The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) announced their proposed budget for the 2012-2013 academic year, which includes an increase of 2.1 percent on October 6.
Kenn Marshall, media relations manager of PASSHE, plans to maintain the level of quality education that students in the state system have received in the past, regardless of the state's financial problems.
"We are fully committed to providing an affordable education for students, even during this difficult time—this is our first priority," Marshall said.
Next year's budget plan for the 14 PASSHE universities will consist of $421.4 million, which was asked for by the appropriations request that took place on October 6. This is $8.6 million more than the state schools were granted for the 2011-2012 school year.
Board Chair Guido M. Pichini believes that this is an important step for PASSHE, as Pennsylvania has faced many recent economic struggles.
"[The additional funding] reflects not only the recession management procedures adopted by the state system to address today's challenging economic times, but also the need to preserve academic quality and the ability to continuously respond to the changing needs of our students," Pichini said.
Employees of PASSHE should be expecting an increase in benefits, focusing on health care and retirement contributions, and those affected by these benefits should expect an increase by 8.6 percent if the proposed budget is passed.
PASSHE's 2012-13 budget plan is still underway as many issues have not yet been solved. The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Facilities (APSCUF) still remains under negotiations, as the wage components ended last summer.
As the budget agreements come to a close, PASSHE strives for an ending result that will satisfy the universities of the system. Nearly 120,000 students are attending PASSHE universities, while about 500,000 alumni are currently working in Pennsylvania as a result of graduating from the system.
Chancellor Dr. John C. Cavanaugh hopes to give students the best opportunities possible in PASSHE when looking ahead to 2012-2013.
"Our university presidents and their leadership teams are focused on finding the right balance in managing expenditures to preserve the core academic programs on our campuses and to invest in the new areas of study requested by our students, whether it is a single class needed to enhance their career development or an advanced degree," Cavanaugh said.
Marshall stated that the budget for next school year should be finalized by June 30, 2011, but there are many questions that remain.
"At this point we cannot project or predict what the budget will look like, but we're definitely going to face some challenges," Marshall said.
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