This is going to hurt...
Not a lot of people know it, but the Pennsylvania State University is not the State University of Pennsylvania - along with Pitt, Temple and Lincoln, we have long existed in a mixed state, oscillating gently between the private and state eigenstates, maximizing uncertainty.
Now we get bitten - not only is PA's governor proposing a 13% cut in our state contributed budget (which is less than 1% of our actual budget, but cuts hurt on the margin), but the gov is claiming the stimulus funding does not apply to these four, only the State University.
I somehow don't think that was the Big O's intent...
From Post-Gazette:
"...In a further sign that Gov. Ed Rendell no longer views them as truly public campuses, the four state-related universities have been removed from the state's application for federal stimulus money to aid public higher education.
The move means more than $40 million collectively earmarked for the four schools to offset a proposed 6 percent cut in each's state appropriation next year will not be forthcoming...
Penn State University had hoped for about $20 million in stimulus aid;...
Once the governor's newly proposed budget cuts are factored in, the four schools could wind up with a 2009-10 appropriation 13 percent below this year.
At Penn State, the largest of the schools, the governor's newly revised proposals would be devastating if enacted, spokesman Geoff Rushton said.
Penn State began this fiscal year, which ends June 30, with a $338 million state appropriation, but lost $20 million when the governor last fall announced a mid-year 6 percent cut in subsidies to the four schools. Penn State had hoped the stimulus aid, when applied to its proposed 2009-10 appropriation, would bring funding levels back up to $338 million.
Instead, as currently proposed, its appropriation would total $277.5 million -- or roughly $60 million less than at the start of this fiscal year...."
I do not in any way speak for PSU at all.
To make up this cut from tuition would take ~ $1,000 per student per year.
The fiscal year beging on wednesday, kinda tricky to cut costs to that level before the fiscal year begins.
I wonder if this means PA governor will surrender his right to nominate Regents to the board of these universities?
There will be much gnashing of teeth in middle class homes in the suburbs of Philly in the coming weeks.
h/t InsiderHigherEd
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Shouldn't universities use their endowments for these type of situations?
---I somehow don't think that was the Big O's intent...
Thing you should remember is: Rendell--not a fan of the Big O.
the Pennsylvania State University is not the State University of Pennsylvania ... we have long existed in a mixed state, oscillating gently between the private and state eigenstates
I'm familiar with the notion. Here in New Hampshire, whether we are considered state employees depends on whether it is convenient for the state to consider us state employees.
I admit to being confused here, though. If PSU is not a state university despite advertising itself as such, that what is the official state university of PA--Penn?
Shouldn't universities use their endowments for these type of situations?
If this were a temporary shortfall, that could make sense. (Assuming that PSU has a significant endowment--which I don't know without Googling it--but universities with substantial state funding tend to be less well endowed than comparable private universities.) Unfortunately, there is no reason to think this is a temporary shortfall. Furthermore, they've probably lost a bundle (at least fractionally speaking) on whatever endowment they had, so they might not be able to afford the extra payout along with their existing commitments.
I haven't been a PA resident for that long, but I have to say in my experience the state really seems to lack any real strong political leadership.
Rendell has been less than spectacular as governor. What is his legacy going to be -- video poker?
He really seems to be vindictive. I'm actually surprised he lumped Temple, Pitt, and Lincoln in with us this time. Prior to this all of his statements about Penn State gave you the impression that he was in a grade school fight with Spanier. I always expected him to end with "and nanny nanny boo boo on you" whenever he was talking about yet another cut for Penn State.
I understand that he's in a tough spot with the state budget, but he really seems to be using us as pawns in his private spat with Spanier and doesn't seem to care that real people work here.
It would be nice if I felt like there was someone out there to vote for who could come in and make things right after Rendell's term ends, but I'm underwhelmed by the options.
What can I say? The State in which Caltech exists has now been snailmailing IOUs to persons who are owed money. Tax refunds are pieces of paper which banks won't accept, can't buy food, can't pay rent. Oh, but you can pay your taxes with them. I think.
There are no summer school classes available in high schools or community college, despite several hundred thousand students who expected to take aid courses.
California leads the way into oblivion, but other states are trying to clone that quantum state.
I grew up in Pittsburgh and have many friends up in State College. I really don't understand how the governor can claim that PSU, Pitt, Lincoln, and Temple are, for these purposes, private institutions. FWIW, this will almost certainly hurt Lincoln and Temple more than it will hurt PSU and Pitt, since I would think that their overall budgets are smaller.