UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Board of Trustees authorized several capital projects, elected new officers and set dates for 2027 trustee elections, among other actions, during its meetings Nov. 12-13 at the University Park campus.
During the Nov. 13 meeting of the full board, trustees approved proposals for:
- A $12.2 million investment, largely funded by Federal Aviation Administration grants, to modernize critical airfield infrastructure and improve the safety, reliability and operational performance of the primary runway at State College Regional Airport;
- A $16.6 million investment to modernize aging bathrooms, improve student amenities and staff spaces, and add 14 new beds at Thompson Hall on the University Park campus;
- A real estate divestiture at the Penn State York campus. The board approved the sale of the campus.
Trustees also:
- Scheduled May 6 and 7, 2027, as the dates for election of trustees by delegates from agricultural societies, by the alumni, for business and industry, at-large, academic and student;
- Selected the 2027 recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor presented to Penn State alumni. Awardees will be announced in the coming weeks;
- Re-elected David Kleppinger as chair and Richard Sokolov as vice chair of the Board of Trustees, whose terms begin immediately;
- Heard brief remarks from Chad Dechow, professor of dairy cattle genetics in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Named the 2024 Research Innovator of the Year by the college, Dechow’s work led to a commercial test to identify animals carrying a gene variant causing a condition known as calf recumbency.
In his remarks, Kleppinger opened the Friday meeting by congratulating graduates who will earn their degrees in December and reflecting on Penn State’s 15th annual Military Appreciation Week, held Nov. 9-13, as one of the University’s most meaningful traditions recognizing service, sacrifice and commitment of those who have served our nation. Kleppinger also recognized President Neeli Bendapudi for encouraging thoughtful discussion to help position Penn State to meet opportunities and challenges ahead through the recent “Leading through Disruption” discussion among leaders in higher education and industry, as well as a recent U.S. News & World Report opinion piece authored by Bendapudi titled, “Higher Education Must Innovate to Ensure a Vibrant Future.”
President’s updates
In her address to the board, Bendapudi echoed the chair’s recognition of military personnel, veterans and their families, and reiterated the importance of preparing Penn State students to becoming informed, engaged citizens who contribute to democracy. She offered an update on the newly launched Office of Student Success, designed to foster greater collaboration among the many units across the University that support students to provide coordinated guidance and easier access to resources.
Bendapudi provided an update on recent progress on the Road Map to Penn State’s Future, noting that more than 1,100 faculty, staff, students and stakeholders participated in recent community engagement sessions to inform the next phase of 11 new workstreams that will advance key initiatives aligned with the University’s priorities. She discussed highlights from the recent “Leading Through Disruption” panel, noting one key takeaway shared by Joe Atkinson, chief AI officer for the PwC network of firms and a Penn State alum, that especially resonated with her.
“One of the things I loved was Joe Atkinson saying the most important thing to remember is that the best time to fix the roof is when it’s sunny, not when it’s raining, and that is what we are trying to do,” Bendapudi said. “While we’re in a position of strength, let’s do everything we can to strengthen this beloved institution.”
The president also celebrated the recently announced milestone of reaching $1.48 billion in total research expenditures in fiscal year 2025-26 — a more than 2% increase over the previous year and the largest total in University history.
Up next
The Board of Trustees’ next scheduled meetings will be held Feb. 18-19, 2027, at the University Park campus.