In the face of budget cuts from Penn State that take effect with the new fiscal year starting July 1, WPSU is laying off several staff members.
WPSU’s administration did not share specific layoff or job reduction numbers for this story.
The WPSU news desk independently confirmed five layoffs and the shifting of three full-time positions to 75%. The changes take effect July 7. The changes do not impact WPSU radio staff.
WPSU is one of the colleges, campuses and departments seeing a reduction in university financial support starting with the 2025-26 fiscal year. The university announced its plans in January 2024 as the administration unveiled sweeping changes to how it finances its units.
The university cut its WPSU funding by 20%, which is about $800,000. That led to an approximately $400,000 decrease in federal Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding from about $1.8 million to about $1.4 million for the upcoming fiscal year. CPB funding is, in part, tied to local support.
The layoffs come as Penn State is also implementing plans to close seven of its campuses.
WPSU’s executive director Isabel Reinert said in an email that station leadership had "explored every possible way, including through operational efficiencies, attrition, and non-personnel reductions, to absorb the 20% budget allocation reduction without impacting staff."
“Unfortunately, there was no path forward that didn’t involve personnel changes," Reinert said.
"These changes will impact our existing and future programming," she said. "We are likely discontinuing 'Culinary Connections' and anticipate producing fewer episodes of 'Keystone Stories' and digital short videos."
These cuts are separate from a clawback of public media funds Congress is currently considering.
