As released by the Office of Senator Yudichak:

HARRISBURG, January 23, 2014 – State Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne/Carbon) today officially introduced his legislation to significantly alter the board governance structure at Penn State University.

Senate Bill 1240, the Penn State University Board of Trustees Reorganization Act, would reduce the board of trustees from the current 30 voting members to 23 voting members.

“Penn State students and alumni deserve a fully-engaged, efficient and responsive board of trustees – and that can only be accomplished by reducing the size of the current board and closer aligning the composition to governing boards at similar institutions across the country,” Yudichak said. “I am extremely excited about the broad bipartisan support this bill has already received and hope that we can swiftly move this proposal through the legislative process and start to address the glaring shortcomings of the current board governance structure at Penn State.”

Under Yudichak’s proposal – which has garnered 23 cosponsors – the Board of Trustees would be composed of eight elected alumni, five Governor appointees, five elected members from the Agriculture industry, and five members from business and industry appointed by a trustee committee comprised of the chairperson and one member from each category.

The Pennsylvania Secretary of Education and Secretary of Agriculture would serve as non-voting members of the Board of Trustees.

Senate Bill 1240 would also prohibit the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and all state row officers from serving on the Board of Trustees.

Yudichak said that he has worked very closely with fellow Penn State alum and Senate Appropriations Chairman Jake Corman (R-Centre) to craft a proposal that is in the best interests of Penn State University.

Photo/Natalie Cake