UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Advocate Penn State is encouraging all Penn Staters to take action on its recent advocacy campaign to speak up and support Penn State’s 2024-25 state appropriation.
The timing of the campaign is critical, as a bill is moving through the Pennsylvania General Assembly that would provide a fifth straight year of flat funding to state-related universities, including Penn State.
The action campaign urges support for the 5% funding increase proposed by Gov. Josh Shapiro in his annual budget.
All Penn Staters are asked to click here to participate in the advocacy campaign to show support for state funding, which allows the University to offer a significant in-state tuition discount to its 42,000 Pennsylvania resident undergraduates.
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“Our strongest advocates have always been Penn State students, faculty and staff, alumni, and community members, and it’s important that everyone lets their legislators know that increased funding for Penn State matters to them,” said Mike Stefan, vice president for Government and Community Relations. “When Penn Staters speak up, our elected officials listen and take action.”
Penn State officials are not the only ones making their voices heard during the current budget negotiations, as a group of Penn State student leaders penned a letter to state legislative leaders urging them to support the increased funding.
“As a group of student leaders who represent nearly 90,000 Penn State students, we are asking that you support equitable funding for Penn State University, our Commonwealth Campuses, and students across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” the student leaders wrote.
Penn State currently receives state funding that equals approximately $5,700 per in-state student, a number that is significantly lower (between $3,000 and $3,700 less per student) than Pennsylvania's other public universities. Despite this disparity, Penn State significantly amplifies the state’s investment to provide the average Pennsylvania resident undergraduate with an annual tuition discount of approximately $15,000.
State funding matters to all Penn Staters, as it is the foundation of the University's land-grant partnership with the commonwealth, which allows Penn State to invest in high-quality academic programs and curricula that enrich student’s lives and educational experiences and prepare them to become the state's future leaders.
All are encouraged to take action now at advocate.psu.edu. Follow Advocate Penn State on Instagram, X, LinkedIn and Facebook to stay up to date on all Penn State advocacy opportunities.