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| Inside this edition: Penn State trustees approve fiscal year 2026 budget, money for popular home repair program left out of state budget, and takeaways from our event on private water companies. |
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Last week, the Penn State Board of Trustees passed the university’s fiscal year 2026 budget to the tune of $9.9 billion. The move marked a significant step in the university’s push for a balanced budget after years of multimillion-dollar deficits that led to steep cuts, employee buyouts, and a new leadership model for the Commonwealth Campuses.
The university’s $2.9 billion education and general budget for fiscal year 2026 will not have a deficit, due in part to cuts in Penn State’s spending. Trustees also approved an increase in tuition rates for many students.
Starting in fall 2025, in-state University Park students will pay $10,234 per semester, a $201 increase, while out-of-state students at University Park will pay $21,430 per semester, an $824 increase. Out-of-state students at Commonwealth Campuses will pay between $11,668 and $13,319 per semester depending on where they are enrolled. Tuition will not increase for in-state students who attend a Commonwealth Campus.
The university projects a $6.5 million deficit in its $3 billion education and general budget for fiscal year 2024, which ended on June 30, a significant drop from the anticipated $44 million deficit when that budget was approved, according to Penn State’s budget office. Penn State projects a $34 million deficit in its general budget for the current fiscal year, which runs through June 30, 2025.
Under President Neeli Bendapudi, Penn State began operating on a “two-year budget cycle” to provide more stability than the previous budget approach. With the two-year budget cycle, the university passes a budget one year in advance of when it will take effect.
However, the university isn’t able to anticipate in advance how much funding it will receive from the state.
On July 11, the Pennsylvania General Assembly approved $242.1 million in support for Penn State for fiscal year 2025, which began July 1. The university has received the same amount for the past five years. While the term “flat funded” is often used to describe the state government’s streak of not increasing aid, the impact of inflation means Penn State is receiving less value for those dollars than it was years ago.
Spotlight PA previously analyzed how the state legislature’s support is lagging inflation over the past 15 years and what that means for per-student funding for Penn State, Pitt, Temple, Lincoln, and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
However, Penn State and other universities might see a boost in taxpayer dollars through a new performance-based funding model that would allocate additional state funds based on achieving certain metrics.
—Wyatt Massey, Penn State investigative reporter |
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» Water privatization is on the rise in Pa. Here’s what you need to know.
» Federal dollars driving energy policy in Pennsylvania toward solar, hydrogen
» Why biz groups say tax credits aren’t enough to solve Pa.’s child care crisis
» Who is Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro? Full biography, key accomplishments, controversies & more
» More funding for home repair program left out of state budget despite high demand
» Pennsylvania expands protections against frivolous suits aimed at curtailing free speech
» Mail ballot envelopes will now be printed with the full year filled out
» This year’s budget overturns local bans on rodeos. No Pa. lawmaker will take credit.
» BUDGET BREAKDOWN: Join us TODAY from 6-7 p.m. on Zoom for a discussion on the major components of the budget, the politics that shaped the deal, and what was left on the cutting room floor. Register for the event here and submit your questions to events@spotlightpa.org. |
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Hiking at Musser Gap in Centre County, via Sarah Rafacz, who edits this newsletter.
Have a north-central Pennsylvania photo to share? Send it to us by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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Want us to list your event? Send it to us.
» July 26: Lock Haven, Clinton County, closes down Main Street for its monthly Pedestrian Mall event.
» July 27: Kick the Stigma: Day of Wellness in DuBois, Clearfield County, highlights the importance of mental health with activities like a kickball tournament, goat yoga, mindfulness exercises, and more.
» July 27-28: Take in music, art, food, and “homegrown fun” at SummerFest in Millheim, Centre County.
» July 27-28: The Blair County African American Heritage Festival features live music, craft vendors, a free kids corner, education, and more.
» July 27-Aug. 3: The 51st annual Clinton County Fair features live entertainment, agricultural exhibitions, a cornhole tournament, and more.
» July 28-Aug. 3: The 88th annual Potter County Fair celebrates agricultural traditions. |
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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.
S C A M P E R
Good luck!
Last week’s answer: Ours
Congrats to Mary N., who will receive Spotlight PA State College swag! Others who answered correctly: Michael T., Susan N., Kevin M., Linda A., Neil W., Don H., Leann T., Frederick H., and Nancy L.
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Do you have events, community shoutouts, questions about our region, or tips on stories that we should pursue? Email our team.
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