Penn State may hike tuition even with budget bump

Plus: Broadband project moves forward in Centre County, corporate filing system switch leads to longer waits, & DuBois solicitor talks manager arrest

Plus: Broadband project moves forward in Centre County, corporate filing system switch leads to longer waits, & DuBois solicitor talks manager arrest

View this email in your browser April 27, 2023 Save the dates! For the first time ever, Spotlight PA’s State College bureau will be participating in Centre Gives! We are seeking readers to help promote our campaign on social media May 10-11. Want to help? Get in touch at membership@spotlightpa.org. Inside this edition: Affordability a top issue for Pa. state-related universities, broadband project moving forward in Centre County, and a free event on Pa. legislative priorities. AFFORDABILITY CONCERNS Real quick: Despite a funding boost, Pennsylvania’s state-related universities may still raise what is already some of the most expensive tuition in the nation, Spotlight PA’s Wyatt Massey reports. A little more: Pennsylvania’s four state-related universities are asking the legislature for a long-awaited budget increase, but the schools’ leaders have not said whether more money would prevent future tuition hikes. As part of his first budget as governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro proposed increasing the general state appropriation to Lincoln University, Penn State University, Temple University, and the University of Pittsburgh by 7.1% each, or more than $40 million collectively.  These universities have a special status that allows them to operate independently while receiving money from the state, unlike state-run Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. They use the lump sum to subsidize in-state tuition for Pennsylvania students, but despite those subsidies, the universities have some of the most expensive tuition in the country. Lawmakers and Shapiro have until June 30 to pass a new budget. The full story: Read more here. NOTABLE / QUOTABLE “Granting a petition of guardianship should be taken with great caution and utmost respect for the person’s basic rights.” —State Sen. Judy Ward (R., Blair) said at a hearing on guardianship in the Capitol last month 📝 FROM SPOTLIGHT PA » Editors’ Note: Penn State president unfairly took aim at ‘fake news’ in local media » Pa. doesn’t fund public defense. Shapiro’s budget would change that. » Bill allowing counties to process mail ballots early clears first hurdle in Pa. House » Switch to Pa.’s corporate filing system led to backlog and longer waits for business owners » LEGISLATIVE AGENDA: Join us tonight from 6-7 p.m. on Zoom for a free panel on what issues and policies are on the state legislature’s docket in 2023. Register for the event here and submit your questions to events@spotlightpa.org.  VISIT THE PENN STATE TRANSPARENCY TRACKER 🗳 ELECTION CENTER Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PA » A complete guide to the May 16 primary » How Spotlight PA will cover Pa.’s 2023 primary election » A guide to requesting, filling out, and returning your mail ballot » A guide to vetting candidates » A guide to Commonwealth, Superior Court candidates » A guide to the Pa. Supreme Court candidates » Guía completa de los candidatos a la Corte Suprema del Estado » At least one big hurdle remains to open primaries in Pa. » Court decision does little to clear up ballot curing confusion » How unequal policies disenfranchised Pa. voters in 2022 » Supreme Court candidates with party backing show fundraising advantage » Register to vote in the May 16 primary here; deadline May 1 » Request your mail ballot for the May 16 primary here; deadline May 9 Support Spotlight PA’s public-service election and voting coverage now. Become a sustaining monthly donor and get your gift matched 12X!  📷 LOCAL GEM A bee hotel at The Arboretum at Penn State, via Amy Z. Want to be featured here? Send your best local pics to talkofthetown@spotlightpa.org. 📰 IN OTHER NEWS » CDT: Broadband project moves forward in Centre County » CDT: ‘School board boot camp’ that opposes LGBTQ, CRT postponed » Spirit: DuBois solicitor speaks on city manager arrest » CDT: Firefighters who battled Philipsburg wildfire receive support » WPSU: Competing conversations on Penn State’s DEIB progress » Mirror: Area bat population slowly but steadily rebounding » Sun-Gazette: Pa.’s natural gas production curbed by capacity limits 📅 EVENTS Want us to list your event? Send it to us. » April 27: Pleasant Gap Rotary is making its annual chicken and waffle meal to fundraise for local nonprofits. » April 29-May 13: Lewisburg Arts Council hosts the annual Celebration of the Arts. kicking off with the Lewisburg Arts Festival. » April 29: Learn about Penn State anthropology at AnthroFest at The Arboretum at Penn State. » April 29: Celebrate Arbor Day at Rhoneymeade. » April 29: Smith + Front in Bellefonte hosts Plant Dazed, a “fun filled day of extreme plant love.” » April 29: Sip Wine in the Wilds at the Clinton County Fairgrounds. 💕 Love Talk of the Town? Help us keep growing by sharing this newsletter with your friends! Did someone forward this email to you? Click here to sign up. 🧩 THE PUZZLER An anagram is a word, phrase, or name formed by rearranging the letters of another. For example, “spotlight” also forms “stoplight.” Decode the anagram and send your answer to talkofthetown@spotlightpa.org. We’ll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA State College swag.   D E A L E R   Good luck! Last week’s answer: Newt Congrats to Lisa C., who will receive Spotlight PA State College swag. Others who answered correctly: Martina M., Martha D., Donna D., Leann T., Don H., Daniel M., Tish M., Linda A., and Bob C. Do you have events, community shoutouts, questions about our region, or tips on stories that we should pursue? Email our team.   Love north-central Pennsylvania? Subscribe to Talk of the Town! Have a friend who would like our work? Share our newsletter! Our State College bureau depends on your support. Help us power investigative journalism in our communities that gets results by becoming a member now.   SUPPORT SPOTLIGHT PA Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and WITF Public Media. Copyright © Spotlight PA / The Philadelphia Inquirer, All rights reserved. Spotlight PA 228 Walnut St., #11728 Harrisburg, PA 17108-1728 newsletters@spotlightpa.org You're receiving this email because you've subscribed to updates from our State College regional bureau covering North-Central PA. This email was sent to: <<Email Address>> Receiving too many emails from Spotlight PA? To change your newsletter subscriptions and frequency, you can update your preferences. To stop receiving fundraising messages, you can update your preferences and select "Opt out of Fundraising." 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