HARRISBURG – Sen. Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (R-35) and Rep. Michael Armanini (R-75) released the following statements on the Pennsylvania State University proposed closure of seven Commonwealth Campuses:
“I am deeply dismayed that all of the advocacy and education of the significant benefit of Penn State DuBois have fallen on deaf ears,” said Langerholc. “For multiple years, this institution embraced the mantra and model of Penn State and produced students who contribute to the local workforce, drive economic activity, and make our region and Commonwealth stronger. Today that relationship was broken. I am committed to working with my colleagues in the House to identify an entity that appreciates our rural area and will take the broken baton to repair and strengthen our community. Our resilience, dedication and strong work ethic will win in the long run. We will meet the challenges in the face of change.”
“Our region surrounding Penn State DuBois is a hub of manufacturing businesses which include the PM, carbon, and graphite industries. These industries underpin numerous critical supply chains across the United States and represent a significant asset now and in the future for the Commonwealth,” said Armanini. “Not only does this decision impact the students of Penn State DuBois, it impacts our communities. The campus provides jobs to residents of DuBois and the surrounding community, income for local businesses who rely on the student body and faculty, and the local industry which benefits from the research of the school and has a talented pool of students to employ after graduation. These closures disenfranchise young students, moving the accessibility of a great educational institution from their backyard to communities much farther away and make the cost of education for them more expensive and difficult.”
CONTACTS: Gwenn Dando (Sen. Langerholc)
Matthew Davis (Rep. Armanini)