The Penn State University Libraries consists of 36 libraries at 22 locations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . The two main buildings on Penn State's University Park campus, are the Pattee and Paterno libraries.
59-597: The library's first permanent location was in Old Main , with 1,500 books in agriculture and the sciences. In 1904, the library was moved to the Carnegie Building (then "Carnegie Library"), which provided a 50,000 book capacity. By 1940, the library's collection had grown to 150,000, overcrowding Carnegie by three times its capacity. The library was permanently moved to the Pattee Library building. By
118-502: A Bachelor of Science in nursing, and post-baccalaureate certificates in geographic information systems and applied behavior analysis. Penn State is a state-related university and a member of Pennsylvania's Commonwealth System of Higher Education . While it receives funding from the Commonwealth and is connected to the state through its board of trustees, however, it is otherwise independent and not subject to any direct control by
177-404: A Penn State school fight song, "Hail To The Lion", is played instead. For special events the tune can vary additionally; for example, on February 22, 2005, the university's 150th anniversary, the clock tower toned "Happy Birthday to You". The frescoes located on the upper walls of Old Main’s lobby were created from the ideas of professors Harold Dickson, J. Burn Helme and Francis E. Hyslop to pay
236-699: A college of medicine and hospital, was established in Hershey with a $ 50 million gift from the Hershey Trust Company . In 1970s, the university became a state-related institution, leading to its membership in the Commonwealth System of Higher Education . In 1975, the lyrics in the Penn State Alma Mater were revised to be gender-neutral in honor of International Women's Year ; the revised lyrics were taken from
295-461: A gift of the 1937 class. The original chimes remained in use until the late 1970s when the university replaced them with a mix of mechanical and electronic bells. These bells eventually gave way in 1993 to the digital chimes which ring over the campus today. Between 1940 and 1949, Henry Varnum Poor utilized the fresco style to paint large murals (over 1300 ft ) on the second floor of Old Main that depict Penn State's land grant history. Old Coaly
354-514: A great library, you can't have a great university." In 1993, he and his wife Sue, began a campaign which raised $ 13.75 million for the construction of a new library. The groundbreaking for the Paterno library, which took place in April 1997, named it in their honor. Paterno has also donated several millions of his own money towards the library. Construction was completed in fall 2000, and the building
413-480: A location other than University Park. Each of the 19 commonwealth campuses offer a unique set of degree programs based on the student demographics. Any student in good academic standing is guaranteed a spot at University Park to finish his or her degree if required or desired, known as "change of campus" or, more accurately, "the 2+2 program"; where a Penn State student may start at any Penn State campus, including University Park, for two years and finish at any Penn State
472-666: A long history of student governance. Elected student leaders remain directly involved in the decision-making of the university administration, as provided for in the board of trustees' standing orders. There are four student governments recognized by the university administration: the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG), and
531-594: A misdemeanor count of recklessly endangering another person. The largest of the university's 24 campuses, Penn State University Park is located in State College and College Township in Centre County , in central Pennsylvania . Its dedicated ZIP Code is 16802. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 49 percent, it is the most selective campus in the Penn State system. The university ranks among
590-510: A pledge of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity located off-campus in State College , died while undergoing hazing activities at the fraternity. Eighteen members of Penn State's Beta Theta Pi fraternity were initially charged in connection with Piazza's death, and the fraternity was closed and banned indefinitely. In July 2024, the fraternity President and Vice President & Pledge Master each pleaded guilty to 14 misdemeanor counts of hazing and
649-512: A report by former U.S. Senator and athletics integrity monitor George J. Mitchell citing progress by Penn State in implementing reforms, the NCAA repealed the sanctions. On January 16, 2015, all previous Penn State football records were restored. An investigation led by former U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh , who the Paterno family retained to review the Freeh report, concluded that
SECTION 10
#1732797664959708-458: A school of international affairs, with the first classes admitted in the fall 2008 semester. The school is part of Penn State Law. Formerly the school of nursing, on September 25, 2013, the board of trustees granted the nursing program college status. The 32-member board of trustees governs the university. Its members include the university's president, the Governor of the Commonwealth , and
767-412: A total of 74 Olympic medals , including 20 gold medals. Pennsylvania State University was founded in 1855 when James Irvin , a U.S. Congressman from Bellefonte , donated 200 acres (0.8 km ) of land in Centre County to the newly-established Farmers High School of Pennsylvania , representing the first of 10,101 acres (41 km ) the school eventually acquired. The same year, on February 22,
826-800: A tribute to the university’s land grant education. With financial aid from the graduating class of 1932, the professors of art and architectural history hired artist Henry Varnum Poor , a well known fresco artist, to design and create the frescoes. He began sketches in 1939 and began painting in April 1940. It only took him four short months to complete his original sketches. He was rehired in 1948 to paint additional frescoes on either side of his original piece of work. The complete mural covers about 1,300 square feet (120 m ). 40°47′47″N 77°51′46″W / 40.79647°N 77.86286°W / 40.79647; -77.86286 The Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (commonly referred to as Penn State and sometimes by
885-430: A yield rate of 14%. The university started test-optional admissions with the fall 2021 incoming class. Of the 33% of incoming students in 2023 who submitted SAT scores, the interquartile range was 1230–1390; of the 6% of incoming students in 2023 who submitted ACT scores, the interquartile range was 27–32. Of all matriculating students, the average high school GPA was 3.67. Penn State's freshman retention rate
944-563: Is The Pennsylvania State University's first building of major significance. First completed in 1867, the current incarnation of the building was completed in 1930. Today, Old Main serves as the administrative center of Penn State, housing the offices of the president and other officials. It is located in the Farmers' High School Historic District , added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The original Old Main
1003-708: Is 92%, with 85% going on to graduate within six years. Pennsylvania State University Park is a college-sponsor of the National Merit Scholarship Program and sponsored five Merit Scholarship awards in 2020. In the 2020–2021 academic year, 16 incoming freshman students were National Merit Scholars . Penn State is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education . The Smeal College of Business , The Sam and Irene Black School of Business , Penn State Harrisburg , and Penn State Great Valley are accredited by
1062-408: Is delegated by the president to other administrative departments, the faculty, and the student body. Neeli Bendapudi became the university's 19th and current president on May 9, 2022, upon the departure of Eric J. Barron . The executive vice president and provost is the chief academic officer of the university. The current provost, Nicholas P. Jones, assumed office on July 1, 2013. Penn State has
1121-659: Is due south of Interstate 80 . Before the arrival of the Interstates, University Park was a short distance from the Lock Haven – Altoona branch line of the Pennsylvania Railroad . The last run of long-distance trains from Buffalo or Harrisburg through Lock Haven was in 1971. Today, the nearest Amtrak passenger rail access is in Tyrone , 25 miles to the southwest. Intercity bus service to University Park
1180-742: Is in Hershey . The university maintains 19 commonwealth campuses and five special mission campuses located across Pennsylvania. The university competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA for most of its athletic teams, known collectively as the Penn State Nittany Lions . Since its founding, Penn State has won 82 national collegiate team championships, including 54 NCAA titles across all sports, and Penn State students, alumni, faculty, and coaches have won
1239-437: Is located in the Farmers' High School Historic District added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. In 1983, as Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was being honored for his first national championship, he gave a speech challenging the university's board of trustees to make Penn State number one in academics as well as athletics. He specifically targeted the need for a top-quality library, stating, "Without
SECTION 20
#17327976649591298-710: Is located in the HUB-Robeson Center . The bell was cast in 1871 by William Blake and Co. in Boston , and was just recently restored by the class of 2009. The bell was removed from the Old Main tower and rung for the first time since 1929. The refurbished bell is now on display near old main and the bells heard on campus today are electrical chimes. During the week, Old Main's chimes play the Westminster Quarters , but on Fridays and Saturdays, part of
1357-469: Is now the largest in Pennsylvania, and in 2003, it was credited with having the second-largest impact on the state economy of any organization, generating an economic effect of over $ 17 billion on a budget of $ 2.5 billion. To offset the lack of funding due to the limited growth in state appropriations to Penn State, the university has concentrated its efforts on philanthropy (2003 marked the end of
1416-480: Is provided by Fullington Trailways , Greyhound Lines , Megabus , and OurBus . The State College Regional Airport , serving two regional airlines adn t, is near University Park. In addition to the University Park campus, 19 campus locations throughout the commonwealth of Pennsylvania offer enrollment for undergraduate students. Over 60 percent of Penn State first-year students begin their education at
1475-452: Is widely regarded as the first professor of American Literature (1895–1928), and author of the Penn State Alma Mater . Pattee Library was built as part of a Public Works Administration-General State Authority project. Its construction took place over 1937–1940. Between 1940 and 1973, the library was expanded three times. The "Stacks" or Stack Building was added in 1953, "West Pattee" in 1966, and "East Pattee" in 1973. A renovation which included
1534-569: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The university offers an accelerated Premedical - Medical Program in cooperation with Sidney Kimmel Medical College . Students in the program spend two or three years at the university before attending medical school at Jefferson. The Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked Penn State between 101 and 150th among universities globally and between 42nd and 56th nationally for 2020. U.S. News & World Report ranked
1593-558: The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment did not require the undergraduate students be allowed to participate in the selection of trustees. As of 2013 , the chair of the board of trustees is Keith E. Masser, a graduate of Penn State and the chairman and chief executive officer of Sterman Masser, Inc. The board's main responsibilities are to select the president of Penn State, determine
1652-580: The Morrill Land-Grant Acts was passed by the U.S. Congress , and Pennsylvania selected the school to be the state's sole land-grant college. Two years later, in 1874, the school's name was changed to the Pennsylvania State College . By 1875, enrollment fell to 64 undergraduates, and the school attempted to balance its primary focus on agricultural studies with classic education . In 1882, George W. Atherton
1711-695: The Pennsylvania General Assembly designated the school a degree-granting institution. Initially sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society, the use of "college" or "university" was avoided in the school's naming since local Pennsylvanians perceived that such institutions were impractical in their curricula. In 1862, the school's name was changed to the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania . The following year, in 1863,
1770-430: The 1920s, the building was razed in 1929 and rebuilt in 1930. The new building, occupying the same footprint as the previous structure and incorporating some of its limestone, was christened "Old Main". The renovations cost $ 837,000, which was mostly paid for by state appropriations and an emergency building fund campaign. The bell in the tower was a gift from the 1904 graduating class, and Westminster chimes were added as
1829-427: The 1960s, the collection had grown to 800,000 books. The Pattee Library was renovated in the late 1990s, and in 2000, it was rededicated along with the new Paterno Library, a portion of which comprises the former East Wing of Pattee. Today, there are 14 libraries at the University Park campus alone, while boasting an enormous collection of over 5.4 million volumes. Pattee Library is named after Fred Lewis Pattee , who
Pennsylvania State University Libraries - Misplaced Pages Continue
1888-569: The Grand Destiny campaign—a seven-year effort that raised over $ 1.3 billion). In 2011, the university and its football program garnered international media attention and criticism in a sex abuse scandal in which university officials were alleged to have covered up incidents of child sexual abuse by former football team defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky . Athletic director Timothy Curley and Gary Schultz, senior vice president for finance and business, were indicted for perjury. In
1947-525: The World Campus Student Government Association (WCSGA). The University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) is the representative student government of the undergraduate students at Penn State's University Park campus, which was established in 2006 after the former student government, Undergraduate Student Government (USG), lost its recognition by way of a student referendum. Graduate and professional students at
2006-463: The acronym PSU ) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania , United States. Founded in 1855 as Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania , Penn State was named the state's first land-grant university eight years later, in 1863. Its primary campus, known as Penn State University Park , is located in State College and College Township . In addition to its land-grant designation,
2065-473: The brother of then- U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower , sought and won permission to elevate the school to university status, and it assumed its current name, The Pennsylvania State University . Under Eisenhower's successor, Eric A. Walker , the university acquired hundreds of acres of surrounding land, and enrollment nearly tripled. In 1967, the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center ,
2124-714: The construction of the Paterno Library began in 1998, and was completed in 2000. The Pattee Library includes the circulation area for both libraries, which connects the original mall entrance with the Curtin Road entrance. In fall 2010, a Reading Room housing the Leisure Reading Collection on the first floor of Pattee Library opened in the Tombros/McWhirter Knowledge Commons. Another major feature of Pattee, on
2183-445: The final two years. In 1998, the university launched Penn State World Campus , or Penn State Online, which offers more than 60 online education programs, degrees, and certificates. Distance education has a long history at Penn State, one of the first universities in the country to offer a correspondence course for remote farmers in 1892. Examples of online programs include an MBA , a master of professional studies in homeland security,
2242-411: The following thirty years he was used for a variety of jobs in the surrounding area and on campus. Old Coaly was very well liked by the students and became somewhat of a mascot. When he died on January 1, 1893, his skeleton was preserved so the memories of all that he contributed could live on. Since his death, his skeleton has taken residence in many Penn State buildings, but today, Old Coaly’s skeleton
2301-465: The goals and strategic direction of the university, and approve the annual budget. Regular meetings of the board are held bi-monthly and take place primarily on the University Park campus, although on occasion meetings are held at other locations within the Commonwealth. The university president is selected by the board and is given the authority for actual control of the university, including day-to-day management. In practice, part of this responsibility
2360-577: The incidents. Freeh released his findings in July 2012, concluding that Paterno, Spanier, Curley, and Schultz "conceal[ed] Sandusky's activities from the board of trustees, the university community and authorities" and "failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade". On July 23, 2012, the National Collegiate Athletic Association levied sanctions against Penn State for its role in
2419-425: The jurisdiction to pass down the original sanctions. Subsequent emails, brought forward under subpoena, quoted an NCAA vice president, who wrote, "I characterized our approach to PSU as a bluff when talking to Mark [Emmert, NCAA president]...He basically agreed [because] I think he understands that if we made this an enforcement issue, we may win the immediate battle but lose the war." On September 8, 2014, following
Pennsylvania State University Libraries - Misplaced Pages Continue
2478-690: The library. The university removed a statue of Paterno from outside Beaver Stadium, but university President Rodney Erickson, did not order the library to be renamed, saying it "remains a tribute to Joe and Sue Paterno's commitment to Penn State's student body and academic success, and it highlights the positive impacts Coach Paterno had on the University." 40°47′54″N 77°51′58″W / 40.79822°N 77.86609°W / 40.79822; -77.86609 Old Main (Pennsylvania State University) Old Main (originally called "Main Building")
2537-482: The most selective schools in Pennsylvania , according to various publications. During the fall 2018 semester, 40,363 undergraduate students and 5,907 graduate students were enrolled at University Park. Of those, 46.5 percent were female and 42.4 percent were non-Pennsylvania residents. The University Park campus is centrally located at the junction of Interstate 99 / U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 322 , and
2596-559: The posthumously published autobiography of the writer of the original lyrics, Fred Lewis Pattee. Professor Patricia Farrell acted as a spokesperson for those who wanted the change. In 1989, the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport became affiliated with the university. In 2000, Dickinson School of Law joined the Pennsylvania College of Technology in affiliating with the university. The university
2655-612: The report that placed so much blame on Penn State and Paterno was a "rush to injustice" that could not be relied upon. He found that not only did the evidence "fall far short" of showing Paterno attempted to conceal the Sandusky scandal, but rather that "the contrary is true". In November 2014, Pennsylvania State Senator Jake Corman released further emails that showed "regular and substantive" contact between NCAA officials and Freeh's investigators, suggesting that Freeh's conclusions were orchestrated. On February 2, 2017, Timothy Piazza,
2714-454: The scandal, penalizing the Penn State football program with a $ 60 million fine, a ban from bowl games and post-season play for four years, reducing its scholarships from 25 to 15 annually for four years, vacating of all Penn State football wins from 1998 to 2011, and placing the program on a five-year probationary period. Following imposition of the NCAA sanctions, emails surfaced indicating that high-level NCAA officials did not believe they had
2773-695: The second floor, is the Paterno Family Humanities Reading Room, a large reading room reminiscent of historical libraries, and the design was based on images of the New York Public Library legal collections room. Pattee Library is home to the Arts and Humanities Library, Music and Media Center, Library Learning Services, Maps Library, Media Commons, Digitization and Preservation, Course Reserves Services, Disabilities Services, and News and Microforms Library. It
2832-483: The state Secretaries of Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, and Education. The other members include six trustees appointed by the Governor, nine elected by alumni, and six elected by Pennsylvania agricultural societies. Six additional trustees are elected by a board representing business and industry enterprises. Undergraduate students do not elect any trustees; the court case Benner v. Oswald ruled that
2891-533: The state. For the 2006–2007 fiscal year, the university received 9.7 percent of its budget from state appropriations, the lowest of the four state-related institutions in Pennsylvania. Penn State has eighteen colleges, including three at special-mission campuses. The University Park campus is organized into fourteen distinct colleges, plus the graduate school and the division of undergraduate studies: The university's board of trustees voted in January 2007 to create
2950-439: The university are represented by the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), the oldest continuously existing student governance organization at Penn State. The 19 commonwealth campuses of the university are governed by the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG), formerly known as the Council of Branch Campus Student Governments (CBCSG). In 2019, the World Campus Student Government Association (WCSGA)
3009-467: The university is a sea-grant , space-grant , and one of only six sun-grant universities. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). The university has two law schools : Penn State Law on the school's University Park campus and Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle . The College of Medicine
SECTION 50
#17327976649593068-557: The university tied for 63rd among national universities and tied for 23rd among public schools in the United States for 2021. In 2022, the university was ranked 96th in the QS World University Rankings . The 2021 "World University Rankings" by Times Higher Education ranked the university as the 114th best university in the world. The 2021 Global University Ranking by CWTS Leiden Ranking ranked
3127-474: The wake of the scandal, Coach Joe Paterno was fired and school president Graham B. Spanier was forced to resign by the board of trustees . Sandusky, who maintained his innocence, was indicted and subsequently convicted in June 2012 on 45 counts for the abuse. A subcommittee of the board of trustees engaged former FBI director Louis Freeh to head an independent investigation on the university's handling of
3186-411: Was a Kentucky -born mule who was brought to Penn State in 1857 by his owner Piersol Lytle. Piersol’s son was one of 200 workmen involved with the construction of Old Main. Coaly was one of four mules and two horses that worked to haul limestone blocks out of the quarry to the construction site. He was admired so much for his reliability and toughness that Penn State purchased Old Coaly for $ 190.00. Over
3245-429: Was completed in 1863 after a six-year period of construction. Hugh McAllister designed the structure to contain classrooms, laboratories, offices, a chapel, and residential space for 400 students. The limestone used to build the structure was quarried from the land directly in front of it, and was carried in part by a mule named Old Coaly, whose bones were subsequently preserved. After being deemed structurally unsound in
3304-662: Was dedicated on September 8, 2000. It is connected to the Pattee Library, and shares a common circulation desk. The former East Wing of Pattee forms a portion of the Paterno Library. Paterno Library is home to the Business, Education and Behavioral Sciences, Life Sciences, Social Sciences, and Special Collections libraries. Following Paterno's death in 2012 and the release of a report by former FBI Director Louis Freeh that concluded that Paterno concealed knowledge of assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky 's sexual abuse of multiple children , some called for his name to be removed from
3363-705: Was formed to advocate for the interests and concerns of the more than 20,000 Penn State World Campus students. Admission to Penn State University Park is classified as "selective" by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education . The Princeton Review gives Penn State University Park an "Admissions Selectivity Rating" of 90 out of 99. In 2023, the university received 85,957 applications. It extended offers of admission to 46,605 applicants, or 54%, after holistic review that includes examination of academic rigor, performance and admissions test scores. 9,040 accepted students chose to enroll,
3422-499: Was named after George Atherton's wife, Frances Washburn Atherton. In the 20th century, Penn State grew significantly, becoming the largest grantor of baccalaureate degrees in Pennsylvania . In 1936, its enrollment reached 5,000. Around this time, Ralph D. Hetzel , the school's president, established a commonwealth of colleges to provide an alternative for Depression -era students who were economically unable to leave home to attend college. In 1953, President Milton S. Eisenhower ,
3481-458: Was named the school's president; Atherton set about broadening the curriculum beyond its agricultural focus. The school developed an engineering studies program that immediately became one of the nation's ten largest engineering schools . A major road in State College was later named in Atherton's honor. Penn State's Atherton Hall, a well-furnished and centrally located residence hall,
#958041