<p>HB 1416 moved yesterday. The bill - a counter to the previously proposed budget - cuts ALL spending on higher education. It's almost impossible for a school as big as PSU to stay open without that funding. So, no, if this bill goes any further there probably won't be a Penn State for a few years.</p>
<p>Community colleges will all close, eliminating access to affordable alternatives, as will all PASSHE schools (Kutztown, Bloomsburg, West Chester, etc). Our state is pretty f#cked if we don't act, people.</p>
<p>As a PA resident, I'm asking that you all contact your local legislators (regardless of party affiliation) and ask them not to move any further on HB 1416.</p>
<p>Well, you can’t keep a state-funded institution open without state funding. Also, PHEAA is on the chopping block. Meaning, you won’t be able to get ANY loans or grants from the state of Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>Are you talking about the House Democrats plan? That’s a tricky issue, because it actually calls for establishing a separate fund for state system universities (Bloomsburg, etc.) and PHEAA grants. But nobody really knows where the money for that fund would come from. However, the plan does allow for $606 million in the general fund for Penn State, Pitt, etc. </p>
<p>Regardless, I suspect we will see a painful tuition increase, no matter which plan finally ends up passing.</p>
<p>Wow, didn’t know PSU-UP is in a bad financial situation, I guess as a out of state need base financial aid student I won’t see any funds to meet a standard amount I can afford.</p>
<p>It’s the Commonwealth that’s in trouble. As of right now, community colleges are going in the fiscal year missing 2/3 of their funding. CCs feed pretty heavily into the PSU system. </p>
<p>There’s a bit of a shell game going on with how money will be allocated for the future. Here and now, it’s not looking good.</p>
<p>PSU is not closing any time soon.
PSU receives limited funding from the state… I believe it’s around 10%.
That said, the proposed budget cuts WILL have impact. Spanier has a plan in place to increase tuition by 10% if the budget is not resolved by this Friday. That’s hefty. Not sure about impact on loans since we don’t have any. Thank goodness it’s my son’s last year…although he will likely have trouble landing a job when he graduates…like everyone else! </p>
<p>This whole budget crisis is a big deal in PA. State workers will not be paid if it’s not resolved by end of month. It’s not easy being a governer right now.</p>
<p>Toneranger is correct. If the budget allocation is cut by 18% (the worst case according to the CDT article) the drop in funding would be less than 2% of PSU’s budget (if my math-thinking is correct). Significant, yes, but certainly not enough to close the school.</p>
<p>Coolbrezze, PSU has never been able to be very generous with need-based aid for OOS students. There is some merit aid available.</p>
<p>I read this morning that the bill that takes higher ed funding to zero was put forward by a dem who is looking to break up the deadlock. It does NOT affect PSU or Pitt since funds for those schools do not come out of the general fund (plus both schools get limited funding in any case). But it does affect community colleges and state funded schools like Westchester.</p>