Penn State seeks more from state in subsidies, but is silent on tuition hike

Though mum on the topic of next fall’s tuition, Penn State University trustees voted Friday to seek a nearly 7% increase in the institution’s state appropriation for 2020-2021, a $22.6 million boost to $359.8 million.

The board, meeting at University Park, also approved a salary increase for President Eric Barron. Two major construction projects, the Animal Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building and Bellisario Media Center, advanced as well.

The appropriation request is an early stage of the annual budget process, with Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed state spending plan still months away. Nevertheless, some among Penn State’s 97,000 students hope the appropriation request will yield clues about next year’s academic rates.

In recent years, Penn State has faced criticism as one of the most expensive public universities in the nation, but it also has frozen rates for in-state undergraduates the past two years.

The freeze approved in July kept the in-state base tuition at $17,416 on the main campus this school year, not counting room, board and other fees.

“We opted not to project a specific rate,” Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers said Friday regarding tuition. “It is much too early in the budgeting process to discuss specific tuition rates, as

many things can happen between now and when tuition is formally set by the board of trustees in July.”

In addition to the main University Park campus, the yearly funding request has implications from the Hershey Medical Center and two dozen branch campuses, to agriculture extension, research and community/ business outreach.

Also Friday, trustees approved a salary of $855,228 for Mr. Barron, reflecting factors including a 2.5% merit increase. It is retroactive to July 1.

The trustees’ compensation committee briefed trustees on raises for Nicholas Jones, executive vice president and provost, and David Gray, senior vice president for Finance and Business. Their salaries were set at $570,000 and $537,372, respectively.

On Thursday, the committee of finance, business and capital planning approved a combined $147 million toward the biomedical and Bellisario projects.

The expenditure of $98.5 million for the Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences project involves a 105,000square-foot building with research labs, instructional facilities and offices for the Animal Science and Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences departments in the College of Agricultural Sciences, officials said.

The oldest part of the Willard Building, constructed in 1949, will become the Bellisario Media Center.

The $48 million project involving 60,000 square feet will touch all four floors and provide a hub for student media, according to Penn State.

That and the Carnegie Building will house the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.