Penn State trustees approve two tuition-hike scenarios

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. (AP) — Penn State’s trustees approved two plans to raise tuition today, and the final state budget will determine which hike students will have to pay.

The worst-case plan would raise the base tuition of $13,014 by nearly 10 percent for lower-level, in-state, main campus students if the school’s $338.4 million appropriation is cut by $61 million in the state budget.

Students will pay 4.5 percent more if a March budget proposal passes, cutting state funding by just $20.3 million and offsetting that with federal stimulus funds.

The lower increase also requires state budget approval by July 17, when the school sends out fall tuition bills. Otherwise, the higher increase takes effect but could be rolled back for the spring semester if Penn State eventually gets the higher level of state funding.

Penn State president Graham Spanier cited the state’s “unprecedented” budget situation — lawmakers are trying to erase a $3.2 billion deficit — in proposing the either/or tuition plan.