UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (WTAJ) – Penn State's Board of Trustees is facing a lawsuit from one of its own members after allegedly refusing to give access to important information.
Trustee Barry Fenchak filed the suit Tuesday, June 16, after repeatedly asking about Penn State's use of the endowment money since "June of 2022." In the filing, he provides emails between himself and other board members discussing the topics, some going back to June 2023.
Fenchak alleges in the filing that he has been denied crucial information about the endowment – information that he feels he has a right to know.
"It's my duty to seek it out," Fenchak said.
Fenchak says in the filing that he first became interested in the endowment money after seeing a spike in administrative fees paid during the 2016-23 time frame. He describes being repeatedly denied access or given "aggregated information" as "frustrating."
As for what comes next, Fenchak said he hopes the court can compel the board to give him access to the information he wants.
abc27's sister station WTAJ reached out to Penn State for comment and has not received a statement at this time.