Workstream Leadership

Since the Roadmap for Penn State’s Future was announced in January of 2024, work to position Penn State’s Commonwealth Campus structure for a strong and stable future has been ongoing, involving many voices from across the University. In February 2025, President Bendapudi charged an executive leadership team with leading a group to develop recommendations for the future composition of the campus ecosystem. In May 2025, the Penn State Board of Trustees ratified the recommendations.

The workstreams introduced in spring 2025 to guide planning and implementation related to campus closures were updated in early fall 2025 to reflect current and future needs. Each updated workstream includes one or more executive-level leads and one or more operational leads. For some, there are standing workstream teams while others will leverage subject matter experts as they move forward. The workstreams, executive leads, and early 2026  updates are included below:

Students: Educational Experience, Engagement, and Support 

  • Kathy Bieschke, senior vice provost and interim dean of Undergraduate Education
  • Andrea Dowhower, vice president for Student Affairs

Current efforts include a check-in survey in Starfish that invites students at campuses scheduled to close to share how they are approaching their academic plans and what information or guidance may be most relevant to them. This input supports individualized advising and degree-completion planning. A Canvas course will be launched in the spring to further assist students with the development of degree completion plans. Workstream planning has also informed the implementation of tuition and fee waivers to reduce barriers to academic progress, along with expanded online resources and FAQs on the Road Map website to provide clear, consistent guidance throughout the transition. In collaboration with campus teams, the group has worked to identify areas of concern for staffing, reduce barriers to addressing those concerns, and align campus-based and central resources to ensure consistent delivery of student services.

Employees: Transition and Support (Faculty/Staff) 

  • Kathy Bieschke, senior vice provost and interim dean of Undergraduate Education
  • Jennifer Wilkes, vice president for Human Resources and chief human resources officer

Work to support faculty and staff impacted by campus closures includes the continued use of the priority hiring consideration process for staff and non–tenure-line faculty. A Voluntary Transfer Process was implemented to match tenure-line faculty at closing campuses with positions reflecting current needs at other locations. A structured reassignment process for tenure-line faculty is being developed and will roll out this spring. This work is being informed by faculty surveys capturing disciplinary expertise, teaching experience, and campus preferences. The workstream is also supporting regular updates to FAQs and related guidance to help address questions and provide clarity as transition activities continue.

Community Engagement

  • Renata Engel, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor
  • Mike Stefan, vice president for Government and Community Relations

Current activities include ongoing dialogue with local leaders and partners, property-related due diligence to support planning and marketability, and refinement of campus-specific timelines in coordination with partners from across the University.

Curriculum: Program Portfolio and Offering Campus

  • Rick Brazier, dean of University College and senior associate dean for faculty and research
  • Gary Liguori, chancellor of Penn State Abington

Efforts are underway to coordinate curricular review processes, support consultation with faculty and other stakeholders, and track programs recommended for relocation as they move through required approval processes. This work supports academic continuity for students while managing program transitions.

Facilities: Relocation and Disposition of Physical Assets

  • Faye Chadwell, dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications
  • Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for Finance and Business, treasurer and chief financial officer

Facilities planning for campuses scheduled to close is centered on thoughtfully assessing relocation needs for academic programs and equipment, reviewing facilities and infrastructure, and advancing property disposition, in close coordination with the community engagement and financial stewardship workstreams. Asset categories have been defined (e.g., capital assets, FF&E, labs/chemicals, IT, libraries, athletics, vehicles, and memorials), with centralized units maintaining autonomy over relocation and disposition to support operational needs and ongoing services. Alignment with unit leaders, other workstreams, and related University initiatives (FMO) is continuing; after a few additional alignment meetings, the full workstream will be engaged to operationalize the defined processes.

Financial Stewardship

  • Fotis Sotiropoulos, executive vice president and provost
  • Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for Finance and Business, treasurer and chief financial officer

Financial analysis and planning to support campus closures and program transitions is ongoing. Current activities include developing financial models, assessing transition-related costs, and coordinating budget planning with other workstreams. A standardized report has been crafted and finalized to examine fiscal impact of a program at both a university and unit level. These efforts support informed decision-making throughout the transition period.

Communications

  • Rachel Pell, vice president for Strategic Communications

Communications efforts supporting campus closures include messaging for students and employees, coordination around major announcements and town halls, and regular updates to the Road Map website and FAQs. Work continues in collaboration with other workstreams to support information sharing that is clear, consistent, and responsive.

Data and Information

  • Lance Kennedy-Phillips, vice provost for Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research
  • Matt Melvin, vice president for Enrollment Management

Data and information support for planning related to campus closures includes consolidating data sources, developing dashboards, and responding to data requests from other workstreams and campus leaders. This work supports ongoing analysis and decision-making.

Records Coordination

  • Faye Chadwell, dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications
  • Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for Finance and Business, treasurer and chief financial officer

Records coordination work related to campus closures includes developing guidance, tools, FAQs, and training to support records stewardship during the transition period in accordance with Policy AD 35 and the University’s General Records Retention Schedule. The workstream is also meeting with central units and other stakeholders to clarify roles and responsibilities as units prepare for operational changes.