Plans for Penn State’s Spring 2021 semester, announced Oct. 4, include a later start in January; continuation of the current flexible instructional modes, including in-person; the elimination of spring break; and completion of instruction for all undergraduate and graduate students by April 30. The University will maintain its observance of Martin Luther King Jr. day on Jan. 18 for students and faculty, when no classes will be held and Dr. King’s legacy will be celebrated through a number of virtual events.
Following a three-month comprehensive planning process, Penn State officials have determined that the University can meet or exceed the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s guidelines for colleges and universities, and look forward to welcoming back faculty, staff and students to resume on-campus, in-person classes and other activities this fall in a limited fashion.
Penn State alumnus Mark Gruskin has expanded his estate gift for Penn State to a total of $3.5 million — a $1,077,000 increase from his previous commitment — with the majority of the new support going to Penn State Lehigh Valley, where he serves as an associate professor of finance and accounting.
Due to the economic challenges facing Pennsylvania and the nation, Penn State President Eric J. Barron announced plans today (April 23) to freeze tuition rates for all students University-wide for the 2020-21 academic year. The plan, which will be presented to the University’s Board of Trustees for final approval at its July meeting, would mark the third consecutive year that Penn State has held tuition rates flat for Pennsylvania resident students.
In the face of severe financial impacts to the University brought on by the global coronavirus pandemic, on April 23 Penn State President Eric J. Barron announced some salary adjustments; a 3% across-the-board cut to university budgets in the next fiscal year; and his intention to work with the Board of Trustees to freeze tuition for the 2020-21 academic year to limit student costs.
Penn State President Eric J. Barron spoke to a crowd of nearly 250 people at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Lehigh Valley campus' $14.4 million expansion project. The event was held March 4 at Penn State Lehigh Valley.