Pa. universties receive little or no financial help from state

Schools complain that tuition must increase and quality of programs may decrease Schools complain that tuition must increase and quality of programs may decreaseAssociated Press From Pennsylvania State University to the 14 schools making up the State System of Higher Education, tuition has risen about 4.5 percent, and universities are scrambling to salvage programs that are bereft of state support. "This year represents a departure from the last decade. Does this mean it's a prelude to a series of similar years? We can hope that it won't be the case. If we have 10 years like this, it will be enormously destructive for higher education," said Richard Kneedler, president of Franklin and Marshall College, who has co-authored a book of tips on paying for college. But proponents of Gov. Tom Ridge's decision to keep state funding level say the institutions have been forced to become more accountable for taxpayer dollars. "If we give the State System of Higher Education $100 million this year, they'll be back for $110 million next year. These people are just pigs at the trough," said Rep. John Lawless (R.-Montgomery), who has chaired special hearings on university spending. Ridge's original budget proposal gave slightly lower funding to the state system and gave no increase to Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh or Lincoln University. Penn State received a slight increase for agricultural programs. The final budget approved by the Legislature gave slight increases to some of the schools. The budget also eliminated Tuition Challenge Grants, an incentive grant program for universities to keep their tuition costs at certain levels. It was the first year in a decade that the state virtually froze higher education appropriations. "It was shared with [the universities] in a candid fashion that looking into the forseeable future, they should not expect massive infusions of state funding. That was a simple reality," said Education Department spokesperson Sean Duffy. During budget hearings, lawmakers relentlessly quizzed university leaders about faculty salaries and plush homes for presidents, ordering them to curb costs. But university officials pleaded for them to reconsider the budget, saying students would bear higher tuition costs as a result. Their fears were founded, say the university officials. State funds make up 17 percent of Penn State's budget -- a record low proportion. The university received nearly $281 million, a 1.6 percent increase over last year. The university's board of trustees in July approved a 4.7 percent tuition increase, higher than originally proposed, said Penn State's president, Graham Spanier. About 75 percent of Penn State students receive financial aid, he said. "I'm concerned because of what I call the affordability gap. It's widening. In a society where education is so important, we run the risk even at our public universities of closing off access to many middle- and working-class students," Spanier said. Pitt also imposed a 4.5 percent tuition hike after receiving a $1.3 million state appropriation increase, said spokesperson Ken Service. The university had requested a $10 million increase from the state. To cope, the school reduced salaries and benefits by $6 million a year. Pitt will reinvest that money in computers and recreational centers in residence halls, and also for improved campus safety, Service said. Likewise, the State System of HIgher Education raised tuition 4.5 percent while relying on a $9 million reeducation in its retirement contribution rate to prevent tuition from going even higher, said Edward Nolan, vice chancellor for system relations. State support to the system's budget has dropped from 64 percent in 1983 to 48 percent. "Higher ed needs to do a better job of making a case," Nolan said. "We're not cutting face, but muscle, and soon we'll be to the bone. It would be easy to limit the number of students and keep reducing the amount of people this opportunities is available to, but that's not what we're all about."