<p>Republican Governor Corbett is proposing a 50% cut in all state funding to state-owned and state-related universities and colleges in PA. For example, Penn State would take a $150 million cut.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, he proposes that PA. remain the last state in the country that does not tax gas wells, cigars or chewing tobacco. He received hundreds of thousands in campaign contributions from the natural gas drilling industry.</p>
<p>[Official</a> calls proposed cuts to colleges ‘unprecedented’ - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review](<a href=“http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_726382.html]Official”>http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_726382.html)</p>
<p>These extreme cuts may make people reconsider selecting PA. public colleges. I know it will in my family. It is impossible to absorb a 50% cut in one year without massive cuts in quality and major increases in tuition.</p>
<p>Hmm, has your gov been taking tips from our (Wisconsin’s) governor?</p>
<p>The real question is, what is the impact on the institutions’ tuition and aid (both need and merit). The state institutions have relied less and less on State Funding over the past 40 years (I believe that more than 2/3’s of Temple’s funding comes from itself). So it may not be as traumatic as the media will play it up. </p>
<p>In the event that this budget gets passed, we can expect increased tuitions, some layoffs and less aid. All are bad news…we will have to see how material the cuts/increases are for each school.</p>
<p>The one initial estimate I saw was a 20% increase in tuition just to make up this cut, on top of normal inflation. Penn State, U. Pitt and Temple already have the most expensive in-state tuition among public colleges in the country ($15 to 16K a year for tuition and fees), and Penn State is weak on financial aid.</p>
<p>Uh, Penn State gets less than 8% of its annual operating budget from the state government.</p>
<p>If enacted, this is only a reduction of less than 4% in their budget.</p>
<p>This is not armageddon.</p>
<p>I guess the tens of thousands of students who go to other state universities in Pennsylvania are just chopped liver, right?</p>
<p>Has anyone heard whether the PHEAA grants will be reduced again?</p>
<p>The governor’s budget only proposes a 2% cut in total PHEAA funding. However, if more people apply and more are qualified (particularly with increased tuition), then those same dollars will be reduced on average per student. That is what happened in the past couple years - the same dollars were spread among more students. </p>
<p>The Governor is also proposing to cut direct funding to private colleges in PA. by 50%. Instead of getting around $750 for each PA. student they enroll who qualifies for a PHEAA grant, they would get $375.</p>
<p>The percentage of Penn State’s funding from the state is skewed. Most of the state money probably goes to keep in state undergrad tuition reasonable. Out of state students pay full price, and in-state law students and med students pay full price. Many other activities (such as food service, research programs, sports, conference centers/hotels, housing) are meant to be self-supporting. </p>
<p>Therefore, a 4% cut in the total budget may mean a 20% cut in the dollars available to subsidize in-state undergrads.</p>
<p>With these economic times, I surprised that a state still subsidizes the generally wealthy students who attend local, private colleges. Does Penn or Bucknell (~16% qualify for federal grants) really need that extra money?</p>
<p>Actually, dadinator, the effects would be severe. The PSU “Core Council” had already been identifying programs that can be consolidated or cut. Engineering’s Science, Technology and Society program and Arts and Architecture’s Integrated Arts major are both slated to be cut. The College of Agriculture is looking at whittling its departments from twelve to six. Those are just the three Colleges that had been considered thus far. This was begun in an effort to permanently shave ten million dollars off he budget. If those kind of cuts are required to save $10M, what would be cut to save $180M?</p>
<p>Yes, Blue, I don’t understand why PA. still provides direct subsidies to private colleges for enrolling middle income PA. students. That is the first thing I would cut. That involves large sums of PA. tax dollars going to some rich colleges.</p>
<p>My son is HS 13. Pitt was a fav on our list, but these cuts will probably take it off the table.</p>
<p>dadinator - Both Penn State and Pitt have spoken out on how it will effect the school and the offerings. Temple has publicly stated it will have an effect, but Temple has not given details yet as to program cuts.</p>
<p>polarscribe - Our PASSHE schools will also suffer, but they have not made the public statements Penn State and Pitt have. IMO based upon past budget cuts, the PASSHE schools will initially see more dramatic increases in tuition hikes than the affiliates.</p>
<p>Not talked about, but in the budget cuts, is funding to Community College. Our CCs are already overpriced (many other states 4 yr universities are cheaper). This will squeeze out the middle class from many educational avenues.</p>
<p>As a PA resident, the lack of tax on gas wells doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the mixed message on the Education front by funding Headstart and Pre-K programs while simultaneously CUTTING Kindergarten programs. Either buy into the research that early learning is important or don’t buy into. To fund Pre-K and then cut K programs is too mixed of a message.</p>
<p>Penn State, Pitt and Temple are “state-related” universities and do not receive the same funding as the PASSHE schools. There has long been discussion in the Penn State community about the relative costs and benefits of going private. If this budget goes forward the costs will be halved and I expect the discussion will would get a little more serious.</p>
<p>Longhaul, how can the lack of an extraction tax not bother you?</p>
<p>The state owned universities have to be more careful about what they say publicly because they are in effect state employees. They also have more to fear, because the cuts will eliminate 1/4 of their educational budgets and they don’t have much in the way of endowments to fall back upon. I’m sure they will be screaming, but they won’t do it in the press.</p>
<p>I guess Herr Corbett has decided he can slash funding of the state owned universities, because no school district will be able to hire any school teachers for the next 4 years, until Governor Sestak replaces him. Therefore, the universities can all abolish their teacher training programs. </p>
<p>There will be thousands of public school layoffs in PA over the next few months. Because of seniority rules, an entire generation of younger teachers will be wiped out.</p>
<p>Our governor also fails to recognize the valuable economic development achieved by PA. public universities and community colleges. Community colleges are proposed to be cut 10% even though they are all BURSTING at the seems with students. </p>
<p>Our public universities in PA. have attracted large numbers of students from other states. Those students pay full price, which helps to subsidize the in-state students. However, with wholesale elimination of programs and layoffs of professors, those students will stay in their own states. That is a major loss of revenue.</p>
<p>“This will squeeze out the middle class from many educational avenues.”</p>
<p>Which is exactly the point. Why would the Koch brothers and their mega-billionaire corporate buddies want the rabble to have a decent education, either at the K-12 level or college? The only good government spending is that which helps those at the very top.</p>
<p>This is going to be happening everywhere, I am sure. Budget cuts are imminent.</p>
<p>There go my financial safety schools. :|</p>