Speeches

Penn State Update for the Centre Region Business Community

• Penn State is continuing to enhance the quality of our programs and the beauty of our area with new buildings and projects--This summer alone we completed 150 projects.

• Penn State's Innovation Park is expanding to include two new buildings with almost 150,000 square feet of much needed office space. Since Innovation Park opened in 1993 to assist in the economic revitalization of the state, it has been a dynamic location for start-up technology companies, global enterprises, and a range of well-established businesses.

• Work will soon begin on the Arboretum at Penn State thanks to a generous lead gift by Penn State alumnus Charles "Skip" Smith. Completion of the Botanic Gardens is expected in 2009. The Arboretum will be a magnificent attraction and will provide wonderful benefits to the area.

• Another very exciting project is the new Materials Sciences and Life Sciences complex. This new facility will further the advancement of Penn State's renowned science programs. By the way, our Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences was a key reason that Nobel laureate Barry Marshall accepted an appointment at Penn State.  Dr. Marshall's presence at University Park each spring is expected to attract students, scientists, and collaborators.

• The recent focus on Penn State's in-lieu of tax agreement is more than regrettable. Penn State has always complied with the agreements that were established in 1992 and updated in 2005.  The fact is that since 1992 Penn State has contributed more than $18 million to local government entities and schools. Our interest is, and has always been, to do what is in the best interest of the University and the community--in partnership with each other. 

• This year, Penn State's faculty will conduct $700 million in research, ranking the University among the leaders worldwide, second in the nation for research supported by industry, and second in defense-related research. Within Pennsylvania, Penn State conducts more industry-sponsored research than all other colleges and universities combined.

• Penn State's research funding has enabled us to continue to add employees even as enrollment stabilizes. Penn State now employs about 40,000 people.

• Penn State is, of course, a major destination for people of all ages. Last year, Penn State Conferences and Institutes ran over 300 programs and events. These programs brought 42,000 youth and adults to our area, each for an average of three to four days. We continue to look for ways to make Penn State a favored venue for tournaments, performances, and other high profile events that attract visitors to our area.

• We also support the largest outreach effort in American higher education, reaching half of all households in Pennsylvania.

• For example, over the last two years, Penn State Management Development Programs and Services assisted Brookline Associates, Centre County Government, Centre Medical and Surgical Associates, and General Dynamics, among others. Their customized training programs have led to significant operational improvements for participating firms. For every dollar spent on Management Development Programs and Services, companies realize over $6 in cost savings and earn almost $40 in increased revenue.

• In addition, over the past year, Penn State's Small Business Development Center helped nearly 250 firms obtain over $7.5 million in financing for their businesses. Penn State's experts also helped start up 13 new businesses as well as facilitate the relocation of a global log and lumber exporter from California to Centre County.

• PennTAP also has had a profound effect on employment in Centre County and throughout Pennsylvania. Over the last five years, PennTAP has helped create or retain almost 3,700 jobs--many of these in distressed counties.

• We are just finishing a yearlong study of Penn State's student conduct policies. Penn State will continue to review off-campus incidents. We will also continue to stress the importance of good citizenship and to work cooperatively with the community to that end.

• For those of you with children in the State College Area School District, you've probably encountered Penn State student teachers in the classrooms. We're very proud of our education students and graduates and enjoy an excellent working relationship with the area schools.

• First, please consider joining us for the Penn State Forum Speaker Series luncheons. We have a wonderful lineup, including FBI Director Robert Mueller, who will discuss Cyber Crime on November 6. Also for your calendars is Steve Sheetz, who will be speaking on December 3.

• And second, I hope you'll all take a little time to view my annual State of the University presentation. Last year, we tried a video format and the response was overwhelming. More than 200,000 viewers saw the presentation, which represents a 10-fold increase over the previous year. I brought along some copies of the DVD--or you can view it online at http://president.psu.edu/sou/articles/sou2007.html .