Penn State University outspent its peers lobbying state lawmakers in recent years, but the commonwealth’s lax disclosure requirements and the university’s protection from the open records law make following the school’s activity in Harrisburg difficult.
Spotlight PA reviewed more than 15 years of quarterly lobbying reports from the Pennsylvania Department of State and adjusted the figures for inflation to make annual comparisons. The data show that Penn State increased its lobbying expenditures after 2020 and is now spending more on its influence efforts than any year since 2008. Its expenditure of $1.7 million over the past two calendar years exceeded those of Temple University ($1.3 million), the University of Pittsburgh ($968,000), and the University of Pennsylvania ($700,000).
Penn State — the largest among this group by student head count — focused its lobbyists on topics such as “economic development,” “education,” “health care,” and the state’s budget, according to the reports. Pennsylvania’s disclosure laws, which have been criticized for their lack of transparency, require groups to reveal which subjects were lobbied on, as well as total costs for direct and indirect communication, and for gifts or hospitality each quarter.
“It’s a good thing, obviously, that we know how much is being spent by lobbyists as part of advocacy in the legislature,” said Philip Hensley-Robin, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for greater transparency from public bodies. “But the law does leave some things to be desired, including the fact that the subject area of lobbying and also who specifically is being lobbied isn’t fully disclosed.”
“It would be a big improvement if we could at least know, for example, if Penn State was lobbying on specific legislation, not just on the budget,” he added.
Penn State collects detailed information when its employees lobby lawmakers, including what exactly the person was trying to influence, as well as the recipient and nature of any gift. However, the university does not make this information public, and it’s not legally required to disclose it because it’s largely exempt from Pennsylvania’s open records law.
When asked, a Penn State spokesperson did not provide specific information about what legislation or policies the university was advocating for or against in Harrisburg. In an emailed statement, the spokesperson said, “Penn State’s impact on the Commonwealth is tremendous, and, with our multi-campus structure, extensive research portfolio, affiliate locations and Extension services, the University strives to maintain a strong presence in Harrisburg.” (Read the university’s full response here.)
Quarterly data from the Department of State show Penn State’s spending on gifts and hospitality often spikes in the second half of the year. This jump could be due to football season. Emails previously obtained by Spotlight PA show Penn State’s lobbyists offered state employees, including Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, a Democrat, tickets to games in 2023.
When asked whether football games were the reason lobbying expenditures typically ticked up later in the year, the university spokesperson replied, “Hosting individuals at sporting events is a contributing factor.”
When adjusted for inflation, Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi spent more on lobbying each year than any of her previous three predecessors, averaging $848,000 annually. The immediate past president, Eric Barron, spent $761,000 a year, when adjusted for inflation.
The university spokesperson told Spotlight PA there was “not a specific reason for the increase” in lobbying spending.
However, Penn State has the opportunity for the first time in years to boost its taxpayer-funded support.
The legislature sends hundreds of millions of dollars each year to Penn State and other state-related universities to subsidize the costs of tuition for state residents. Lawmakers have not approved an increase to Penn State’s annual appropriation for a half-decade, meaning the university receives less per student each year due to inflation.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed $60 million for “performance-based funding” for state-related universities, a pot of money that would be distributed based on whether the schools met certain metrics. The final amount and how it will be distributed depends on the state budget, which as of Aug. 12 was still being discussed.
Mike Stefan, Penn State’s vice president for government and community relations, told university trustees in July that he expects the university’s appropriation will remain flat and any increase in taxpayer funds to the school will come from the new funding model.
