UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Office of Government and Community Relations is asking all Penn Staters to stand up and support the University’s request for additional state funding in 2023-24.

A petition from Advocate Penn State aims to connect Penn State Advocates with elected officials in Harrisburg, while raising awareness of the funding disparity faced by Penn State compared to Pennsylvania’s other public universities. Currently, Pennsylvania ranks 47th among the 50 states in higher-education funding, and Penn State receives the lowest funding in the state on a per-student basis.

Sign the petition at govt.psu.edu/petition to voice support for increased funding for Penn State, which will directly benefit students and make for a stronger Pennsylvania.  

Penn State currently receives $242.1 million in state funding for its education mission, or $5,600 per Pennsylvania resident undergraduate, which is between $2,600 and $3,400 less per in-state student than the state’s other public institutions like Temple University and the University of Pittsburgh.

This year, to close that gap and match Penn State’s standing as a top 1% global university that contributes $11.6 billion annually to the state’s economy, Penn State is requesting an increase of $115.2 million, or 47.6%, for its 2023-24 general support appropriation to match the state’s per-student investment in other public universities.

The timing of this petition is important, as advocates begin to introduce themselves and their priorities to new and returning elected officials, including 50 new members of the Pennsylvania House and Senate, along with a new governor’s administration, in the new year.

Currently, more than 3,500 Penn State supporters have signed on to the petition, which runs through Jan. 8, 2023.

Join the petition at govt.psu.edu/petition and learn more about how to support Penn State’s legislative priorities at advocate.psu.edu.