Today, the House Appropriations Committee held a budget hearing with our State-related Universities, including Penn State. State Representative Marla Brown had the following exchange with President Bendapudi regarding the alumni nomination process:
"Rep. Brown: I’m concerned about some of the changes that the University has made recently without the input of the General Assembly or the alumni, for that matter as it relates to the selection criteria of candidates--alumni candidates--to the board of trustees. As you are aware, the board recently determined that the alumni trustee candidates will not be listed on the ballot unless a board subcommittee approves them. This has never been the case before. And, now only alumni that pass a test—a test established by the board and that can be changed by the board at their pleasure—can even have their name placed on the ballot. I’ve had a number of constituents in my district call me concerned about this move. I can tell you that people are not happy about it, and the optics on it are not good—as I’m sure you’re aware—as it looks like a conflict of interest—that the board is mainly concerned with picking and choosing the muscle in which the candidates will be serving on the board. So, I’m interested as to why the university needed to make this change?
Bendapudi: Representative, as you are aware, I report to the board. These are all my bosses, and this is not part of something that I am involved in. They were…there was a group that had been working on their governance and how that would work. I’m happy to share your concerns. And, I do know that there have been multiple opportunities by which the board leadership has tried to share it more broadly. But I’m happy to take that back.
Brown: Did you support the change?
Bendapudi: I report to them, and I have no say in it one way or the other.
Brown: What do you say to those who argue the point then that—who are alumni of Penn State--who are some of the most dedicated and generous donors in the country—one of which is a very large donor in my district—she’s the one that brought the concern to me first—that they don’t have a say and that the board is interfering?
Bendapudi: What I can share, Representative, is I completely agree with you. I’ve never seen alumni as passionate about an institution as I do at Penn State, and we are deeply grateful for that. I do understand, and again, as I said we’d be happy to share with you that the process was created by the board with engagement of all of the different constituencies –the alumni representatives and others. And I’m quite serious, I report to them, this is not part of what I drive.
Brown: I understand, but I’ve also reported to a board and they sought my input.
Bendapudi: Not on this—this is their governance.
Brown: Well I would appreciate some follow-up on this so that I can get back to my constituents.
Bendapudi: We will gladly do that."
