Penn State is planning a 20% funding cut to WPSU. Here’s the impact — and how you can help

WPSU’s executive director and general manager, Isabel Reinert, acknowledged the public media station was “somewhat surprised” when it discovered last month that Penn State planned to cut its annual budget allocation by 20% in 2025-26.

Reinert was told, in November 2023, that university leadership asked for a 5% reduction proposal, although she was informed the ultimate reduction could be more or less than that. Two months later, Penn State announced nearly $100 million in planned universitywide cuts for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2025 — with WPSU receiving the second-largest cut, percentage-wise, out of 41 listed units, colleges and campuses. (The Penn State School of International Affairs saw the largest planned cut at 46.9%.)

Reinert said they understood the financial challenges facing the university and the need to balance the budget.

“And we know we can come through all this with a very strong path forward because we have a wonderful organization; we have other funding streams that we will tap into and try to increase,” she said. “So the move was a bit of a surprise, but we’re optimistic we can come through this as a strong organization.”

University President Neeli Bendapudi promised the board of trustees that Penn State would reach a balanced budget by summer 2025. That’s meant reducing costs through attrition, a “strategic” hiring freeze, the cancellation of a racial justice center, etc., to avoid losing ground in a general funds deficit that hovered over $140 million in fall 2022.

The latest announced cuts have especially rankled the commonwealth campuses, which are facing a $54 million funding reduction, or a planned overall 14.1% cut. Because of that, it’s been easy to overlook other significant cuts — such as those planned for WPSU, which has 59 employees and serves 24 counties for TV and 13 for radio.

The number of projected layoffs for WPSU — and elsewhere in the university — is not yet known at this early point. But layoffs remain a distinct possibility.

“Penn State leadership has been pretty clear that there’s really no way to address budget challenges without addressing personnel,” Reinert said. “We are hoping to do a lot of that through attrition and retirements, and we do have 17 months now to plan for exactly what our path forward is.”

WPSU is housed under the umbrella of Penn State Outreach, whose mission is to positively impact society by helping Pennsylvania residents become “resilient, healthy, sustainable and innovative.” Also part of Penn State Outreach is Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center and The Arboretum at Penn State.

The public media station, which remains editorially independent from the university, is a PBS/NPR member station. Penn State does not provide WPSU’s entire budget, as the station boasts other forms of revenue — such as donations, state/federal grants, royalties, leasing tower space, etc. In other words, WPSU won’t see a 20% reduction in its overall budget — but a 20% reduction in what Penn State allocates every year.

According to a previous WPSU story, Penn State provides about one-third of the station’s annual budget. Dave Aneckstein, senior director of communications for Penn State Outreach, characterized it as Penn State contributing about $4 million toward a $10 million overall budget.

WPSU is set to receive $3.804 million from Penn State over the 12 months starting July 1, 2024. With the planned cut, that budget allocation is slated to decrease to $3.043 million for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025.

When asked why Penn State targeted WPSU for the second-largest cut, Aneckstein referred the CDT to the university’s strategic communications staff. A spokesperson there did not directly address the question in his emailed response.

“The university is modernizing its business model and focused on keeping tuition costs as low as possible for Pennsylvania families amid rising costs, inflation, demographic challenges and stagnant state funding,” spokesperson Wyatt DuBois wrote. “As part of these efforts, units across the university, including WPSU, are seeing reductions in their allocations.

“Penn State Outreach and WPSU leadership will work diligently to determine the best path forward for WPSU.”

In a Jan. 25 article published on WPSU, vice president for Outreach Larry Terry appeared to come closest to explaining the university’s reasoning. He told the station that Penn State was “trying to invest where they believe they’re going to get the most value for that investment in students.” Although WPSU offers internships and assistantships to students, it is largely run by experienced professionals.

WPSU’s significant budget cut comes less than a year after university trustees approved cutting all general fund support for the student-run newspaper, The Daily Collegian, which is also editorially independent from Penn State. That move goes into effect this summer.

To combat WPSU’s planned cuts, which still technically need to be approved by the trustees, Reinert is hoping other revenue streams might help mitigate any decreased allocation.

“When people have asked what they can do to help us with this,” Reinert said, “it’s really just continuing member support; continuing community support; being an advocate in communities for us; staying connected by signing up for our newsletters; joining ProtectMyPublicMedia.org, which is a national grassroots organization that is supporting public media across the country; and sustaining gifts.”

To donate to WPSU — or for more information on annual memberships, volunteer opportunities and business support/sponsorships — go to wpsu.psu.edu/donate. Tickets are also now on sale for the WPSU 32nd Annual Connoisseur’s Dinner and Auction, which will feature a reception and four-course dinner with wine pairing Feb. 24 at the Penn Stater, with all proceeds to benefit WPSU-TV.