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Penn State sounds the alarm on state funding

Old Main on Penn State's University Park campus.
Emily Reddy
/
WPSU

Penn State and the other state-related universities in Pennsylvania are still waiting on this year’s funding from the Commonwealth. And now, Penn State is saying if that money doesn’t come through soon, it might be next year before the university sees state funding.

An email from the Office of Government and Community Relations to Penn State supporters says in part: "If the Senate doesn't pass our funding this week, we might have to wait until Spring 2024 for a resolution."

The letter notes that the university has delayed giving more than 18,000 employees pay raises until after the state support comes through.

The email notes that if the delay continues into next year "Penn State students and their families will begin the spring semester under the looming cloud of uncertainty regarding state funding."

Penn State uses state funding to charge lower tuition to in-state students.

While the state House approved university funding, the Senate has not.

A Penn State spokesman noted that there are "a limited number of in-session days left this year, and as the month draws to a close, there is a growing concern that it may not happen this year at all."

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Anne Danahy has been a reporter at WPSU since fall 2017. Before crossing over to radio, she was a reporter at the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pennsylvania, and she worked in communications at Penn State. She is married with cats.