Seeking tuition freeze, Pa. state universities want more funding

Officials at Pennsylvania’s 10 state-owned universities have requested yet another increase in state funding with hopes of freezing the tuition for a sixth consecutive year.

The system’s board of governors unanimously approved a request for an additional $38 million in the 202425 budget — a 6.5% bump in funds compared to what the system received last year. If approved by the General Assembly and Gov. Josh Shapiro, the system’s entire state appropriation would total $623.7 million.

Lawmakers must flesh out the 2024-25 budget by the end of June.

“This year’s request will be reflective of what is required to address inflationary increases and to do so in a manner that protects students from potential cost increases,” board member and University Success Committee Chair Larry Skinner said Thursday.

Chancellor Daniel Greenstein told the Post-Gazette earlier this month that this boost would keep tuition at the state-owned university steady. Base tuition at the 10 universities has been $7,716 for five consecutive years.

“We’re here for low and middle-income Pennsylvanians. They’re our bread and butter,” Mr. Greenstein said. “They need us, and they need us to hold tuition at the rate it’s at — if anything, reduce it.”

During the 2023-24 budget season, lawmakers allotted over $585.6 million to the system. Mr. Shapiro initially proposed a more modest appropriation that would have required the system to raise its price tag. System officials successfully pushed for more funding from lawmakers, which allowed them to freeze tuition during the 2023-24 academic year.

If the state universities increased tuition by the rate of inflation during that five year period, costs would be 21% higher than they are now, according to system officials.

Over the past decade, the system’s state funding has repeatedly increased despite persistent enrollment downturns. In 2014-15, the system received just over $500 million. Funds have since jumped over 16%, and would rise by 24% if the system’s 2024-25 bid is successful.

Meanwhile, between fall 2014 and this fall, enrollment has fallen nearly 25%. The system enrolled 109,808 students in 2014, and currently enrolls 82,688.

The system’s total debt is about $1.8 billion, Mr. Greenstein told the board in April.

But system officials still have optimism for the universities’ futures. Just over a week ago, officials boasted a second consecutive year of first- time enrollment increases system-wide. Overall enrollment at the 10 universities dropped.

Mr. Greenstein attributed growth in part to the cost of a state school education. He also thinks the state schools could be seeing post-COVID recovery and restored faith among Pennsylvania residents.

“It’s been on us to really make sure that we are expressing the value and demonstrating the value that we [have],” he told the Post-Gazette. “I think that has some part to play as well.

Regional universities Slippery Rock and Indiana University of Pennsylvania both saw their first-time and overall enrollment numbers go up between fall 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, PennWest University saw an 11.5% drop in overall enrollment and a 20.5% dip in first-time enrollment — the most dramatic decline of the system’s 10 universities.