Board Will Voice Support for GA Campus

Upcoming resolution intended to rally Penn State officials and local constituents

By Adam Reinherz
The Tube City Almanac
April 07, 2025
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

McKeesport Hall, the dormitory at Penn State Greater Allegheny Campus. (File photo by Ryan Kegel via Wikimedia Commons, used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license)

A five-minute McKeesport Area School District meeting, which featured zero comments during a hearing of citizens and only a brief overview of items set for vote at next week’s school board gathering, included one small ask seeking sizable change.

School Director Matthew Keller called for a resolution offsetting efforts to shutter Penn State University’s Greater Allegheny campus.

Located steps from McKeesport Area High School, the 59-acre campus is one of 12 Penn State campuses slated for potential closure following the 2026-2027 academic year — the university maintains 24 campuses across the commonwealth.

University-wide downsizing stems from declining student enrollment, financial pressures and demographic changes, Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said in February.

Those challenges, Bendapudi continued, “are not unique to Penn State, but they require us to make difficult choices.”

Elected officials, including State Sen. Nick Pisciottano and McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko, expressed dismay at Bendapudi’s announcement given the Greater Allegheny campus’ economic and educational regional contributions.

On Thursday, MASD school director Matthew Keller joined the fold and asked that a resolution be added to next week’s agenda “in support of Penn State Greater Allegheny remaining open.”

Though several MASD school board members seconded Keller’s comment, solicitor Gary Matta said no vote would occur immediately, and that he will work with Keller to prepare a resolution for inclusion on this week’s agenda.

Keller told this reporter that although his efforts are ultimately aimed at swaying Penn State officials, he’s hoping to effectuate smaller change.

The resolution is to “show other school districts” that they too can speak up, he said. “We have to keep this at the forefront of our constituents' minds.”

Board to consider 2025-26 budge

Also of note, school directors agreed to advance the proposed 2025-2026 budget.

The proposed $86,579,617 spending plan, which will be considered during the April 10 regular school board meeting, represents a 5 percent increase from the 2024-2025 budget. A millage rate of 20.96 mils, however, will remain the same as this year’s rate.

Salaries and benefits are slated to cost the district $48.8 million, a sum accounting for 56 percent of the overall budget (the same percentage as this year).

Although health care expenses have not been determined, the district projects a 9 percent increase. Charter schools, which will cost the district $12.4 million, represent a 5 percent increase from the previous year’s budget. The preliminary budget is available on the district’s website.

Adam Reinherz is a Pittsburgh-based journalist. He can be reached at adam.reinherz@gmail.com.

Originally published April 07, 2025.

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