among 33% of FTFs)
ACT Composite27–32
(among 6% of FTFs)
High school GPA
Average3.67
  1. Among students who chose to submit
  2. Percentages among students whose school ranked

Admission to Penn State University Park is classified as "selective" by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.[77] The Princeton Review gives Penn State University Park an "Admissions Selectivity Rating" of 90 out of 99.[78]

In 2023, the university received 85,957 applications. It extended offers of admission to 46,605 applicants, or 54%, after holistic review that includes examination of academic rigor, performance and admissions test scores. 9,040 accepted students chose to enroll, a yield rate of 14%.[76]

The university started test-optional admissions with the fall 2021 incoming class. Of the 33% of incoming students in 2023 who submitted SAT scores, the interquartile range was 1230–1390; of the 6% of incoming students in 2023 who submitted ACT scores, the interquartile range was 27–32. Of all matriculating students, the average high school GPA was 3.67.[76]

Penn State's freshman retention rate is 92%, with 85% going on to graduate within six years.[76]

Pennsylvania State University Park is a college-sponsor of the National Merit Scholarship Program and sponsored five Merit Scholarship awards in 2020. In the 2020–2021 academic year, 16 incoming freshman students were National Merit Scholars.[79]

Fall First-Time Freshman Statistics [80] [81] [82]
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Applicants 78,578 73,861 71,903 52,742 56,114
Admits 45,269 40,031 35,302 29,793 28,233
Admit rate 57.6 54.2 49.1 56.5 50.3
Enrolled 8,614 8,465 8,331 8,075 7,863
Yield rate 19.0 21.1 23.6 27.1 27.9
ACT composite*
(out of 36) 		26-32
(8%†)		 25-30
(18%†)		 25-30
(17%†)		 25-30
(22%†)		 25-30
(30%†)
SAT composite*
(out of 1600) 		1200-1400
(37%†)		 1150-1340
(77%†)		 1160-1370
(78%†)		 1160-1360
(74%†)		 1160-1340
(65%†)
* middle 50% range
† percentage of first-time freshmen who chose to submit

Academic divisions

[edit]

Penn State is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The Smeal College of Business, The Sam and Irene Black School of Business, Penn State Harrisburg, and Penn State Great Valley are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).[83]

The university offers an accelerated Premedical-Medical Program in cooperation with Sidney Kimmel Medical College.[84] Students in the program spend two or three years at the university before attending medical school at Jefferson.

Rankings

[edit]
Academic rankings
National
Forbes[85]196
U.S. News & World Report[86]60
WSJ/College Pulse[87]46
Global
ARWU[88]101–150
QS[89]82 (tie)
THE[90]100 (tie)
U.S. News & World Report[91]91 (tie)

The Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked Penn State between 101 and 150th among universities globally and between 42nd and 56th nationally for 2020. U.S. News & World Report ranked the university tied for 63rd among national universities and tied for 23rd among public schools in the United States for 2021.[95]

In 2022, the university was ranked 96th in the QS World University Rankings.[96] The 2021 "World University Rankings" by Times Higher Education ranked the university as the 114th best university in the world.[97] The 2021 Global University Ranking by CWTS Leiden Ranking ranked the university as 52nd-best university in the world and 18th in the U.S.[98]

Research

[edit]
The Forum Building, a classroom building with four classrooms, each capable of containing over 300 students, in February 2005
Pattee Library in May 2005
Osmond Laboratory in July 2017
Millennium Science Complex in July 2017

Penn State is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".[99] Over 10,000 students are enrolled in the university's graduate school (including the law and medical schools), and over 70,000 degrees have been awarded since the school was founded in 1922.[100]

According to the National Science Foundation, Penn State spent $971 million on research and development in 2021, ranking it 26th in the nation.[101][102]

The Applied Research Lab (ARL), located near the University Park campus, has been a research partner with the United States Department of Defense since 1945 and conducts research primarily in support of the United States Navy. It is the largest component of Penn State's research efforts statewide, with over 1,000 researchers and other staff members.[103][104]

The Materials Research Institute (MRI) was created to coordinate the highly diverse and growing materials activities across Penn State's University Park campus. With more than 200 faculty in 15 departments,four colleges, and two Department of Defense research laboratories,

MRI was designed to break down the academic walls that traditionally divide disciplines and enable faculty to collaborate across departmental and even college boundaries. MRI has become a model for this interdisciplinary approach to research, both within and outside the university. Dr. Richard E. Tressler was an international leader in the development of high-temperature materials. He pioneered high-temperature fiber testing and use, advanced instrumentation and test methodologies for thermostructural materials, and design and performance verification of ceramics and composites in high-temperature aerospace, industrial, and energy applications. He was founding director of the Center for Advanced Materials (CAM), which supported many faculty and students from the college of earth and mineral science, the Eberly College of Science, the college of engineering, the materials research laboratory and the applied research laboratories at Penn State on high-temperature materials. His vision for interdisciplinary research played a key role in creating the Materials Research Institute, and the establishment of Penn State as an acknowledged leader among major universities in materials education and research.[105][106][107]

The university was one of the founding members of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), a partnership that includes 17 research-led universities in the United States, Asia, and Europe. The network provides funding, facilitates collaboration between universities, and coordinates exchanges of faculty members and graduate students among institutions. Former Penn State president Graham Spanier is a former vice-chair of the WUN.[108][109]

Pennsylvania State University Libraries were ranked 14th among research libraries in North America in the 2003–2004 survey released by The Chronicle of Higher Education.[110] The university's library system began with a 1,500-book two-room library in Old Main,[111] but moved to its own space – Carnegie Library (named after college trustee Andrew Carnegie) – ten years later.[112] In 2009, its holdings had grown to 5.2 million volumes, in addition to 500,000 maps, five million microforms, and 180,000 films and videos.[113] The university is a member of the Center for Research Libraries.

The university's College of Information Sciences and Technology is the home of CiteSeerX, an open-access repository and search engine for scholarly publications. The university is also the host to the Radiation Science & Engineering Center, which houses the oldest operating university research reactor. Additionally, University Park houses the Graduate Program in Acoustics,[114] the only freestanding acoustics program in the United States. The university also houses the Center for Medieval Studies, a program that was founded to research and study the European Middle Ages,[115] and the Center for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE), one of the first centers established to research postsecondary education. It is a member of the CDIO Initiative, an international network of universities working to develop unique teaching methods in engineering. The university is also a member of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, an organization of hundreds of leading universities dedicated to researching atmosphere and climatology.

Student life

[edit]

Student demographics

[edit]
Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023[7]
Race and ethnicity Total
White 60%
 
International student 11%
 
Hispanic/Latino 10%
 
Asian 8%
 
Black/African American 6%
 
Two or more races 4%
 
Unknown 3%
 

As of fall 2010, the racial makeup of the Penn State system including all campuses and special-mission colleges, was 75.4 percent white, 5.5 percent black, 4.3 percent Asian, 4.4 percent Hispanic, 0.2 percent Native American, 0.1 percent Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 1.7 percent two or more races, 5.8 percent international students and 3.1 percent of an unknown race. Over the period 2000–2010, minority enrollment as a percentage of total enrollments has risen 5.3 percentage points,[116] while minorities as a percentage of total teaching positions rose 2.0 percentage points from 1997 to 2002.[117]

Penn State has been the subject of controversy for several issues of discrimination. Following some violent attacks on African-Americans in downtown State College in 1988 and complaints that Penn State was not adequately recruiting African-American faculty and students to representative population levels, student activists occupied Old Main. They demanded that Penn State do more to recruit minority students and address intolerance toward minority students on campus and the local community. After President Bryce Jordan canceled a promised meeting with students and organizations in the Paul Robeson Cultural Center on April 8, 1988, 250 students and activists nonviolently occupied Penn State's Telecommunications building on campus. The following morning, 50 state troopers and 45 local and campus police, equipped with helmets, batons, and rubber gloves, entered the building as the crowd outside sang "We Shall Overcome", arresting 89 individuals for trespassing.[118] All charges were later dismissed.

In 1990, a vice provost for educational equity was appointed to lead a five-year strategic plan to "create an environment characterized by equal access and respected participation for all groups and individuals irrespective of cultural differences."[119][120] Since then, discrimination issues include the handling of death threats in 1992 and 2001,[121][122][123][124] controversy around LGBT issues,[125] and the investigation of a 2006 sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by former Lady Lions basketball player Jennifer Harris, alleging that head coach Rene Portland dismissed her from the team in part due to her perceived sexual orientation.[126][127]

Housing

[edit]
Irvin Residence Hall in West Halls in October 2006
Brill Hall in July 2017

There are seven housing complexes on campus for students attending the University Park campus: East Halls, North Halls, Pollock Halls, South Halls, West Halls, Eastview Terrace, and Nittany Apartments. Each complex consists of a few separate buildings that are dormitories and a commons building, which has: lounges, the help desk for the complex, mailboxes for each dormitory room, a convenience store, a food court, an all-you-care-to-eat buffet. Different floors within a building may be designated as a Living Learning Community (LLC). LLCs are offered to members of certain student groups, such as sororities, students studying particular majors, students who wish to engage in a particular lifestyle (such as the alcohol-free LIFE House), or other groups who wish to pursue similar goals.

Student organizations

[edit]

As of September 2014, 864 student organizations were recognized at the University Park campus.[128] In addition, the university has one of the largest Greek systems in the country, with approximately 12 percent of the University Park population affiliated. Additional organizations on campus include Thespians, Blue Band, Chabad, Glee Club, Aish HaTorah,[129] Student Programming Association (SPA), Lion's Pantry, Boulevard, Apollo, 3D Printer Club, Digi Digits, and the Anime Organization, which hosts an annual Central Pennsylvania-based anime convention, Setsucon.[130]

THON

[edit]
The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon in February 2007

Annually in February, thousands of students participate in the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON). Started in 1973 with 78 participants, THON has grown to become the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.[131] Every year, participants stand for 46 hours nonstop and perform a line dance at least once every hour to stay alert alongside other events hosted throughout the weekend such as concerts, games, athlete hour, family hour, and a tribute to all of the children with cancer. In 2007, THON was moved to the Bryce Jordan Center and shortened from 48 to 46 hours, due to potential conflicts with basketball games.[132] THON raises millions of dollars annually for childhood cancer care and research for its sole beneficiary, Four Diamonds. In 2025, THON raised a program record of $17.7 million.[133]

The Lion's Pantry

[edit]

The Lion's Pantry is an undergraduate student-run on-campus food pantry and registered student organization. The Lion's Pantry serves undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. With increasing awareness of hunger on college campuses, the Lion's Pantry is one of the nation's most successful startup food pantries.[citation needed] They partner with groups ranging from Boulevard, UPUA, Greek Life, and more to receive over 8,000 food donations a year. The club was also awarded the Class Gift of 2017 in the form of an endowment.[134][independent source needed]

Public safety

[edit]

Twenty-two of Penn State's campuses are served by Penn State University Police and Public Safety. In addition to being a full-service police department, the department also has specialized units such as K9, criminal investigation, bike patrol, a bomb squad, and drones. The police department was founded in 1926 as Campus Patrol.

Penn State University Park is also served by the Penn State University Ambulance Service, known as Centre County Company 20. Penn State EMS is a full-service, licensed ambulance service, staffed by student EMTs. The ambulance is staffed around the clock, with the exception of the school's annual winter break, when it goes out of service. The ambulance is affiliated with the University Health Service.

Student media

[edit]
Further information: Daily Collegian, Onward State, and WKPS

Student media groups on campus include: The Daily Collegian, Penn State's student-run newspaper; Onward State, a student-run blog; The Underground, a multi-cultural student media site; The LION 90.7 FM (WKPS-FM), a student-run radio station; CommRadio, a student-run, internet-based radio program; La Vie, the university's annual student yearbook; Kalliope, a student-produced literary journal; Valley, a student-run style and life magazine; and, Phroth, a student-run humor magazine; and Penn State Live, the official news source of the university published by its public relations team.

The Daily Collegian, founded in 1904, provides news, sports, and arts coverage and produces long-form features. It publishes in print on Mondays and Thursdays while classes are in session. Since the summer of 1996, the traditional paper publication has been supplemented by an online edition. Online content is published every day. Penn State's commonwealth campuses receive a weekly copy of the paper titled The Weekly Collegian.

Onward State is a student-run blog geared towards the university's community members. The blog, which was founded in 2008, provides news, event coverage, and opinion pieces. U.S. News & World Report named the blog the "Best Alternative Media Outlet" in February 2009.

The LION 90.7 FM (WKPS-FM) was founded in 1995 as a replacement for Penn State's original student radio station WDFM. The LION broadcasts from the ground floor of the HUB-Robeson Center, serving the Penn State and State College communities with alternative music and talk programming, including live coverage of home Penn State football games.

La Vie (the Life), the university's annual student yearbook, has been published continuously since 1890.[135] La Vie 1987, edited by David Beagin, won a College Gold Crown for Yearbooks award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.[136]

Kalliope is an undergraduate literary journal produced by students and sponsored by the university's English Department. It is published in the spring. Kalliope includes works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art.[137] In addition, Klio, an online publication, provides students with literary pieces in the fall semester.

Valley is Penn State's student-run life and style magazine.[138] It was founded in 2007.

The student-run humor magazine, founded in 1909 as Froth, is Phroth, which publishes two to four issues each year. Notable Penn State alumni who worked at the magazine include Julius J. Epstein, who wrote the screenplay for Casablanca in 1942 and won three Academy Awards.[139]

Penn State's newspaper readership program provides free copies of USA Today, The New York Times, and local and regional newspapers depending on the campus location. This program, initiated by then-President Graham Spanier in 1997,[140] has since been instituted on several other universities across the country.[141]

Athletics

[edit]
Main article: Penn State Nittany Lions
The "S-Zone," representing "State," in the student section at Beaver Stadium in February 2007
The Penn State Nittany Lions' mascot, the Nittany Lion, at Beaver Stadium, in September 2007
The Memorial Wall near Beaver Stadium, in February 2008
Penn State wrestling taking on Ohio State at the Bryce Jordan Center in February 2020. Since its 1909 founding, the Penn State wrestling team has won 13 team and 55 individual national championships.

Penn State's mascot is the Nittany Lion, a representation of a type of mountain lion that once roamed what is now University Park. The school's official colors, now blue and white, were originally black and dark pink. Originally introduced back when athletics were introduced at Penn State, this was changed in 1890 after the pink faded to white and to avoid ridicule from opposing teams.[142] Pink and black still will make periodic appearances at athletic events in the modern era as a special student "S" section during certain games. Penn State participates in NCAA's Division I FBS for football and in the Big Ten Conference for most sports.[143]

Two sports participate in different conferences: men's volleyball in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA)[144] and women's hockey in College Hockey America (CHA).[145] The fencing teams operate as independents.

Penn State athletic teams have claimed a total of 82 national collegiate team championships since the university's founding, including 54 NCAA, two consensus Division I football titles, six AIAW, three USWLA, one WIBC, four national titles in boxing, 11 in men's soccer, and one in wrestling in years prior to NCAA sponsorship.[146] The university ranks fifth all-time in NCAA championships in NCAA Division I, and first among Big Ten schools.[147]

Since joining the Big Ten in 1991, Penn State teams have won 124 conference regular season and tournament titles, through June, 2023.[148]

Penn State has one of the most successful overall athletic programs in the country, evidenced by its rankings in the NACDA Director's Cup, a list compiled by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics that charts institutions' overall success in college sports. From the Cup's inception in the 1993–1994 season, the Nittany Lions have finished in the top 25 every year.[149]

Baseball

[edit]
Main article: Penn State Nittany Lions baseball

Basketball

[edit]
Main articles: Penn State Nittany Lions basketball and Penn State Lady Lions basketball

Football

[edit]
Main article: Penn State Nittany Lions football

With an official capacity of 106,572, Penn State's Beaver Stadium has the second-largest seating capacity after Michigan Stadium and the fourth-largest globally.[150]

From 1966 to 2011, the Penn State football team was led by Coach Joe Paterno, who was in a close competition with Bobby Bowden, head coach for Florida State, for the most wins ever in Division I-A (now the FBS). Paterno still led in total wins at the time of Bowden's retirement following the 2010 Gator Bowl. In 2007, Paterno was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[151]

Paterno amassed 409 victories over his career, the most in NCAA Division I history.[152] Paterno died on January 22, 2012, at the age of 85. Paterno was posthumously honored by Penn State during the September 17, 2016 football game that marked the 50th anniversary of his first game as head coach.[153][154][155][156]

The university opened a new Penn State All-Sports Museum in February 2002, which is a two-level 10,000-square-foot (1,000 m2) museum located inside Beaver Stadium.[157]

Beaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium, the home field of Penn State Nittany Lions football, prior to a White Out game against Ohio State in September 2018, which drew 110,899 fans, the second-largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history

Ice hockey

[edit]
Main articles: Penn State Nittany Lions men's ice hockey and Penn State Nittany Lions women's ice hockey

Lacrosse

[edit]
Main articles: Penn State Nittany Lions men's lacrosse and Penn State Nittany Lions women's lacrosse

Soccer

[edit]
Main articles: Penn State Nittany Lions men's soccer and Penn State Nittany Lions women's soccer

Softball

[edit]
Main article: Penn State Nittany Lions softball

Volleyball

[edit]
Main articles: Penn State Nittany Lions men's volleyball and Penn State Nittany Lions women's volleyball

Wrestling

[edit]
Main article: Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling
See also: NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

Notable people

[edit]

Notable alumni

[edit]
Main article: List of Pennsylvania State University alumni

Alumni association

[edit]
The former President's House, now adjoined to the Hintz Family Alumni Center, in May 2007

Established in 1870, nine years after the university's first commencement exercises, the Penn State Alumni Association has the stated mission "to connect alumni to the University and each other, provide valuable benefits to members and support the University's mission of teaching, research, and service."[158] The Alumni Association supports a number of educational and extracurricular missions of Penn State through financial support and is the network that connects alumni through over 280 "alumni groups", many of which are designated based on geographical, academic, or professional affiliation.[159]

As of July 1, 2010, the alumni association counted 496,969 members within the United States, with an additional 16,180 in countries around the globe.[160][161]

About half the U.S. alumni reside in Pennsylvania, primarily in the urban areas of Philadelphia and its surrounding counties, the Greater Pittsburgh area, and the Centre County region surrounding State College. About 34 percent of U.S. alumni and 21 percent of international alumni are members of the college alumni association.[162][163]

Membership totaled 176,426 as of 2016, making the Penn State Alumni Association the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world, a distinction it has held since 1995.[164]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Pennsylvania State University

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) is a public land-grant research university system with its flagship campus located in University Park, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High School to promote agricultural education, it became Pennsylvania's sole land-grant institution under the Morrill Act of 1862, evolving into a comprehensive university offering degrees in diverse fields including , , , and sciences. Penn State operates 20 undergraduate campuses across the state, supplemented by graduate schools, law schools, and online programs through World Campus, serving a total enrollment of 87,995 students in fall 2024, making it one of the largest systems in the United States. The University Park campus alone hosts over 42,000 undergraduates and supports extensive endeavors, with expenditures reaching a record $1.337 billion in fiscal year 2023-24, positioning it as a leader in areas such as , , and agricultural innovation. Academically, it ranks 59th among national universities and 26th among public institutions in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 edition, while placing 82nd globally in the 2026; it is also distinguished as one of only three U.S. institutions holding land-, -, sun-, and sea-grant statuses. Athletically, Penn State's Nittany Lions compete in the across 29 varsity sports, with its football program renowned for multiple national championships and a passionate fan base centered around . However, the university has faced significant scrutiny from a 2011 child sexual abuse scandal involving former assistant football coach , whose crimes against multiple victims were enabled by a failure of senior administrators, including , to report allegations to authorities, as detailed in the independent Freeh Report commissioned by Penn State; this led to Sandusky's conviction on 45 counts, criminal charges against officials, NCAA sanctions (later partially vacated), and over $200 million in settlements. The incident prompted institutional reforms in policies but highlighted systemic prioritization of institutional reputation over victim welfare.

History

Founding and 19th-Century Development

The Farmers' High School of was chartered on February 22, 1855, by Pennsylvania Governor James Pollock, establishing the institution on 200 acres of donated farmland in Centre County to educate sons of farmers in practical and mechanic arts. The charter reflected a response to agrarian demands for specialized training amid industrializing , with initial trustees including Philadelphia-area farmers who secured state funding without federal precedent. Classes commenced on February 16, 1859, with 69 male students under Principal William H. Allen, though Evan Pugh, a 31-year-old Welsh-born agricultural trained in , was appointed as of chemistry and agriculture, soon becoming the first president. Pugh emphasized scientific methods in farming, establishing experimental farms and laboratories in the original Old Main building, designed by trustee Hugh N. McAllister and completed in phases by 1860. The Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 prompted a to the Agricultural College of on May 1, 1862, designating it as the state's recipient of for endowments supporting agricultural and mechanical . formalized this status in 1863, providing annual funding that enabled curriculum expansion beyond farming to include , chemistry, and nascent . The first graduating class of 11 students received Bachelor of Scientific Agriculture degrees in December 1861, predating the Act but aligning with its goals. Under Pugh's leadership until his death from on April 29, 1864, enrollment grew modestly to around 150 students, with innovations like student-managed farms fostering hands-on learning. Successive presidents, including acting leader William Anderson Scott, navigated financial strains from the Civil War, but post-war recovery saw additions like a chemical laboratory by the and broader course offerings in sciences. By the , facilities expanded to include specialized buildings for and chemistry, reflecting diversification into technical fields while retaining agricultural roots.

20th-Century Expansion and Land-Grant Role

As Pennsylvania's designated land-grant institution since 1863 under the Morrill Act, Pennsylvania State College emphasized agricultural and mechanical education throughout the early 20th century, establishing experiment stations following the 1887 Hatch Act to advance scientific farming practices. The institution pioneered extension programs in agriculture, engineering, and home economics, delivering practical outreach to rural communities and industries, which aligned with its statutory obligation to serve the Commonwealth's economic needs. Compulsory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs, mandated for land-grant schools, enrolled over 1,200 students by 1941, preparing graduates for military and civilian technical roles. Enrollment expanded steadily amid these efforts, rising from 4,086 undergraduates in 1929 to 6,514 by 1940 despite Depression-era budget cuts that shuttered nonessential services like campus radio. In response to state demands for broader access, the college sought legislative funding in 1911 to establish undergraduate centers, leading to the first branch campuses in the 1930s evolving from extension sites. Physical infrastructure grew with over 600 acres added eastward in the early 1900s for farms and facilities, including Ag Hill expansions for agricultural research. World War II accelerated military-oriented programs under the land-grant mandate, hosting Navy V-12 officer training, units, and flight crew instruction for approximately 2,600 personnel by late 1943, while introducing accelerated terms and defense courses. Postwar veteran influx drove enrollment from under 6,000 in 1938 to over 10,000 by 1946, with 55 percent veterans, prompting new construction via the 1937 General State Authority. This surge culminated in the 1953 elevation to university status under President , acknowledging expanded graduate research and baccalaureate programs; associate degrees were then conferred at branches. Mid-century projections anticipated over 25,000 full-time undergraduates at University Park and 10,000 at branches by 1970, spurring $168 million in construction, including six major academic buildings (e.g., Hammond and Chambers) and residence halls like South Halls (1956) and East Halls (1961). appropriations rose from $26 million biennially in 1955-57 to a targeted $80 million by 1969-71, comprising 38-40 percent of the budget to support this growth tied to land-grant public service. By the late , total enrollment across campuses reached nearly 39,000 by 1990, solidifying its role in state through applied and accessible .

21st-Century Growth, Reforms, and Challenges

In the early , Pennsylvania State University expanded its enterprise, with expenditures growing steadily amid increased federal and state investments in higher education; by 2022-23, total spending reached a record $1.239 billion, reflecting a 14% year-over-year increase driven by grants in , , and health sciences. This upward trajectory continued into 2023-24, when expenditures hit $1.337 billion, an 8% rise attributed to enhanced federal funding, including over $263 million from acts like the CHIPS and . Enrollment also stabilized and grew modestly through and expansions, reaching nearly 88,000 students across all locations by 2024, supported by initiatives like World Campus, which enrolled over 12,000 students following its launch in . Physical infrastructure advanced with projects such as the $14.4 million expansion at Penn State in 2021, adding collaborative spaces and facilities to accommodate rising demand in regional programs. The university faced profound challenges starting with the 2011 revelation of by former assistant football coach , who was convicted in 2012 on 45 counts involving victims over 15 years; an independent investigation led by in 2012 concluded that senior leaders, including coach , president , and administrators Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, concealed critical facts to protect the institution's reputation, prioritizing football program interests over child welfare. This crisis triggered NCAA sanctions, including a $60 million fine and scholarship reductions (later vacated), leadership firings, and a $48 million settlement with victims in 2013, exacerbating reputational and financial strains amid lawsuits totaling over $100 million in payouts. In response, Penn State implemented 119 Freeh-recommended reforms by mid-2013, including mandatory ethics training, a centralized compliance office, enhanced policies, and independent board oversight to prevent cover-ups and improve reporting. However, subsequent reviews revealed persistent gaps; a U.S. Department of probe found the university's handling of complaints, particularly in athletics, remained deficient despite post-scandal changes, prompting further mandated overhauls. critiques persisted, with analyses arguing the board of trustees' structure—dominated by political appointees and alumni—fostered insularity and ineffective decision-making, undermining reform efficacy. Financial pressures intensified in the and due to stagnant state appropriations, which fell from covering 62% of the budget pre-1970 to under 10% by the , outpaced by and rising personnel costs, forcing $94 million in cuts for 2026 and tuition hikes of 15-24% for in-state students over five years. A post-COVID deficit of $149 million in 2022 highlighted vulnerabilities from enrollment declines at smaller campuses and demographic shifts. To address these, the announced in 2025 a plan to close seven underenrolled Campuses (DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, and York) by spring 2027, redirecting resources to 13 viable locations amid operating losses and low utilization rates below 50% at some sites. This consolidation aims to sustain affordability and quality but has sparked concerns over access in rural areas and economic impacts on host communities.

Campuses and Facilities

University Park Main Campus

The University Park campus, the flagship and administrative center of Pennsylvania State University, is located in , within Centre County at the base of in the area known as Happy Valley. Spanning more than 8,500 acres in a rural setting, it functions as the primary hub for instruction, research, and university operations. The campus layout originated from an initial 400 acres established in 1855, with significant eastward expansions during the early adding over 600 acres for agricultural and residential uses. In fall 2024, University Park enrolled 42,619 undergraduate students, supported by approximately 600 buildings including academic halls, laboratories, and administrative structures. Central campus features the historic Old Main building, completed in 1863 as the original core facility, anchoring a symmetrical quadrangle redesigned in 1914 by architect Charles Z. Klauder. Subsequent developments grouped facilities by discipline, such as buildings from the Atherton era (1882–1906) and agricultural structures on the eastern side. Residential facilities house over 14,000 students in diverse options, including traditional dormitories in East Halls and suite-style accommodations in areas like Pollock Halls. Recreational and support infrastructure includes the Recreation Hall built in the 1920s and modern expansions like the Jordan Center auditorium from the 1990s, facilitating student activities amid the campus's expansive green spaces and proximity to downtown State College.

Commonwealth and Regional Campuses

The Commonwealth Campuses of State University form a network of 19 regional locations across , designed to extend access to the university's undergraduate programs to residents outside the main University Park campus. Established primarily to fulfill the land-grant institution's mission of providing practical education statewide, these campuses focus on the first two years of programs, associate degrees, and select four-year options in fields like , , and , with many students transferring to University Park for upper-division coursework. The origins of the system trace to the mid-20th century, when Penn State began offering extension courses and technical training in the 1930s at sites like McKeesport (now part of Greater Allegheny) and DuBois, responding to post-World War II enrollment surges and the need for localized higher education. programs were formalized in 1953 to accommodate growing demand, followed by expansions including new campuses approved in 1965 for areas like and Fayette counties. By the 1970s, the network had solidified as the Commonwealth Campus system, emphasizing affordability and proximity— with a campus within 60 miles of nearly every Pennsylvanian—to support workforce development in rural and suburban regions. The campuses include: Penn State Abington (near ), Altoona (central ), Beaver (near ), Berks (Reading area), Brandywine (near ), DuBois (north-central), Fayette (near Uniontown), Greater Allegheny (near ), Harrisburg (capital region, with graduate offerings), Hazleton (northeast), (eastern), Mont Alto (south-central), New Kensington (near ), Schuylkill (near Pottsville), Scranton/Worthington (northeast), Shenango (near Sharon), Wilkes-Barre (northeast), and (south-central). Enrollment across these campuses has faced sustained declines, dropping 35% from fall 2014 to fall 2024 in the smaller locations under review, amid broader demographic shifts like shrinking rural populations and competition from community colleges. In response to these pressures, university leadership in February 2025 proposed consolidating operations, leading to Board of Trustees approval on , 2025, to cease new admissions at seven campuses—DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, and —effective after the 2026-27 , while investing in the remaining 12 to enhance program quality and hybrid delivery. This decision, supported by analyses showing per-student costs exceeding sustainable levels at low-enrollment sites (some under 500 students), aims to redirect resources toward high-demand areas without reducing overall access, as affected students can transfer seamlessly to nearby campuses. Total Commonwealth Campus enrollment constitutes about 15-20% of Penn State's 73,394 undergraduates as of fall 2024, underscoring their role despite challenges.

World Campus and Specialized Programs

Penn State World Campus serves as the online education division of Pennsylvania State University, delivering fully remote degree and certificate programs to students worldwide. Established in , it evolved from the university's longstanding tradition in , which originated with correspondence courses in 1892. Initially launching with five programs and 41 enrolled students, World Campus has expanded significantly, now offering more than 200 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs developed and taught by Penn State faculty. These programs span disciplines including business, engineering, education, health sciences, and , with all coursework accessible asynchronously through a centralized digital platform. Enrollment at World Campus has grown steadily, reflecting broader trends in online higher education accessibility. As of recent data, it serves approximately 13,564 students across associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, with a focus on working adults and non-traditional learners. Undergraduate offerings include over 40 bachelor's degrees, such as those in , cybersecurity analytics, and biobehavioral health, while graduate programs encompass master's degrees in fields like and . The division maintains the same academic standards as on-campus programs, including regional accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and emphasizes flexibility with rolling admissions and recorded lectures. Specialized programs at World Campus primarily consist of graduate certificates and options tailored for career advancement in niche areas. Examples include the AI Engineering Graduate Certificate, and programs, and certificates in or , which can often stack toward full degrees. These shorter-format offerings, typically 9-15 credits, target professionals seeking targeted skills without committing to a full degree, such as in data analytics or . Doctoral programs, though limited, include specialized tracks like the for advanced clinical practice. Instruction integrates practical applications and faculty expertise, distinguishing World Campus from purely vendor-driven online platforms by leveraging Penn State's research resources.

Governance and Administration

Board of Trustees and Oversight

The Pennsylvania State University Board of Trustees serves as the institution's primary , comprising 38 members who establish strategic goals, approve policies and procedures, review and authorize budgets, and delegate operational management to the university president while retaining ultimate oversight. Of these, 36 hold voting privileges, with the Governor of Pennsylvania and the university president serving as non-voting ex officio members. The board's structure reflects the university's land-grant origins, incorporating representation from agricultural interests alongside , state appointees, and internal selections to balance diverse stakeholder input in . Membership breaks down into several categories selected through distinct processes. Six trustees are appointed by the Governor of and serve until successors are confirmed by the state Senate. Nine are elected by Penn State alumni and former s via an annual process managed by the university, with nominations requiring support from at least 250 electors and ballots distributed in for voting before Commencement; terms are staggered, with three seats open yearly. Six represent agricultural societies, elected by delegates from county-level organizations on the Thursday preceding Spring Commencement, ensuring alignment with the university's statutory mandate. The board itself selects six business and industry trustees, three at-large trustees, one trustee (nominated by a ), and one faculty trustee (nominated by the Faculty Senate), with nominations vetted by dedicated subcommittees and elections held at the May board meeting. Four additional voting ex officio positions are held by the Secretaries of , , and Conservation and Natural Resources, plus the immediate past president of the Penn State Alumni Association. Oversight functions are executed through an Executive Committee and six standing committees—Audit and Risk, Equity and Human Resources, Finance and Investment, and others—that scrutinize financial controls, compliance, personnel policies, and to safeguard institutional integrity and fiscal sustainability. The board advises on university affairs, fosters relationships with state and federal entities, and enforces a requiring trustees to prioritize the university's mission, act in , and maintain on sensitive matters. Recent actions include the 2025 of trustees Kelley M. Lynch, J. Gregory Pilewicz, and Uma Moriarity, alongside board votes to consolidate internal selection processes and approve amid campus closures, drawing bipartisan criticism for perceived prioritization of administrative raises over programmatic needs. Trustees must undergo background checks and certify adherence to ethical standards, though the predominance of internally selected members (over half the voting body) has prompted calls for reforms to enhance external accountability and reduce insularity, as articulated by state lawmakers proposing alignment with other state-related universities' models. A 2025 Commonwealth Court ruling further mandated disclosure of internal trustee documents, addressing prior opacity in deliberations following legal challenges under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law.

Executive Leadership and Decision-Making

The president of Pennsylvania State University serves as the , holding ultimate responsibility for the institution's operational management, strategic direction, and implementation of policies approved by the Board of Trustees. This role encompasses oversight of academic affairs, administrative functions, and fiscal operations across the university's campuses, with the president reporting directly to the board while exercising delegated authority for day-to-day decision-making. , appointed as the 19th president on May 9, 2022, is the first woman and first person of color to hold the position; she previously served as president of the from 2018 to 2022 and held senior administrative roles at . Bendapudi holds a Ph.D. in marketing from the (1994), an MBA from in , and a in English from the same institution. Supporting the president is the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, currently Fotis Sotiropoulos, who manages academic programs, faculty affairs, and enrollment strategies while reporting directly to the president. The team, often convened as the President's , includes key vice presidents such as the Executive Vice President and (Doreen Ferretti), Vice President for and (David Horton), and Vice President and (Tabitha R. Oman), among others, who handle specialized domains like finance, technology, legal compliance, and human resources. This structure facilitates decentralized decision-making in operational areas, with senior executives empowered to implement initiatives aligned with university-wide goals, though major strategic shifts—such as budget reallocations or program expansions—require presidential endorsement and board ratification. Decision-making processes emphasize a combination of top-down authority and consultative input, with the president initiating proposals on issues like ; for instance, in May 2025, Bendapudi recommended consolidating seven campuses to address enrollment declines and fiscal pressures, a move submitted for approval to optimize resources amid static state funding. Routine administrative decisions, including hiring of deans and allocation of research funds, involve input from faculty senates and advisory committees, but final executive authority rests with the president to ensure alignment with institutional priorities such as research excellence and student access. Bendapudi's has included performance evaluations yielding high board satisfaction ratings as of July 2025, alongside contract adjustments reflecting competitive compensation benchmarks for Big Ten presidents.

Budget, Funding, and Fiscal Policies

The Pennsylvania State University's consolidated financial operations generated total revenues of $6.7 billion in 2024, with expenses totaling $6.4 billion, as reported in its audited . The core Education and General (E&G) , which funds academic instruction, , and administrative functions, amounted to $2.08 billion, reflecting a data-driven allocation model implemented starting in 2023-24. This E&G primarily derives from tuition and fees ($1.7 billion), state appropriations ($242 million), research facilities and administrative (F&A) recoveries ($111 million), and income ($24 million). State funding constitutes a key but minority component, with the general support appropriation fixed at $242.1 million for 2024-25, directed toward reducing in-state undergraduate tuition costs and supporting the university's land-grant mission in , , and . Overall state aid, including specialized allocations for agricultural and , reached $326.5 million in 2024. Tuition and fees provided $1.5 billion across all operations, supplemented by $1.2 billion in federal and private grants and contracts, predominantly for activities. Endowment distributions contributed $141.9 million, drawn from a $4.57 billion endowment pool as of 2023 end, invested through a long-term pool that yielded a 10.6% return in 2024. Fiscal policies emphasize stewardship and performance-based allocation under the university's revamped budget model, which ties funding to quantifiable metrics such as student credit hours, research expenditures, and enrollment headcounts to enhance transparency and align resources with strategic priorities. E&G allocations are distributed to colleges ($1.04 billion), campus administration and ($817 million), units ($139.5 million), and contingency reserves, with units retaining discretion over internal spending. Endowment assets are managed per policy FN15, requiring detailed reporting on usage to preserve principal and ensure perpetual support for scholarships, positions, and programs, with spending policies aiming for predictable annual distributions. Tuition adjustments are calibrated annually by the Board of Trustees, with 2025-26 featuring 1-4% increases for most in-state and out-of-state undergraduates, housing, and dining; the university has requested a tuition freeze for 2026-27 contingent on a $49 million state appropriation increase. Overall, the model supports fiscal stability amid stagnant state funding relative to , enabling a proposed university-wide of $10.2 billion for 2026-27.

Academics

Colleges, Schools, and Departments

Pennsylvania State University organizes its academic offerings into 16 colleges that span disciplines including , , liberal arts, and health sciences, with these units responsible for delivering undergraduate, , and professional degrees as well as housing departments for teaching and . Each college typically contains multiple departments, which manage specific academic programs, faculty, and specialized ; for instance, the College of Agricultural Sciences includes nine departments such as and Animal Science. This structure supports the university's land-grant mission, emphasizing instruction, , and public service across its campuses. The College of Agricultural Sciences leads in agricultural research and education, offering programs in areas like crop science and . The College of Arts and Architecture provides degrees in , , music, theatre, and . The Smeal College of Business delivers undergraduate, graduate, and executive education in , ranked among top programs for its focus on analytics and leadership. The Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications emphasizes practical training in , , and . The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences addresses energy, environment, and geosciences through programs in , geosciences, and . The College of Education offers over 20 preparation programs, including partnerships for schools. The College of Engineering, one of the largest, trains students in disciplines like , chemical, and across multiple departments. The College of Health and Human Development focuses on biobehavioral health, , and sciences to promote human well-being. The College of Information Sciences and Technology integrates computing, data sciences, and cybersecurity to solve societal challenges. The College of the Liberal Arts combines humanities and social sciences, with departments in economics, history, , and . The Eberly College of Science prepares students in , chemistry, , physics, and for scientific . Specialized units include the School of International Affairs, offering a ; Penn State Dickinson Law and associated law programs; the College of Medicine, centered on and research; and the Nese College of Nursing, which trains nurses for clinical and research roles. Additional academic units encompass the Schreyer Honors College, providing enriched curricula and support for high-achieving students, and the Division of Undergraduate Studies, aiding exploratory students before degree enrollment. Departments within these colleges number in the hundreds university-wide, varying by unit; for example, the College of Engineering includes 13 departments and offers over 20 undergraduate majors. This decentralized structure allows for interdisciplinary collaboration while maintaining disciplinary depth, with administrative oversight from college deans reporting to the provost.

Admissions, Enrollment, and Selectivity

Pennsylvania State University admits first-year undergraduate students through a holistic review process that considers high school academic performance, scores (if submitted), extracurricular activities, roles, and personal statements submitted via the Penn State Application for Admission or the Common Application. Applicants must complete at least 15 units of college-preparatory coursework, including 4 units of English, 3 units of or arts/humanities, 3 units of science, and 3 units of , though no strict minimum GPA or cutoff exists. The university is test-optional, but among admitted students to University Park who submitted scores for the summer/fall 2025 entering class, the middle 50% SAT range was 1240-1420 and ACT range was 28-32. Graduate admissions vary by program but generally require a , GRE scores (where applicable), letters of recommendation, and statements of purpose, handled through individual graduate schools. Selectivity at the flagship University Park campus is moderately competitive, with an overall undergraduate acceptance rate of 61% reported for recent cycles, though rates fluctuate annually between 54% and 60% based on applicant volume exceeding 70,000. In-state applicants face slightly higher acceptance (around 62%) compared to out-of-state (59%), reflecting state funding priorities for public institutions. Commonwealth Campus branches exhibit higher acceptance rates, often exceeding 90% for regional applicants, as they serve as entry points with pathways to transfer to University Park after meeting academic benchmarks. admissions to University Park yielded a 70.3% acceptance rate for fall , per unofficial tallies, prioritizing committed applicants. Fall 2024 enrollment totaled 87,995 students system-wide, comprising 73,394 undergraduates (83.4% of total) and 13,038 graduate/professional students, marking a stable figure with a 0.2% undergraduate increase from the prior year. At University Park, the undergraduate population reached 42,619, bolstered by the second-largest incoming first-year class on record, while Commonwealth Campuses enrolled the remainder, with some smaller branches under 900 students amid consolidation discussions. Enrollment trends reflect steady growth at the main campus driven by its research-intensive profile, contrasted by declines at select regional sites due to demographic shifts and online alternatives like World Campus.

Rankings, Reputation, and Performance Metrics

Pennsylvania State University—University Park is ranked #59 among national universities and #26 among in the 2026 Best Colleges rankings. In the 2026 , it places #82 globally and #24 , reflecting strengths in academic reputation (86.1 score) and employer reputation (85.8 score). The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 position it at #108 worldwide and within the top 5% of 2,191 evaluated institutions, with additional recognition as #3 in the U.S. and #64 globally in the 2025 Impact Rankings for contributions to the . The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ShanghaiRanking) 2025 lists it in the 101-150 band globally.
Ranking BodyYearGlobal RankU.S. RankNotes
2026N/A#59 (National), #26 (Public)Among 434 ranked national universities.
2026#82#24Top 6% of 1,501 institutions; employer reputation improved 32 spots to #89 globally.
World2026#108Top 17 PublicTop 5% of 2,191 institutions.
ARWU (ShanghaiRanking)2025101-150N/AAmong over 2,500 institutions.
Employer surveys highlight Penn State's for producing employable graduates, with a QS employment outcomes score of 79.2 and placement in the top 8% worldwide for employer (No. 121 in 2025 QS, advancing to No. 89 in 2026). outcomes contribute to its ranking as the #21 best employer for new college graduates in 2023, based on surveys of recent hires across sectors. However, some analyses note relative declines in academic metrics compared to peer Big Ten institutions, attributed in part to lower retention and graduation rates within the conference. Student performance metrics include a 93% first-year retention rate and an 86% six-year graduation rate for the University Park campus, exceeding national averages but trailing most Big Ten peers. U.S. News reports an average six-year graduation rate of 85%, with lower rates for Pell Grant recipients at around 63%, indicating disparities in support for low-income students. Research performance underscores institutional strengths, with annual expenditures reaching $1.337 billion, supporting high citation volumes exceeding 14 million across faculty outputs. Metrics such as institutional rankings place it prominently among U.S. public research universities, though subject-specific impacts vary.

Research Output, Funding, and Innovations

Penn State's research expenditures totaled a record $1.337 billion in fiscal year 2023-24, reflecting an 8% increase or $99 million rise from the prior year. These funds derive primarily from federal agencies, the Commonwealth of ($64.4 million, including $26.5 million for ), industry and foundations ($134.9 million), and other sources such as private donors and university allocations. In the National Science Foundation's Higher Education and Development (HERD) Survey reporting fiscal year 2022 data, the university ranked 26th nationally in total R&D expenditures, advancing two positions from the previous assessment. Research outputs encompass peer-reviewed publications, citations, and collaborative works tracked via the university's Pure portal, which aggregates scholarly contributions across units. For example, the Penn State College of Medicine's outputs include over 52,000 articles and reviews garnering more than 6.1 million citations, with an of 852. Similarly, the College of Information Sciences and Technology features 2,229 s from 1,034 authors, accumulating 66,183 citations. These metrics underscore disciplinary impacts in areas like , , and sciences, though aggregate university-wide publication volumes are not centrally quantified in public reports. Innovations include patented technologies with commercial applications, such as crystallization methods for and advanced antenna designs for wearable and systems. Penn State researchers invented piezoelectric transducers integral to nearly all devices, originating from work by faculty like L. Eric Cross. The Invent Penn State initiative supports , exemplified by materials scientist James Adair's nanoparticle-based cancer diagnostics and therapies, earning him Inventor of the Year in 2018. Multiple faculty, including electrical engineer Qiming Zhang (20 patents in dielectrics and sensors) and materials experts Clive Randall and T.C. Mike Chung, hold of Inventors fellowships for contributions in , ceramics, and polymers. Historically, Ferdinand Brickwedde produced the first measurable in 1931, enabling applications in nuclear research.

Student Life

In fall 2024, the Pennsylvania State University system enrolled a total of 87,995 students across its campuses, comprising 73,394 undergraduates (83.4% of the total) and 13,038 graduate and professional students (14.8%). Of the undergraduates, 70,636 were pursuing bachelor's degrees, while smaller numbers were in associate programs (1,452) or non-degree status (1,306). The flagship University Park campus accounted for 42,619 undergraduates, representing the largest concentration within the system. Enrollment trends have shown stability in recent years, with overall undergraduate numbers increasing by 144 students (0.2%) from fall 2023 to fall 2024, supported by the second-largest incoming freshman class at University Park. System-wide total enrollment dipped slightly to 87,903 in fall 2023 from the prior year but has grown incrementally over the past decade, with undergraduate enrollment rising by about 1,481 and graduate by 1,611 since 2014. Approximately 58% of students (50,766) are in-state residents, consistent with historical patterns driven by the university's land-grant mission and tuition policies favoring Pennsylvania domiciles. The student body exhibits a distribution of roughly 52-53% male and 47-48% female across the system, with the undergraduate at University Park skewed more toward males (54%) than females (46%). Racial and ethnic composition, based on self-reported data, indicates a majority at 62.8%, followed by Hispanic or Latino at 8.17%, Asian at 6.86%, Black or African American at 5.8%, two or more races at 3.44%, and other categories including American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander comprising the remainder. International students constitute about 9-10% of the total, concentrated disproportionately at University Park. These metrics reflect limited shifts in diversity over time, with underrepresented minority (URM) first-time undergraduates declining by 9.8% system-wide in fall 2024 relative to prior benchmarks, amid broader national enrollment pressures.
Racial/Ethnic GroupPercentage of Enrolled Students (System-Wide)
62.8%
Hispanic or Latino8.17%
Asian6.86%
or African American5.8%
Two or More Races3.44%
International/Other~9-13% (including non-residents)
Data derived from federal IPEDS reporting; percentages exclude unknowns and may vary slightly by campus, with University Park showing a higher White proportion (63%) and international share (9%). Overall, about 52% of students identify with diverse backgrounds, though this figure encompasses international enrollees and has not markedly increased despite institutional efforts.

Housing, Dining, and Campus Infrastructure

Pennsylvania State University provides on-campus housing primarily at its University Park campus, accommodating approximately 14,000 students across various residence areas, with first-year students numbering around 10,000 in designated halls. Housing options include traditional double and triple rooms in residence halls for first-year students, suites, single rooms, and apartments for upperclassmen, with East Halls serving as the largest complex featuring 16 coed renovated buildings. Pollock Halls house about 2,262 first-year residents in structures primarily dedicated to that group. Graduate and family housing at White Course offers 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments and townhouses equipped with community centers and study lounges. Overall, about 35% of students reside in university-affiliated housing, with the remainder off-campus. The university approved housing rates for the 2025-26 academic year on July 18, 2024, with standard increases reflecting operational costs. Plans for expansion include a new 1,500-bed complex via public-private partnership near University Drive, aimed at addressing capacity limits currently capping first-year assignments at 9,500. Dining services at University Park operate through Campus Dining, featuring all-you-care-to-eat commons such as , Northside at Warnock Commons, and food districts in East, South, and West areas. HUB Dining provides a food court with options including , Blue Burrito, and Hibachi San, alongside convenience stores and cafes like Edge Coffee. Meal plans, such as the Campus Meal Plan, offer discounts for frequent on-campus diners and are accepted at all locations. South Food District includes stations like Choolaah Indian BBQ and Bowls @ South, while East Food District features . Food rates for 2025-26 were approved alongside housing, integrated into Housing and Food Service contracts managed via the eLiving portal. Campus infrastructure at University Park is overseen by the Office of under Policy AD38, which governs , buildings, and utilities maintenance. The 2024-2028 Capital Plan allocates funds for projects like the East Campus Thermal Storage Tank, electrical cable replacements, and road rehabilitation to sustain operations. The Student Affairs Facilities Master Plan, updated in 2021, guides enhancements to residence and dining areas, including renovations in East Halls adding 336 beds. Recent initiatives include a proposed general-purpose classroom building advanced in November 2024, featuring lecture halls and flexible spaces to support enrollment growth. The Facilities Optimized Service Team focuses on efficiency in operations across campuses.

Student Organizations, Traditions, and Activities

Pennsylvania State University maintains over 1,000 registered student organizations, spanning categories such as academic, cultural, , recreational, religious, and service groups, facilitated through the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement. These organizations enable student participation in governance, events, and community service, with new groups requiring at least 10 University Park students, including designated officers, for recognition. The Penn State Discover platform serves as the central hub for browsing, joining, and RSVPing to organization events and involvement fairs across campuses. The University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) functions as the primary student government for undergraduates at the flagship campus, representing student interests in university policy, allocating funds to organizations, and advocating on issues like academics and campus services. Comprised of elected representatives and executive officers, the UPUA operates alongside campus-specific bodies, such as those at Commonwealth Campuses, to address localized concerns. Among prominent organizations, Four Diamonds/THON stands out as the world's largest entirely student-run , organizing an annual 46-hour since its in 1973 to support pediatric cancer families. Partnering exclusively with Four Diamonds at Penn State Health since 1977, THON has raised over $236 million by 2025, funding treatments without family financial burdens through direct emotional and financial . The event involves thousands of volunteers in , with dancers committing to continuous movement over the weekend in February. University traditions emphasize communal identity and athletics, including the "We Are Penn State" chant, first performed by cheerleaders in on September 24, 1976, to rally fans during a football game against UMass. The Shrine, a installed in 1940 and depicting the campus mascot selected by students in 1904, is guarded by Lion Ambassadors and ROTC volunteers during weekend—a practice originating in the late to prevent and of its nose, which has been repeatedly targeted. Other rituals include the White Out at select men's and football games, where spectators don white attire for a visually striking crowd effect, a popularized in the 1990s for hockey and extended to football in 2005. Student activities extend to intramural sports, cultural festivals, and service initiatives, with policies ensuring compliance with university rules on funding, events, and risk management to promote safe engagement. Annual involvement fairs and the Blue Band marching performances further integrate traditions into campus life, fostering connections through events like the singing post-victories.

Public Safety, Incidents, and Risk Management

The University Police and Public Safety (UPPS) department operates as a full-service law enforcement agency serving Penn State's 22 campuses, with responsibilities including 24-hour patrols, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, and community-oriented policing. UPPS officers are certified by the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission and collaborate with local, state, and federal agencies for major incidents. The department maintains an online daily crime log documenting reported offenses and issues timely crime alerts for Clery Act-reportable events, such as burglaries or assaults, to inform the community. Penn State complies with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act through annual "Policies, Safety, & U" reports, which compile statistics from University Police, campus security authorities, and local for the prior three calendar years. For the University Park campus, these reports indicate zero murders reported in 2021, 2022, and 2023; however, specific counts for categories like , , aggravated , and vary annually and are detailed in the full disclosures. Overall, the university reports approximately 1.23 s per 100 students, positioning it among safer large campuses, though national trends show a 13% rise in on-campus crimes in 2023 amid broader increases in property and violent offenses. Despite these measures, Penn State faced renewed noncompliance allegations in November 2023, including failures to distribute timely warnings for certain sex offenses and to educate students on crime reporting, echoing prior institutional lapses that resulted in a $2.4 million U.S. Department of fine. Risk management at Penn State is overseen by the Office of within Finance and Business, which identifies, assesses, and mitigates enterprise-wide risks through programs, claims processing, and development to minimize financial and operational exposures. Complementary efforts include the Behavioral Threat Management Team, which systematically evaluates and intervenes in potential threats from individuals exhibiting concerning behaviors, and , which outlines protocols for reporting and managing acts or threats of violence. In June 2025, the and Safety unit transitioned into UPPS to streamline oversight of hazards like chemical exposures and , enhancing integrated responses. Campus-wide initiatives, such as free security escorts via the 814-865-WALK service at University Park and annual training for staff, further support proactive . Recent incidents logged by UPPS primarily involve property crimes, such as at residence halls, with no reported spikes in violent offenses excluding major scandals addressed elsewhere.

Athletics

Department Overview, Facilities, and Revenue

The Penn State Athletics department administers the Nittany Lions varsity programs, comprising 31 teams—16 for men and 15 for women—that compete at the level, with most participating in the . The department supports over 800 student-athletes across these programs, emphasizing competitive success alongside academic performance, as evidenced by consistent team GPAs above 3.0 in recent semesters. Leadership is provided by Dr. Patrick Kraft, who has served as for Intercollegiate Athletics since July 1, 2022, overseeing operations including compliance, facilities management, and strategic initiatives. Key facilities at the University Park campus include , the primary venue for football; the , which hosts and other events; Holuba Hall, an indoor practice space mainly for football but also used for other sports; the Sarni Tennis Center; the Field Hockey Complex; and Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for . Additional venues such as support hockey and other ice sports, contributing to the department's infrastructure for training, competition, and events. For the ending June 30, 2024, Penn State Athletics generated $220.7 million in operating —primarily from ticket sales, contributions, and media rights—against $215.1 million in expenses, yielding a $5.6 million surplus. Football remains the dominant source, accounting for $72.7 million in gross revenues during that period, underscoring its central role in subsidizing non-revenue sports amid rising operational costs. The department's financial reports, submitted annually to the NCAA, reflect commitments to maintaining all 31 sports despite expense growth.

Football Program: Successes and Institutional Role

The program, one of the most successful in history, has secured two consensus national championships: the 1982 season, culminating in a 27-23 victory over Georgia in the , and the 1986 season, marked by a 14-10 upset of defending champion in the . The program holds an all-time record of 924 wins, 408 losses, and 37 ties through the 2024 season, with a 32-20-2 mark in 54 bowl appearances, tying for ninth-most nationally. Under legendary coach from 1966 to 2011, the team achieved 31 bowl berths, four undefeated seasons (1968, 1969, 1973, 1986), and consistent top-25 finishes, establishing a reputation for disciplined, fundamentals-driven play that emphasized academic success alongside athletic prowess. Current James Franklin, since 2014, has led the program to 10-win seasons in six of 11 years, including Big Ten Conference championships in 2016 and 2023, and a 31-14 win over Boise State in 2024, though it has yet to claim a national title in the era. The football program's institutional role at Pennsylvania State University extends beyond , serving as a primary driver of and economic activity that subsidizes non- and bolsters the university's profile. In the 2023-24 , Penn State generated $220.8 million in , with football accounting for over 51% through ticket sales, media rights, and sponsorships, contributing to a modest $5.6 million net profit for the department overall. Intercollegiate , led by football, generated $754.6 million in statewide economic output in recent analyses, including impacts from game-day spending in State College that boosts local hotels, restaurants, and vendors by percentages exceeding regional averages during home weekends. This financial engine aligns with the university's land-grant mission by enhancing visibility for recruitment, alumni engagement, and funding appeals, while fostering campus traditions like the White Out game that reinforce institutional identity. However, the program's outsized influence has historically risked overshadowing academic priorities, as evidenced by its cultural dominance in university decision-making prior to reforms.

Wrestling, Basketball, and Other Key Sports

The Penn State wrestling program has established itself as one of the most dominant in history, securing 13 team national championships as of the 2025 season, including four consecutive titles from 2023 to 2025 under head coach . The Nittany Lions' dynasty, which began with Sanderson's arrival in 2006, includes additional titles in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2019, amassing over 100 individual NCAA champions and setting records for bonus-point victories and dual-meet dominance. Sanderson, a four-time undefeated NCAA champion as a competitor at Iowa State, has coached the program to a 94% dual-meet win rate, with standout wrestlers like Carter Starocci achieving a historic fifth individual title in 2025. Penn State's men's basketball team competes in the and has made 10 NCAA appearances since its debut in 1942, compiling a 9-11 tournament record with a deepest run to the Final Four in 1954. The program holds one Big Ten regular-season title (1995-96) and one tournament championship (), though it has struggled for consistent postseason success, with its most recent NCAA bid in 2023 ending in a first-round loss. Overall, since the 1896-97 season, the Nittany Lions maintain a 1,577-1,274-1 record (.553 winning percentage). The program has achieved greater prominence, earning 25 NCAA Tournament berths since 1982 and capturing 11 Big Ten regular-season titles along with eight conference tournament crowns. With an overall record of 872-501 (.635 ), the Lady Lions have advanced to multiple Sweet Sixteens and Elite Eights, including a 13-3 Big Ten mark en route to the 2012 NCAA second round. Beyond wrestling and , Penn State's athletics department fields 31 varsity teams, with women's standing out as a perennial powerhouse, claiming eight NCAA titles (1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, and 2024), the most recent a 3-1 victory over Louisville in 2024. Other notable programs include men's (NCAA champions in 1990, 1993, 2007, 2008, and 2010), (multiple NCAA titles in both men's and women's divisions since 2012), and women's soccer (NCAA champion in 2015). These sports contribute to Penn State's total of 84 national team championships across all disciplines.

Major Controversies

Jerry Sandusky Child Sex Abuse Scandal and Institutional Failures

, a longtime assistant football coach at Pennsylvania State and founder of charity for at-risk youth established in 1977, was arrested on November 5, 2011, and charged with 52 counts of involving eight victims, later expanded to ten. The alleged abuses, occurring between 1994 and 2009, primarily targeted boys met through the charity, with Sandusky using his university access—including Lasch Football Building showers and facilities—for encounters. A 1998 incident involved Sandusky showering with and allegedly groping an 11-year-old boy, Victim 6; Penn State police and investigated, but Centre County District Attorney declined charges, allowing Sandusky continued charity and campus involvement. In March 2002, graduate assistant witnessed Sandusky anally raping a 10-year-old boy in a shower; McQueary reported it to the next day, who informed athletic director Tim Curley and senior vice president Gary Schultz, yet no police report followed, with Sandusky merely told to stay away from children on campus—a directive not enforced. University president approved the limited internal response, prioritizing institutional reputation over child welfare, as evidenced by email exchanges showing concerns about media exposure rather than victim safety. The 2011 grand jury investigation, prompted by a 2008 victim's mother alerting police, revealed systemic inaction: despite multiple reports, including a 2001 eyewitness account, senior leaders failed to alert or child services, enabling Sandusky's access to over 100 boys annually. Sandusky was convicted on June 22, 2012, of 45 felony counts, including involuntary deviate and corruption of minors, after a featuring victim testimonies of repeated assaults, often involving gifts and charity program enticements. He received a 30- to 60-year sentence on October 9, 2012, upheld after resentencing in 2019. Curley, , and Spanier faced charges of perjury, endangering the welfare of children, and related offenses for lying to the and failing to report; Curley and were convicted in 2017 but saw convictions vacated on appeal in 2020 due to immunity under Pennsylvania's Child Protective Services Law, highlighting legal ambiguities in reporting duties. The Louis Freeh-led independent investigation, released July 12, 2012, attributed failures to a "culture of reverence for the football program" and leaders' deliberate concealment, citing emails where Paterno, Curley, , and Spanier discussed the 2001 incident as "horsing around" to avoid . This report, commissioned by Penn State's board, documented over a of ignored flags, including Sandusky's 1999 without . Critics, including a 2013 review by former U.S. commissioned by Paterno's family, faulted Freeh's methodology for lacking of Paterno's knowledge of penetration and relying on speculative inferences, arguing it scapegoated individuals without proving a . Nonetheless, from trial records and communications confirms institutional lapses: no child welfare referrals occurred despite legal mandates under (23 Pa.C.S. § 6311), allowing Sandusky's predation to persist, as corroborated by victim suits detailing over 100 assaults. Penn State paid $109.5 million in settlements to 35 claimants by 2016, reflecting acknowledged liability. NCAA imposed sanctions including a $60 million fine, vacated wins from 1998-2011, and scholarship cuts, later partially reversed in 2015 amid evidence of undue haste. These events exposed causal failures in oversight, where football's revenue ($72.7 million in ) and cultural dominance incentivized silence over accountability.

Timothy Piazza Hazing Death and Fraternity Reforms

On February 2, 2017, Timothy J. Piazza, a 19-year-old engineering student from , participated in a ritual known as the "Gauntlet" during a bid acceptance event at the house on the University Park campus of Pennsylvania State University. Pledges, including Piazza, were required to consume large quantities of alcohol in quick succession; prosecutors later determined that Piazza ingested the equivalent of 18 drinks within 82 minutes, resulting in a blood alcohol concentration estimated above 0.40 percent. Security footage recovered from the house—initially deleted but later obtained by authorities—captured Piazza stumbling, falling headfirst down a staircase multiple times between approximately 10:30 p.m. and 1 a.m., and suffering visible distress, including vomiting and attempts by members to move him. Despite these signs, no immediate aid was sought; members instead attempted amateur interventions like pouring water on him and slapping his face. Piazza was not transported to a until around 10:48 a.m. on February 3, after leaders finally called 911 upon discovering him unresponsive in the ; he succumbed to traumatic brain injuries, a lacerated , and other complications exacerbated by alcohol poisoning on February 4. A Centre County grand jury investigation, convened in May 2017, detailed the fraternity's culture of secrecy and inaction, noting that members monitored Piazza's condition sporadically overnight but prioritized concealing the event over his safety, including attempts to delete video evidence. The probe led to charges against 28 individuals, including involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and hazing; eight fraternity members faced the most serious counts related to supplying alcohol to minors and failing to aid Piazza. Outcomes included guilty pleas and sentences ranging from probation to incarceration: in April 2019, four members received 30 to 100 days in jail plus fines for hazing and related offenses; more recently, in October 2024, former chapter president Brendan Young and vice president Daniel Casey were each sentenced to two to four months in prison followed by three years' probation for their roles in encouraging the ritual and delaying help. Civil settlements followed, including one in September 2018 between Piazza's parents and Beta Theta Pi's national organization, and another resolving outstanding claims with Penn State in February 2019, which included commitments to ongoing anti-hazing education. In response, Penn State imposed an immediate moratorium on alcohol at fraternity pledge events and revoked Beta Theta Pi's recognition on February 17, 2017, prohibiting the chapter from operating on campus. University-wide reforms, announced progressively through 2017 and 2018, included mandatory chapter scorecards assessing compliance with risk management, pre-event registration for social functions, and enhanced reporting mechanisms for hazing allegations, with non-compliant groups facing suspension or derecognition. At the state level, the Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law, enacted in 2018 and signed by Governor , established a three-tier classification system for hazing offenses—ranging from misdemeanors to felonies—with mandatory minimum penalties and requirements for colleges to report incidents publicly. Penn State further acquired the former Beta Theta Pi house in 2023 for demolition and repurposing, aiming to eliminate symbols of the incident. Despite these measures, challenges persisted; by 2024, the university had suspended multiple fraternities for ongoing hazing and alcohol violations, prompting criticism that centralized oversight—initially expanded post-2017—might revert to self-governance, potentially undermining accountability. The Piazza family has advocated nationally for hazing prevention, including through programs like "Love, Mom & Dad," presented to thousands of Penn State students in 2019.

Free Speech, Academic Freedom, and Self-Censorship Issues

Pennsylvania State University has received low marks in national assessments of campus free speech protections. In FIRE's 2025 College Free Speech Rankings, the university earned an overall score of 58.30 out of 100, placing it 109th out of 257 institutions evaluated, with an "F" grade for speech climate. The institution's policies received a "Yellow Light" rating, indicating at least one rule that could too easily be used to restrict protected expression. Surveys reveal widespread among students and faculty, driven by fears of backlash or professional repercussions. A 2024 survey by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) found that 71% of Penn State undergraduates had refrained from speaking up in class or discussions due to concerns over unwelcome responses. Faculty self-censorship is similarly prevalent, with 63% of Penn State professors reporting they self-censor very often (8%), fairly often (19%), or occasionally (36%) in their teaching, research, or public statements. Common reasons include avoiding controversy (38%) and concealing political views to safeguard employment (approximately 25% across frequency categories). Only 24% of faculty viewed the administration as clearly protecting free speech, highlighting a gap between policy and perceived institutional support. Student attitudes exacerbate this environment: 59% believed professors should be reported for offensive comments, and nearly 40% deemed it acceptable to shout down or block speakers with disagreeable views. Additionally, 86% of students received no training on free expression policies. Specific incidents underscore these tensions. In October 2022, Penn State canceled a student-hosted "Uncensored America" comedy event featuring after protests outside the venue escalated into an unlawful disturbance, prompting police intervention and one ; university officials cited safety risks, with President labeling participants as provocateurs. condemned the decision as a "heckler's veto" that violated students' First Amendment rights by yielding to external pressure rather than ensuring viewpoint-neutral protection. In 2024, the university removed approximately 35 newsstands containing the student-run Daily Collegian following complaints about advertisements, including three promoting and six for drives; officials invoked policies against "commercial sales activities" by non-university entities, despite prior similar placements. described this as "blatant " and potential theft of newspapers, demanding an apology and policy assurances, while noting it infringed on free press rights at a public institution. Academic freedom policies at Penn State affirm protections for faculty expression as citizens, free from institutional outside professional duties, yet implementation lags amid these pressures. ACTA's analysis recommends adoption of principles like the University of Chicago's Statement on Free Expression to foster viewpoint diversity and reduce intolerance. In October 2024, the ACLU of and FIRE warned of potential legal action over unresolved free speech complaints, including event restrictions and ad removals, amid university statements cautioning on "hate-filled" speakers. These patterns reflect broader challenges in maintaining open discourse, with empirical surveys indicating causal links between perceived administrative hesitancy and suppressed expression.

Notable Individuals

Alumni Achievements in Business, Politics, and Sports

Penn State alumni have achieved prominence in business, with the university ranking among the top producers of Fortune 500 CEOs. For instance, Mark Parker, who earned a B.A. in political science from Penn State in 1977, served as president and CEO of Nike from 2006 to 2020, overseeing the company's expansion to a market capitalization exceeding $200 billion by 2019 and innovations in athletic footwear design. Another example is Patricia Woertz, a 1974 Penn State accounting graduate, who became chairman, president, and CEO of Archer Daniels Midland Company in 2006, leading the agribusiness firm through global expansions and revenue growth to over $80 billion annually during her tenure. These successes reflect the Smeal College of Business's emphasis on practical skills, though alumni outcomes vary based on individual initiative and market conditions rather than institutional guarantees. In politics, Penn State graduates have held significant elected offices, often emphasizing conservative principles. Rick Santorum, who received a B.A. in from Penn State in 1980, represented in the U.S. House from 1991 to 1995 and from 1995 to 2007, authoring legislation in 1996 that imposed work requirements and time limits, reducing caseloads by over 50% nationally by 2000 per government data. Kelly Ayotte, a 1990 Penn State B.A. recipient, served as U.S. Senator from from 2011 to 2017 before winning election as the state's governor in 2024, focusing on fiscal restraint and priorities during her Senate term, including support for balanced budgets amid federal deficits exceeding $1 trillion annually. Such roles demonstrate alumni influence in policy-making, though partisan divides in media coverage can skew perceptions of their records. Sports alumni, particularly in football, have excelled professionally, contributing to Penn State's reputation in athletics-driven revenue models. , a Penn State hotel and restaurant management graduate from the early 1970s, rushed for 12,120 yards over 13 seasons with the from 1972 to 1983, earning induction into the in 1990 and key roles in four victories, including the iconic "" play in 1972. , who played for Penn State from 2015 to 2017, amassed 5,538 all-purpose yards and 43 rushing touchdowns, setting school records, before being drafted second overall in the ; by 2025, he had surpassed 7,000 career rushing yards in the league while with the . Other standouts include Hall of Famers like , a linebacker from the 1960s-1970s era who intercepted 32 passes over 12 seasons. These achievements highlight causal links between collegiate training regimens and pro success, tempered by injury risks and team dynamics.

Faculty Contributions to Scholarship and Public Life

Faculty at Pennsylvania State University have made significant contributions to scholarly fields, particularly in geosciences, physics, and , as evidenced by multiple elections to the . In 2021, three faculty members—Nina , Evan Pugh University Professor of ; Jainendra K. , Evan Pugh University Professor of Physics; and Katherine H. Freeman, Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences—were elected for their distinguished research on , quantum Hall effects in two-dimensional systems, and stable , respectively. Susan L. Brantley, Distinguished Professor of Geosciences and Director of the Earth and Environmental Systems , was also recognized for pioneering work on mineral-fluid reactions and processes influencing global carbon cycles. As of 2025, Penn State boasts 14 faculty members in the , reflecting sustained excellence in across disciplines. In addition to academy memberships, faculty receive internal and external honors for research impact. The university awards Faculty Scholar Medals annually to recognize creative excellence; in 2024, recipients included Enrique Gomez for polymer advancements and Katsuhiko Murakami for structural biology insights into mechanisms. titles, conferred for leadership in teaching, research, and service, highlight contributions like those of Dajiang Liu in genomic association methods for rare variants. Visiting scholars have further elevated scholarship; Sir Roger Penrose, 2020 Nobel laureate in Physics for formation theories, served as a visiting , fostering collaborations in . These achievements underscore Penn State's role in advancing foundational knowledge through rigorous, data-driven inquiry. Faculty engagement in public life often stems from applied research informing . Erica Frankenberg, professor of education and , was ranked among the most influential scholars in by the RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings for her empirical analyses of school segregation trends and desegregation effects on student outcomes. Bruce Desmarais, professor of , has quantified interstate diffusion, demonstrating that states investing more in legislative resources exert greater influence on peer adoptions of policies like environmental regulations. Researchers from the School of , including Anthony M. Bertelli, contribute to -based advising for federal and state agencies on administrative reforms and . Studies by Penn State faculty have also shaped congressional legislation by providing lawmakers with synthesized research , enhancing -making causality assessments. These efforts prioritize causal mechanisms over ideological narratives, though institutional biases in academia may underemphasize dissenting empirical findings in debates.

Economic and Societal Impact

Contributions to Pennsylvania's Economy and Workforce

Pennsylvania State University generates an annual economic impact of $15.8 billion on Pennsylvania's economy as measured in fiscal year 2023, representing approximately 2% of the state's . This figure derives from input-output modeling that accounts for direct university spending, visitor and expenditures, effects, and induced economic activity from employee and consumption. The supports nearly 110,000 jobs statewide, including direct , indirect roles in supporting industries, and those sustained by economic activity. As Pennsylvania's seventh-largest employer, Penn State directly sustains over 109,750 full- and part-time positions across its operations, including faculty, staff, and administrative roles at the University Park campus and 19 commonwealth campuses. Alumni residing and employed within the state amplify this effect, contributing $14.3 billion in additional economic output and supporting more than 77,000 jobs through their wages, , and professional contributions. Key components include $7.3 billion from Penn State Health operations, which alone sustain 38,140 jobs, and $754.6 million from intercollegiate athletics, generating 5,856 positions. These activities also yield $782.2 million in annual state and local tax revenues. In workforce development, Penn State equips graduates for high-demand sectors critical to , such as , , , and , leveraging its land-grant status to align curricula with state needs like Marcellus extraction and production training programs for veterans. The university's network facilitates job placement, with Penn State ranked among top national employers for recent graduates by , enhancing in-state retention and employability in technical fields. This educational pipeline bolsters 's labor market by producing skilled professionals whose median earnings six years post-graduation reach $55,620, sustaining long-term economic productivity.

Research Applications, Patents, and Technological Advancements

The at Pennsylvania State University manages the disclosure, patenting, and licensing of inventions emerging from its programs, connecting faculty inventors with industry partners to commercialize technologies across fields like , , and . Rebranded in August 2024 from the to emphasize scaling, the office handles protections that enable exclusive rights to exclude others from producing or selling patented inventions. This process has facilitated licenses granting third parties rights to university-owned technologies under negotiated terms, including milestones and fees, contributing to economic impacts through startup formation and industry adoption. Key technological advancements include piezoelectric transducers invented by Penn State researchers, such as those developed under Dr. L. Eric Cross, an Evan Pugh Professor of , which power nearly all devices globally due to their efficiency in converting to mechanical vibrations for . In nuclear , Ferdinand Brickwedde isolated the first measurable quantity of —a stable —in 1931, enabling production of for reactors and foundational applications in isotopic research. Agriculture saw Penn State launch the first comprehensive research program among land-grant universities, yielding biotechnological improvements in spawn production, disease-resistant strains, and commercial cultivation techniques that enhanced U.S. yields. Patent portfolios assigned to the university span applications in , evolutionary optimization algorithms, and , with disclosures numbering over 1,197 between 2000 and 2007 alone, though commercialization rates vary based on market viability and funding sources. Recent initiatives, such as the 2025 Grant Acceleration Program awards, have funded eight projects including AI-driven diagnostics and electrochemical e-waste methods, bridging lab to prototype development for broader environmental and applications. These efforts align with Penn State's $1.44 billion in 2024-25 research expenditures, the highest to date, driving tangible advancements in , , and sectors through licensed technologies and partnerships.

Criticisms of Over-Reliance on Athletics and Administrative Bloat

Critics contend that Penn State's heavy investment in intercollegiate athletics, particularly its football program, creates an institutional culture that elevates sports above academic priorities, despite the department's self-sufficiency. The Nittany Lions generates over $100 million annually—more than half of the athletic department's total revenue exceeding $200 million—from tickets, media rights, and targeted donations, funding facilities like the $700 million renovation without direct subsidies from state appropriations or student fees. However, this has not quelled concerns over escalating costs, including multimillion-dollar coaching salaries and recruiting expenses that nearly doubled to $2.8 million in recent years, which some experts liken to a high-risk "" misaligned with educational goals. Such reliance manifests in resource allocation decisions perceived as favoring athletics amid fiscal pressures elsewhere, such as a $50 million potential buyout for James Franklin while regional Commonwealth Campuses face closure threats by 2027 due to enrollment declines and budget shortfalls. Proponents of restraint argue this prioritization perpetuates a "winner-take-all" dynamic where athletic success drives enrollment and branding but risks ethical lapses and opportunity costs for instructional funding, as evidenced by broader critiques of athletics' cultural dominance at revenue-generating institutions. Parallel criticisms target administrative expansion, which has outpaced growth and contributed to rising costs without commensurate efficiency gains. From 2002 to 2012, executive administrative positions (assistant deans and above) grew 65%, from 31 to 51, while executive salaries surged—president's by 90% and vice presidents' by an average 29% after —contrasting with pay stagnation, such as a mere 6% real increase for tenured full professors. Administrative spending climbed $60 million, or 33.2%, between 2006-07 and 2011-12, fueling arguments that bloat tuition and diverts funds from , especially as non-tenure-track earn as little as $35,000-$42,500 annually. advocates highlight a suboptimal ratio nearing 2:1 administrators to tenure-track , below an 3:1 for cost-effectiveness, though university reports claim overall non-faculty-to- stability at 2.3:1 from 2004-2013. These disparities, per analyses from groups like the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, underscore inefficiencies in a where administrative layers proliferate amid stagnant state and enrollment challenges.

References

  1. https://www.psu.edu/about/history
  2. https://www.psu.edu/about/facts-and-rankings
  3. https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/penn-state-enrollment-remains-steady-2024
  4. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/penn-states-research-expenditures-reach-record-1337-billion
  5. https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/penn-state-6965
  6. https://media.pennlive.com/midstate_impact/other/REPORT_FINAL_071212.pdf
  7. https://www.cnn.com/2013/10/28/us/penn-state-scandal-fast-facts
  8. https://www.psu.edu/news/impact/story/farmers-high-school-pennsylvania
  9. https://centrehistory.org/article/farmers-high-school/
  10. https://libraries.psu.edu/about/collections/penn-state-university-park-campus-history-collection/evan-pugh
  11. https://hddev.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/11591
  12. https://libraries.psu.edu/about/collections/penn-state-university-park-campus-history-collection/history-university-park
  13. https://libraries.psu.edu/about/collections/penn-state-university-park-campus-history-collection/penn-state-illustrated-0
  14. https://aese.psu.edu/about/history/100-year-history-of-aee/%40%40download/file/History-of-AEE-7-26-05.pdf
  15. https://centrehistory.org/article/evan-pugh/
  16. https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/dear-old-state-early-campus-views
  17. https://www.psu.edu/news/agricultural-sciences/story/land-grant-universities-celebrate-morrill-act-sesquicentennial
  18. https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/c.php?g=1276930&p=9478809
  19. https://libraries.psu.edu/about/collections/penn-state-university-park-campus-history-collection/penn-state-illustrated-6
  20. https://schuylkill.psu.edu/penn-state/about-us/85th-anniversary-commemoration
  21. https://centrehistory.org/article/milton-eisenhower/
  22. https://libraries.psu.edu/about/collections/penn-state-university-park-campus-history-collection/penn-state-illustrated-4
  23. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/penn-states-research-expenditures-reach-record-1239-billion
  24. https://www.thecentersquare.com/pennsylvania/article_acbcc4ce-e9cd-468a-a022-06bbaf80d332.html
  25. https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/penn-state-lehigh-valley-hosts-ribbon-cutting-144-million-campus-expansion
  26. https://web.uncg.edu/cha/bot/2012-2013/Mar_6-7_2013/Presentations/Freeh%2520Report%2520Executive%2520Summary%25202%252013.pdf
  27. http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/07/us/freeh.report/index.html
  28. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/freeh-report-key-findings-paterno-sandusky/1933486/
  29. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/july-report-freeh-recommendations-shows-quick-action-penn-state
  30. https://www.ed.gov/media/document/03146001-apdf-23589.pdf
  31. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268751682_Flawed_by_design_Why_Penn_State%27s_recent_governance_reforms_won%27t_work_and_what_should_be_done_instead
  32. https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2023/07/penn-state-sandusky-accountability-transparency-misconduct-retaliation/
  33. https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2024/01/penn-state-temple-pitt-lincoln-pennsylvania-tuition-funding-inflation/
  34. https://www.highereddive.com/news/pennsylvania-budget-flat-funding-penn-state-universities-colleges/721283/
  35. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/increased-support-penn-state-critical-pennsylvanias-families-economy
  36. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/05/14/penn-state-proposes-seven-campus-closures
  37. https://roadmap.psu.edu/commonwealth-campuses-future/
  38. https://www.citizensvoice.com/2025/05/14/penn-state-makes-its-case-for-campus-closures-including-wilkes-barre/
  39. https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/gould-center-releases-updated-university-park-campus-maps
  40. https://www.psu.edu/academics/campuses/university-park
  41. https://www.opp.psu.edu/project/university-park-master-plan
  42. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park
  43. https://www.psu.edu/academics/campuses
  44. https://libraries.psu.edu/about/collections/penn-state-university-park-campus-history-collection/penn-state-illustrated-7
  45. https://dubois.psu.edu/campus-history
  46. https://greaterallegheny.psu.edu/penn-state/campus-history
  47. https://onwardstate.com/2015/09/04/penn-state-history-lessons-commonwealth-campuses/
  48. https://psu-gatsby-files-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/newsdocuments/CWC_recommendation.pdf
  49. https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/penn-state/article301940034.html
  50. https://www.highereddive.com/news/penn-state-universitys-board-greenlights-plan-to-close-7-campuses/749068/
  51. https://datadigest.psu.edu/student-enrollment/
  52. https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/about-us/news-and-features/an-integral-part-of-penn-state-for-25-years
  53. https://www.psu.edu/news/academics/story/penn-state-world-campus-marks-20th-anniversary
  54. https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/
  55. https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates
  56. https://datausa.io/profile/university/pennsylvania-state-university-world-campus
  57. https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/bachelors-degrees
  58. https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/pennsylvania-state-university-world-campus-6965/bachelors
  59. https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/find-your-degree-program
  60. https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/penn-state-online-special-education-masters-degree
  61. https://trustees.psu.edu/
  62. https://trustees.psu.edu/general-information/
  63. https://trustees.psu.edu/election/
  64. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/penn-state-board-trustees-election-results-announced-0
  65. https://trustees.psu.edu/standing-orders/
  66. https://trustees.psu.edu/committees/
  67. https://www.thecollegefix.com/penn-state-trustees-face-bipartisan-criticism-after-closing-7-campuses-giving-president-nearly-50-raise/
  68. https://www.facebook.com/abc27news/posts/a-pennsylvania-lawmaker-plans-to-introduce-a-bill-that-would-reform-penn-states-/1136689108489319/
  69. https://www.statecollege.com/articles/psu-news/penn-state-loses-fight-to-keep-internal-trustee-documents-hidden-as-commonwealth-court-sides-with-spotlight-pa/
  70. https://www.psu.edu/about/leadership
  71. https://www.psu.edu/president/bendapudi-bio
  72. https://provost.psu.edu/administration/
  73. https://craft.co/penn-state-university/executives
  74. https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2025/05/penn-state-university-commonwealth-campus-closures-trustees-bendapudi/
  75. https://www.inquirer.com/education/penn-state-neeli-bendapudi-contract-20250719.html
  76. https://budgetandfinance.psu.edu/sites/budgetandfinance/files/psu-fy24-audited-financial-statements-final.pdf
  77. https://budgetandfinance.psu.edu/New-Approach-to-Budgeting
  78. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/general-assembly-approves-penn-states-2024-25-state-funding
  79. https://raise.psu.edu/presidents-report-on-philanthropy-and-endowments/2022-2023-presidents-report-on-philanthropy-and-endowments/endowment-and-philanthropy-summary/
  80. https://www.pionline.com/endowments-and-foundations/penn-state-university-returns-106-fiscal-year/
  81. https://policy.psu.edu/policies/fn15
  82. https://onwardstate.com/2024/07/19/penn-state-board-of-trustees-approves-2025-26-fiscal-budget/
  83. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/penn-state-seeking-undergraduate-tuition-freeze-2026-27-appropriation-request
  84. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/board-trustees-approves-2026-27-operating-budget-tuition-schedules
  85. https://www.psu.edu/academics/colleges
  86. https://agsci.psu.edu/academics/departments
  87. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/
  88. https://www.psu.edu/admission/undergraduate/how-to-apply
  89. https://www.psu.edu/admission/undergraduate/how-to-apply/first-year-students
  90. https://www.psu.edu/resources/first-year-students/requirements
  91. https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/penn-state-6965/applying
  92. https://www.niche.com/colleges/penn-state/admissions/
  93. https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/how-to-get-into-penn-state/
  94. https://www.collegeraptor.com/colleges/admissions/Pennsylvania-State-University-Penn-State-Fayette-Eberly-PA--214759
  95. https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/usa/universities/pennsylvania-state-university-university-park/acceptance-rate
  96. https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/penn-state-6965/student-life
  97. https://www.psu.edu/news/academics/story/penn-state-ranks-24th-us-82nd-globally-2026-qs-world-university-rankings
  98. https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/pennsylvania-state-university
  99. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/penn-state-main-campus
  100. https://www.psu.edu/news/impact/story/penn-state-3rd-us-64th-globally-2025-times-higher-education-impact-rankings
  101. https://www.psu.edu/news/academics/story/penn-state-remains-strong-2025-qs-world-university-rankings
  102. https://barryfenchak.com/penn-state-finishes-second-to-last-in-the-big10-conference-usnews-value-rating/
  103. https://www.forbes.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university/
  104. https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/academic-life/graduation-and-retention/
  105. https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/penn-state-6965/overall-rankings
  106. https://research.com/university/pennsylvania-state-university
  107. https://www.adscientificindex.com/university/Pennsylvania%2BState%2BUniversity/
  108. https://www.miragenews.com/penn-state-research-expands-yields-positive-1557579/
  109. https://www.matse.psu.edu/article/penn-state-rises-nsf-higher-education-research-and-development-rankings
  110. https://pennstatehealthnews.org/topics/pure-research-portal/
  111. https://pure.psu.edu/en/organisations/penn-state-college-of-medicine/publications/
  112. https://scispace.com/institutions/penn-state-college-of-information-sciences-and-technology-2oq9dqnn
  113. https://patents.justia.com/assignee/pennsylvania-state-university
  114. https://www.psu.edu/news/engineering/story/national-academy-inventors-names-three-penn-staters-2022-fellows
  115. https://institutional.pasenategop.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/196/2025/04/PSU.pdf
  116. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/invent-penn-state-names-james-adair-inventor-year
  117. https://www.psu.edu/news/engineering/story/engineering-professor-named-national-academy-inventors-fellow
  118. https://www.psu.edu/news/earth-and-mineral-sciences/story/materials-researchers-honored-achievements-academic-inventors
  119. https://university-discoveries.com/penn-state
  120. https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/penn-state/article281389963.html
  121. https://www.collegetuitioncompare.com/trends/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/student-population/
  122. https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/student-life/diversity/
  123. https://datausa.io/profile/university/the-pennsylvania-state-university?redirect=true
  124. https://performancebasedfundingcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Fall-2024-Enrollment-Summary-CensusDay.pdf
  125. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/first-year-students
  126. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/housing-options
  127. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/housing-areas
  128. https://www.psucollegian.com/news/campus/penn-state-residence-halls-by-the-numbers/article_cef444ee-2cf6-11ee-94c4-374dc05748ce.html
  129. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/housing/white-course-graduate-family-apartments
  130. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/news/housing-and-food-rates-2025-26-academic-year
  131. https://radio.wpsu.org/2024-11-07/penn-state-new-on-campus-housing-land-lease-to-company-arl
  132. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/dining
  133. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/dining/hub-dining
  134. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/meal-plans
  135. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/dining/south-food-district
  136. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/dining/east-food-district
  137. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/manage-your-hfs-contract
  138. https://policy.psu.edu/policies/ad38
  139. https://www.opp.psu.edu/capital-plan-2024-2028
  140. https://www.opp.psu.edu/sites/opp/files/2024-04/2021_student_affairs_master_plan.pdf
  141. https://claycorp.com/project/penn-state-east-halls-development
  142. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/proposal-new-classroom-building-university-park-advances
  143. https://change.psu.edu/initiatives/ost/facilities/
  144. https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/get-involved/student-organizations
  145. https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/get-involved/student-organizations/starting-organization
  146. https://discover.psu.edu/
  147. https://www.upua.org/
  148. https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/get-involved/service-leadership-opportunities/student-government
  149. https://thon.org/who-we-are/
  150. https://www.fourdiamonds.org/thon/
  151. https://thon.org/
  152. https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/why-we-say-we-are
  153. https://www.psu.edu/about/nittany-lion-shrine
  154. https://www.psu.edu/about/traditions
  155. https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/get-involved/student-organizations/policies-recognition/policies-rules
  156. https://www.police.psu.edu/
  157. https://www.police.psu.edu/police
  158. https://www.police.psu.edu/daily-crime-log
  159. https://www.police.psu.edu/crime-alerts
  160. https://www.police.psu.edu/annual-security-reports
  161. https://www.police.psu.edu/sites/police/files/2023-09/Penn%2520State%2520University%2520Park%25202023.pdf
  162. https://www.adt.com/resources/safest-college-campuses
  163. https://www.safehome.org/resources/crime-stats-college-campus/
  164. https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2023/11/penn-state-clery-act-education-campus-crime-data-timely-warnings/
  165. https://fandb.psu.edu/office-risk-management
  166. https://btmt.psu.edu/about-us
  167. https://policy.psu.edu/policies/ad78
  168. https://www.psu.edu/news/university-police-and-public-safety/story/environmental-health-and-safety-transitioning-university
  169. https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/support-safety-conduct/safety-security
  170. https://www.pennstateifc.org/services-4
  171. https://gopsusports.com/news/2018/08/08/we-areaccomplished
  172. https://www.psu.edu/news/intercollegiate-athletics/story/penn-state-student-athletes-shine-classroom-spring-semester-2025
  173. https://gopsusports.com/staff/dr-patrick-kraft
  174. https://gopsusports.com/facilities
  175. https://gopsusports.com/news/2018/08/08/penn-state-facilities-1
  176. https://www.psu.edu/news/athletics
  177. https://onwardstate.com/2025/01/30/taking-a-look-at-penn-state-athletics-latest-financial-statements-2/
  178. https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/football/what-it-costs-to-run-the-penn-state-football-team-01jjw9qtvt9p
  179. https://gopsusports.com/financial-reports
  180. https://www.statecollege.com/articles/penn-state-sports/penn-state-athletics-as-expenses-grow-kraft-still-committed-to-31-sports-at-penn-state/
  181. https://www.si.com/college-football/penn-state-football-list-championships-best-finishes-program-history
  182. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/penn-state/index.html
  183. https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/football/how-much-is-the-penn-state-football-program-worth-01jjatar5mab
  184. https://www.psu.edu/news/impact/story/penn-state-powers-pennsylvanias-economy-158b-impact
  185. https://www.altoonamirror.com/news/local-news/2024/11/economic-impact-of-penn-state-football-felt/
  186. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1482&context=jiia
  187. https://www.ncaa.com/live-updates/wrestling/d1/2025-ncaa-wrestling-championships-schedule-brackets-results
  188. https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling/article/2024-10-02/penn-state-wrestling-championships-history-stats-records-dynasty
  189. https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling-men/article/2025-03-22/penn-states-carter-starocci-wins-historic-5th-di-ncaa-wrestling-national-title
  190. https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/basketball/penn-state-basketball-ncaa-tournament-history-march-madness
  191. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/penn-state/
  192. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/penn-state/women/
  193. https://www.ncaa.com/history/volleyball-women/d1
  194. https://gopsusports.com/trads-national-champions
  195. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/timeline-jerry-sandusky-sex-abuse-case-idUSBRE85M027/
  196. https://www.npr.org/2011/11/08/142111804/penn-state-abuse-scandal-a-guide-and-timeline
  197. https://info.publicintelligence.net/SanduskyGrandJuryPresentment.pdf
  198. https://www.espn.com/pdf/2013/0210/espn_otl_FINAL%2520THORNBURGH%25202-7-2013.pdf
  199. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/sports/ncaafootball/in-freeh-report-on-sandusky-failures-throughout-penn-state.html
  200. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/11/13/563840154/penn-state-student-given-18-drinks-in-82-minutes-before-hazing-death-prosecutors
  201. http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/crime/article148846474.html
  202. https://abc7ny.com/post/timeline-in-horrific-penn-state-fraternity-death/1976101/
  203. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/10/02/penn-state-frat-hazing-death-timothy-piazza/75474802007/
  204. https://abcnews.go.com/US/penn-state-fraternity-brothers-sentenced-pledges-hazing-death/story?id=62132847
  205. https://6abc.com/post/former-penn-state-university-students-brendan-young-daniel-casey-sentenced-prison-time-2017-hazing-death-tim-piazza/15381603/
  206. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/penn-state-university-timothy-piazza-death-brendan-young-daniel-casey-sentenced-pennsylvania/3986202/
  207. https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/05/us/piazza-family-fraternity-settlement-penn-state
  208. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/penn-state-piazza-family-sign-agreement-continued-greek-life-reforms
  209. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/university-revokes-beta-theta-pi-fraternity-recognition
  210. https://abcnews.go.com/US/penn-state-proposes-safety-reforms-pledges-death/story?id=47788744
  211. https://www.psucollegian.com/news/borough/a-year-following-timothy-piazza-s-death-penn-state-continues-to-reform-greek-life-but/article_ad690f16-0a02-11e8-a5b5-274011addfc7.html
  212. https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2025/09/28/penn-state-hazing-timothy-piazza/stories/202509180081
  213. https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/article311905902.html
  214. https://www.pennlive.com/news/2024/01/heres-what-penn-states-greek-system-look-like-7-years-after-revolutionary-reform-movement.html
  215. https://whyy.org/articles/penn-state-greek-life-frat-oversight-timothy-piazza-hazing/
  216. https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/piazza-gruver-families-present-love-mom-dad-program-about-hazing-prevention
  217. https://www.thefire.org/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university/free-speech-rankings
  218. https://www.thefire.org/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university
  219. https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/penn-state/
  220. https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2024/12/12/penn-state-upenn-free-speech-censorship-fire-survey/stories/202412110102
  221. https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/penn-state-lands-on-groups-10-worst-list-for-free-speech/
  222. https://www.thefire.org/news/fire-condemns-penn-states-removal-student-newspapers-over-kamala-harris-and-voter-registration
  223. https://facultyaffairs.psu.edu/academic-freedom-and-free-speech-resources/
  224. https://www.aclupa.org/press-releases/free-speech-advocates-threaten-legal-action-over-penn-state-universitys/
  225. https://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2018/01/02/person-of-the-year-mark-parker-ceo-of-nike/
  226. https://about.nike.com/en/company/people/mark-parker
  227. https://www.psu.edu/news/smeal-college-business/story/penn-state-among-top-producers-sp-500-ceos
  228. https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/s000059
  229. https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/a000368
  230. https://onwardstate.com/2024/11/06/penn-state-alum-kelly-ayotte-wins-new-hampshire-governor-race/
  231. https://gopsusports.com/news/2022/12/21/former-nittany-lion-and-nfl-hall-of-famer-franco-harris-passes
  232. https://gopsusports.com/sports/football/roster/player/saquon-barkley
  233. https://www.nfl.com/photos/top-10-all-time-nfl-players-from-penn-state-0ap1000000206812
  234. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/825232
  235. https://www.nasonline.org/directory-entry/susan-l-brantley-l3q2sz/
  236. https://research.psu.edu/faculty-honors/national-academy-listings/
  237. https://www.psu.edu/news/academics/story/six-penn-state-faculty-members-receive-2024-faculty-scholar-medals
  238. https://pennstatehealthnews.org/topics/dajiang-liu-named-as-distinguished-professor-by-penn-state/
  239. https://onwardstate.com/2020/10/12/penn-state-visiting-professor-awarded-nobel-prize-in-physics/
  240. https://www.psu.edu/news/social-science-research-institute/story/penn-state-professor-named-among-most-influential-shaping-0
  241. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/states-heavily-invest-legislature-more-influential-public-policy
  242. https://publicpolicy.psu.edu/faculty-and-research/people/
  243. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/helping-congress-get-most-research
  244. https://assets.ctfassets.net/ni9rh5nu0d99/5ffxfpc44sndmrN2Uw3SbL/0dd28f813b74add4d6daca6dcffdf6f2/economic-impact-report-penn-state.pdf
  245. https://www.psu.edu/our-impact/pennsylvania/economic
  246. https://hr.psu.edu/news/penn-state-among-nations-top-employers-recent-graduates-forbes-survey
  247. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/penn-state-elevates-research-commercialization-innovation-ip-office-rebrand
  248. https://ott.psu.edu/penn-state-researchers-and-inventors/legal-protections/
  249. https://ott.psu.edu/penn-state-researchers-and-inventors/licensing/
  250. https://www.aaup.org/sites/default/files/files/FoleyPSUnewIPpolicy.pdf
  251. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/eight-penn-state-research-commercialization-projects-awarded-gap-funding
  252. https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/penn-state-research-enterprise-continues-grow-produce-positive-impacts
  253. https://triblive.com/opinion/editorial-penn-state-cares-more-about-coaching-than-campuses/
  254. https://gopsusports.com/news/2021/05/28/penn-state-athletics-remains-self-supporting
  255. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/07/23/criticism-athletics-spending-wake-penn-state-unlikely-slow-growth
  256. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6123382/2025/02/10/big-ten-athletic-department-financial-statements/
  257. https://psuaaup.net/blog/entry/dramatic-differences-in-growth-of-psu-administrators-and-faculty-positions
  258. https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2015/04/cut_psu_administration_before.html
  259. https://www.campusreform.org/article/analysis-penn-state-budget-prioritizes-administrative-glut-teachers-/21477
  260. https://psuaaup.net/blog/entry/3-to-1-thats-the-best-ratio-of-tenure-track-faculty-to-administrators-a-stu
  261. https://www.psu.edu/news/administration/story/penn-state-leaders-turn-careful-eye-toward-administrative-costs
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.