Writing me in, and re-electing me to the Board, will send a strong message to the Penn State Board of Trustees that they cannot strip the alumni of their voice.
My name is Barry J Fenchak (Chemical Engineering ’84) and I have been a Penn State alumni-elected trustee since 2022.
Last July, I voted against a bylaw change that would give the Board of Trustee leadership the ability to select which candidates would appear on the ballot, ending 150 years of alumni enfranchisement. Of the 18 candidates who received 50 nominations, I was the only one voted off the ballot. But that does not mean you cannot elect me to another term.
So I am asking you to write me in. Writing me in, and re-electing me to the Board, will send a strong message to the Penn State Board of Trustees that they cannot strip the alumni of their voice.
As a trustee, my focus has been strictly on what is in the best interests of the university. If re-elected, I promise that I will continue to do everything I have been doing for the last three years: advocating for lower tuition, financial responsibility, and maintaining high academic standards. I will continue to care about upholding Penn State’s reputation and challenge the other trustees to actually engage in responsible stewardship, and not force fealty to Board leadership.
For the last three years, I have been keeping my alumni constituency informed. I have written copiously about issues, always observing strict confidentiality yet voicing my opinions and perspective. You might enjoy reading these posts:
When your e-ballot arrives, I humbly ask for your write-in vote: Barry J Fenchak ‘84 . And if you would, please reach out to your Penn State network and encourage them to do the same.
If you are a Penn State alumnus and do not receive a ballot in your email, you may access the election ballot at PennStateVotes.com or call (855) 224-0832.
Let’s do this for the glory.
As a member of the Penn State Board of Trustees, I will from time to time be made aware of certain confidential information. Any public opinions or statements made now or in the past are from me, individually, and not by or on behalf of the Board of Trustees. 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 in conversations with all stakeholders of the University. Stakeholders like you. Discussions will involve publicly available information and issues before the Board, as well as my personal thoughts, concerns, and ideas. I also will continue to solicit your thoughts, concerns, and ideas, and plan to engage in meaningful conversations with you on those topics. I hope that you will continue to share your concerns and ideas with me on my contact page.
