NY-based attorney joins race for PSU’s Board of Trustees
A seventh candidate has joined this year’s race for three alumni- controlled seats on Penn State University’s 38-member Board of Trustees.
Randy Houston, a trademark and entertainment attorney in New York City, announced his campaign Friday. Mr. Houston, 52, is the immediate past president of the Penn State Alumni Association and serves as its representative on the university board.
His two-year appointment in that ex-officio role will conclude this summer, said Mr. Houston, who was the first Black man to lead the alumni association. If he wins an alumni board seat, he pledged to prioritize the affordability and quality of Penn State programs, along with safety, inclusivity and tradition, amid ongoing financial pressure.
The university reported a structural budget deficit of about $140 million as of September. It ranks among the most expensive public universities in the U.S.
“We’ve got to find a way to tighten our belts again without sacrificing the quality of education, or the kinds of students who want to come here and receive that education — all while making it accessible and affordable to them,” said Mr. Houston, of Teaneck, N.J. He is assistant general counsel at the media company Buzzfeed.
Mr. Houston earned a bachelor’s degree in prelaw in 1991 from the Penn State College of the Liberal Arts and his law degree in 1995 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He stands out among board candidates for the scope of his Penn State experience, including roles as a student leader, an admissions counselor and a board member of the alumni society in liberal arts, he said in an interview Monday.
As a university trustee, his leadership includes chairing the board’s legal and compliance committee, which last year recommended expanding alcohol sales at Beaver Stadium to the general public. The change took effect in October after a vote by the full board.
Mr. Houston said he favored the move after other big football schools saw decreases in alcohol-related issues — such as car wrecks — when they took the same step. Those data “sealed the deal for me.”
Early results at Penn State suggest a similar pattern, Mr. Houston said. Having alcohol available inside the stadium prevents binge drinking before kickoff, and the university cuts off sales at the beginning of the fourth quarter, he said.
Penn State alumni fill nine trustee seats by popular vote. Incumbents Anthony P. Lubrano, Jay Paterno and Alice W. Pope hold the three alumni seats in play this year. They announced jointly last week that they are seeking re-election.
A separate group backed by the Penn State Forward coalition has begun campaigning, too. Professional soccer player Ali Krieger, lawyer Melinda Kuritzky and investment strategist Uma Moriarity make up that slate.
The alumni-chosen board members serve three-year terms. A formal nomination period began Sunday will and continue until Feb. 25. Candidates nominated by at least 250 alumni receive ballot slots.
Penn State will conduct voting electronically from April 10 until May 4. Winners will begin their terms in July.
Instructions for alumni participation are available through the university trustees office.