Where do the 2024 Penn State Alumni Trustee Candidates Stand on a University Gambling Policy?
Table of Contents:
Overview:
On 3/27/2024, the Letter to Candidates was emailed to each alumni trustee candidate. Reminders to complete the questionnaire were also emailed to each candidate who had not yet responded on 4/3/2024 and 4/7/2024. All candidate responses to the questionnaire are posted in the Candidate Responses section in blue text. The candidates' responses to the questionnaire are posted in the order in which they were received.
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Letter to Candidates:
Dear Penn State Alumni Trustee Candidates,
I am writing to draw your attention to the concerns of many Penn State alumni about the negative impacts of Penn State's increasing engagement with the gambling industry, and also to request your feedback regarding these concerns.
Because of their susceptibility to gambling addiction, college students are targeted aggressively by the gambling industry. At least 6% of college students are addicted to gambling (as compared to 1% of the general adult population). Other recent studies show student gambling addiction rates as high as 14.6%. Recent surveys have found at least one in five students use financial aid or student loan money to gamble. More than 30% have used credit cards to bet on sports. Gambling addiction has the highest rate of suicide across all addictions. It also causes a devastatingly wide range of other serious harms.
In addition to being exposed to mass-media gambling advertisements, Penn State students are targeted by the gambling industry through multiple avenues that are specific to the University. Some of these avenues include the following:
Thousands of concerned alumni and State College residents have signed petitions and hundreds have written directly to Penn State's Board of Trustees supporting various initiatives to protect Penn State's students from gambling addiction. At the most basic level, this outcry requests that Penn State establish a university gambling policy, cease advertising gambling products to students, and pursue a coherent approach to protecting students from the psychological and financial destruction caused by gambling addiction. Other Universities have already established gambling policies, and Trustee emerita Alice Pope called for Penn State to establish such a policy in early 2023. There is precedent for Penn State to take this basic step to protect its students.
To help us select which candidates we want to represent us on the Board, please confirm your receipt of this email as soon as possible, and then reply to this email with your answers to the following questions by 11:59 pm on 4/7/2024:
- Penn State's mission as a land-grant university is to "without excluding scientific and classical studies ... to teach agriculture and the mechanic arts [engineering] ... in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in all the pursuits and professions of life." Do you believe that promoting gambling to students helps Penn State to achieve its mission?
- Penn State's values include Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Discovery, Excellence, and Community. Do you believe it is consistent with these values for Penn State to promote gambling to students?
- Should Penn State establish a University gambling policy? If so, what should such a policy include?
- If you are elected to the Board, what actions will you take to protect Penn State students from the risks of gambling addiction, and how soon will you take these actions?
All responses germane to the questions being asked will be posted to [this] website and shared with interested alumni by email and social media prior to the voting for this year's alumni Trustee elections.
Thank you for your consideration and your prompt response to this questionnaire!
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Candidate Responses:
Response from Steve Wagman (szw5251@psu.edu)
Note: Instead of responding directly to the questions asked in the questionnaire, candidate Steve Wagman responded with the following statement:
In my view, every thoughtful inquiry deserves an answer, so I have provided my comments below, instead of answering each specific question. I understand the concerns expressed, as a parent, but my role in this response is as a member of the Board of Trustees.
With regards to the impact to our students, it is important to understand, the ease and ability for online wagering was legalized in Pennsylvania and launched in 2019 and has already been widely accessible.
The proposed casino is planned for a property near the University Park campus, but it is otherwise not associated with the University. Decisions regarding whether a casino can be opened are made by local municipalities and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, and there are mechanisms in place for individuals to share their opposition to, or support of, this private endeavor with these decision-makers.
The Board of Trustees appropriately does not have a stance on this project, nor does the board have the means to promote or stop the development of a private, legal operation that has been approved by local and state officials. The board remains focused on helping the University continue its teaching, research and outreach missions and supporting the goals of Penn State students, faculty, and staff.
Response from Brandon Short (bds146@psu.edu)
Note: Instead of responding directly to the questions asked in the questionnaire, candidate Brandon Short responded with the following statement:
Thank you for the commitment to Penn State and the surrounding community. As an Alumni Trustee it is my duty to listen and to address the concerns of our Alumni. I understand that many are concerned about the Casino and the ancillary issues that it may cause. Below is a statement from the Board Chair Matt Schuyler that summarizes my position on the Casino.
Chair Schuyler Casino Remarks
We have received more than 200 public comment submissions regarding the proposed casino in College Township. Understanding the unique and important role the University plays in the local community, we appreciate that residents are voicing their diverse opinions on this topic.
Some questions have asked about the impact to our students. It is important to understand, the ease and ability for online wagering was legalized in Pennsylvania and launched in 2019, and has already been widely accessible.
The proposed casino is planned for a property near the University Park campus, but it is otherwise not associated with the University. Decisions regarding whether a casino can be opened are made by local municipalities and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, and there are mechanisms in place for individuals to share their opposition to, or support of, this private endeavor with these decision-makers.
The Board of Trustees appropriately does not have a stance on this project, nor does the board have the means to promote or stop the development of a private, legal operation that has been approved by local and state officials. The board remains focused on helping the University continue its teaching, research and outreach missions and supporting the goals of Penn State students, faculty and staff.
Group Response from Matt McGloin and Alvin de Levie (afdesq@alvindelevie.com)
- Penn State's mission as a land-grant university is to "without excluding scientific and classical studies ... to teach agriculture and the mechanic arts [engineering] ... in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in all the pursuits and professions of life." Do you believe that promoting gambling to students helps Penn State to achieve its mission?
No, we should not be promoting this. We should be promoting all that our University has to offer academically and athletically, as well as promoting how large our Penn State Alumni base is so that students understand the impact of having a degree from our great University.
- Penn State's values include Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Discovery, Excellence, and Community. Do you believe it is consistent with these values for Penn State to promote gambling to students?
No, it's not consistent with Penn State's values. At Penn State, we are taught commitment to excellence and success with honor. It is instilled in us from day one the importance of serving and becoming outstanding members of our community.
- Should Penn State establish a University gambling policy? If so, what should such a policy include?
Yes. A major part of our policy should include educating our students on the risk of gambling and offering assistance to those dealing with addiction. We should hold our student-athletes to the same standards that we hold professional athletes to and prohibit them from gambling. We need to also hold all those associated with our programs and those privy to knowledge about these programs to those standards.
- If you are elected to the Board, what actions will you take to protect Penn State students from the risks of gambling addiction, and how soon will you take these actions?
Immediately. We need to encourage the creation of an educational program to teach them about the risks of gambling and the long term effects it has on their student life and life after graduation.
Carl Nassib did not respond to the questionnaire, nor did he provide a publicly releasable email address at which he can be contacted
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Voting Information:
Voting for the Penn State Alumni Trustees election will take place from April 10th, 2024 at 9:00 am ET until May 2nd, 2024 at 9:00 am ET. All Penn State alumni are eligible to vote in the election. Additional information about how to vote in the election is available on the Penn State Trustees website.
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