BARRY FENCHAK FOR PENN STATE TRUSTEE

Responsible governance. For a change.

Responsible governance. For a change.

I have, for years, put forward thorough, intelligent, and workable solutions to address Penn State’s issues. Those who know me are aware of my positions regarding Penn State, and of my resolute and unwavering commitment to serve for the benefit of all stakeholders of the University. Those who would like to find out more about me, please keep reading. Or contact me directly, I will reply. Always. — Barry

Key Issues:

  • Penn State NEEDS responsible stewardship provided by those who are committed to serving the University as fiduciaries, not those committed to serving themselves.
  • Penn State NEEDS smart stewards who have invested the time and the effort necessary to understand the issues facing the University.
  • Penn State NEEDS talented stewards who have the skills and abilities to develop proposals that address key University challenges.
  • Penn State NEEDS outspoken stewards who have the commitment and the tenacity to challenge an ingrained and dysfunctional status-quo.

Penn State deserves better, and Penn State Alumni DESERVE the opportunity to support someone who will provide those skills and abilities and commitments.

Let’s Stay Connected

I send out newsletters with my opinions, some interesting reading, and reminders of when to vote in alumni trustee elections. Sign up below, and know your contact information is safe with me. I will never share it.

Together we’re making changes at Penn State.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the me and Mailchimp to receive updates and news. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list. Thank you.

Barry on SubStack

Anatomy of a University Tuition Increase. Why did Penn State pit students against employees? July 29, 2022

How I will fix Penn State. I’ve been a harsh critic of the Penn State Board of Trustees. Here is why you should vote for me to join them. April 8, 2022

Making the case for a Penn State Education. The Class of 2022 is looking at a tuition bill of $84,571 for a four year degree*. How can the Penn State Board of Trustees convince them it’s worth it? March 21, 2022

Dorms, Deflection, and Disinformation. Report from the 17-18 February Penn State Board of Trustees meeting. February 21, 2022

Penn State Wrestling: A Value-Added Powerhouse. Cael Sanderson contributes so much to Penn State that an NFL coach had to find out how he does it. January 21, 2022

Top 5 Priorities for Penn State’s New President. There’s a lot that needs to be fixed on Dr Bendapudi’s first day on the job. January 10, 2022

Does Barry Fenchak ever have anything positive to say? That’s a great question. Allow me to answer. December 17, 2021

Governance Failure in Action: The James Franklin Contract Process. Was this contract actually approved? December 12, 2021

Meet Penn State’s Next President. Neeli Bendapudi has been selected as the University’s 19th leader. December 9, 2021

What are the Ratings Services Saying about Penn State? Under Eric Barron, and the Board of Trustees, Penn State has experienced a dramatic drop in rankings. December 3, 2021

Penn State Board of Trustees meetings: November 2021 – November 21, 2021

Penn State Athletics: Seven Years of Sandy Barbour, Part II – Academics. PSU Athletics: In-classroom success under Sandy Barbour. August 17, 2021

What can Penn State Athletics do in response to the recent SCOTUS rulings? An opportunity to re-awaken the Grand Experiment. July 16, 2021

The SCOTUS vs the NCAA: What the ruling really means. June 21, 2021

Penn State Admi$$ion$: The Changing Admissions Landscape in a Post-COVID Era. June 16, 2021

Where Does Tuition Money Go? June 9, 2021

Penn State Athletics: Seven Years of Sandy Barbour, Part I – On-Field Results: Penn State Athletics: On-Field Success under AD Sandy Barbour. May 18, 2021

Follow Barry fenchak on substack

In Barry’s Opinion…

Penn State Board of Trustees Meeting July 21-22, 2022

Note: As a member of the Penn State Board of Trustees, I will from time to time be made aware of certain confidential information.  I will also engage with Trustees and administrators in private, off-the-record conversations, with the expectation of privacy on both parties. I take these expectations seriously, as they are required in order to catalyze important discussions. As a fiduciary, it is also important that I engage…

Keep reading
by barryfenchak4trustee

How I will fix Penn State.

I’ve been a harsh critic of the Penn State Board of Trustees. Here is why you should vote for me to join them. I started paying attention to the Penn State Board of Trustees when it was a sleepy boys club, well before the Sandusky scandal exploded. As an adjunct professor of finance at University Park, I used the Board of Trustees as a case study of how a…

Keep reading
by barryfenchak4trustee

A Real Plan to Reduce Penn State’s Sky-High Tuition

If anyone tells you tuition cannot be reduced, don’t believe them. Penn State has, by far, the highest in-state tuition of any of her Big10 conference peers.  We are well aware of the administration and Board’s inability to rein in these charges, and seem to have become numb to the excuses about why these crippling costs cannot be brought under control. But they can. In fact, Penn State’s tuition…

Keep reading
by barryfenchak4trustee

Making the case for a Penn State education

The Class of 2022 is looking at a tuition bill of $84,571 for a four year degree*. How can the Penn State Board of Trustees convince them it’s worth it? Across the Commonwealth this spring, high school seniors and their families are casting an increasingly skeptical eye at the cost of any college education, including a four year degree from Penn State University. And for good reason. Recent polling by…

Keep reading
by barryfenchak4trustee

I’m on the ballot. Game on.

Dear Penn Stater, I just received word that we reached 250 nominations needed and I will be on the 2022 Penn State Alumni Trustee election ballot. This is all because of you and other like-minded Penn Staters. They don’t make the process easy but you took the time to get engaged, cast the nomination, and then went out and spread the word to family and friends. I want to…

Keep reading
by barryfenchak4trustee

Governance Failure in Action: The James Franklin Contract Process

Was this contract actually approved? Penn State football head coach James Franklin’s new contract has been the source of much discussion since it was announced on November 23rd. Many have already written about and discussed that topic, and Mike Poorman did a thorough job breaking down the many issues in his excellent article James Franklin’s 100 Games and Penn State Contract: I Crunched the Numbers so You Don’t Have to.…

Keep reading
by barryfenchak4trustee

Meet Penn State’s Next President

Neeli Bendapudi has been selected as the University’s 19th leader December 9, 2021 It was announced today that Neeli Bendapudi, PhD, who is the current president of the University of Louisville, has been selected as Penn State University’s next president. She will be replacing Dr Eric Barron, who has been in the position since 2014. Dr Bendapudi has served as Louisville’s president since 2018 – which was her first…

Keep reading
by barryfenchak4trustee

About Barry

Barry J Fenchak – Engineering ’84, MBA ’91

I left the small mining community of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania to attend Penn State in 1980. After completing my BS in Chemical Engineering in 1984, I worked in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry as a Process Engineer and Production Manager. In 1991 I completed the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Smeal College of Business and opened an investment management and financial advisory practice in State College.

I am a licensed Registered Investment Advisor and Securities Principal, and work with individuals, families, and businesses to develop, implement, and manage investment and financial strategies. From 1996-2016, I served as an Adjunct Instructor at Penn State teaching undergraduate courses in personal and corporate finance (FIN 108 and 100), as well as accounting principles (ACCT 211).

I am the son, husband, brother, brother-in-law, and father of Penn State alumni. My wife and I have raised our family in Happy Valley and are active in the community. My family is a case study in how Penn State can change lives for the better.

To us, the ability – and the responsibility – of Penn State to be “transformative” is more than a trendy buzzword.

Since 2005, I have attended over 300 Penn State Board of Trustee public events and meetings as a close observer. I have dedicated thousands of hours to following, analyzing, and commenting on those proceedings.  Frequently, I was the only ‘public’ party at the public meetings.  I understand the history behind the issues and challenges facing Penn State. 

In May, 2022 I was elected by my fellow alumni to be a trustee. If you read some of my updates posted here on my website, you’ll see that I’ve hit the ground running.

Position Statement

Penn State University is a complex and dynamic institution that operates in a challenging environment. I am dedicated to furthering the University’s core missions of providing a quality, affordable education and sponsoring meaningful and beneficial research.

As a trustee of the university, I will be an engaged and active advocate for all stakeholders. Trustees are the only people who are solely responsible for the oversight of Penn State’s assets and resources. We had better know what we are doing.

Among Penn State’s greatest current challenges are:

  • The highest in-state tuition, by far, of any of the Big Ten’s 13 public universities.   
  • The plummeting of Penn State’s academic standing in the Big Ten – from 4th place to 10th place, and still dropping. 
  • The suffocating costs of administrative waste and largess which, along with Penn State’s exponential growth in long-term debt, is loaded onto the backs of our students and their families. 

These issues, and others, are all related, and are symptomatic of a lack of responsible governance and a lack of focus on Penn State’s core missions. They must be addressed, sooner rather than later.

I care deeply for our alma mater and there is no one who understands these issues and is more qualified to address them than me. I am committed to taking on that responsibility on behalf of alumni everywhere. You can contact me at barry@barryfenchak4trustee.com, and follow me on Twitter @fenchak4trustee and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BarryFenchakPSUTrustee