Barron discusses access and affordability strategies to support students Scholarships, academic advising, food security, new housing grants and more are topics of focus during president’s presentation to Board of Trustees Old Main's bell tower. Image: Patrick Mansell Barron discusses access and affordability strategies to support students May 07, 2021 UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State is committed to providing students with an accessible and affordable high-quality education, and the University is employing a range of creative strategies to help manage educational costs and meet students’ needs, according to Penn State President Eric Barron. Along with discussing traditional mechanisms for lowering costs in a presentation to the Board of Trustees at its Friday (May 7) hybrid meeting, Barron highlighted non-traditional strategies — from addressing housing and food insecurity to building financial literacy — the University is using to help make a Penn State education more affordable for students.