The State System of Higher Education will ask the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for an “inflationary funding increase” of 3.8 percent to cover rising costs over the past three years, for a total investment of $573.5 million, which it says will enable it to freeze tuition for undergraduate students for a fifth consecutive year. The State System is also asking for $112 million in a “separate strategic investment” to enroll and graduate students in studies for careers in “fields with significant labor shortages.” $99 million would be used for student financial aid.
The current budget enacted last summer gave the State System a historic $75 million increase in funding, to $552.5 million. It was the largest one-year increase ever, and in addition, the state kicked in $125 million in American Rescue Plan funding for the State System Redesign.
The next phase of the Redesign will target non-traditional students, such as those not currently considering enrolling, former students with incomplete degrees, and working adults in need of short-term programs to earn industry credentials and certifications.
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