Pitt is asking for a 6% increase in funding in the 2025-26 state budget.
The University submitted its request to the Pennsylvania Department of Education a couple of weeks ago.
Pitt and the three other state-related universities — Penn State, Temple and Lincoln — have not received an increase in funding from the state since 2019. All four schools use money from the state to give tuition discounts to in-state students. At Pitt, that means around $15,000 annually per student.
“The University’s appropriations request reflects our commitment to partnering with Pennsylvania to provide a world-class, affordable education that delivers for students and puts the commonwealth on a path to a more competitive workforce and a stronger economy,” said David Brown, vice chancellor for government relations. “We look forward to working with the legislature and the governor’s administration as this process moves forward.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro will present his budget proposal in February to the legislature, which is supposed to complete its work on the budget by the end of June. The state House and Senate have missed this deadline several times.
Pennsylvania currently is the only state in the nation with a divided legislature. Democrats control the House by one vote, while Republicans hold a 28 to 22 edge in the Senate.
All 203 members of the House are up for election in November, with 110 of those races contested. In the Senate, 25 seats are up for vote and 17 are contested.
A new State Board of Higher Education, which was established earlier this year as part of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s higher education reforms, started meeting this fall to work on a strategic plan that would make higher education more accessible and affordable for students and better coordinate between institutions. The board also will create a new performance-based funding council that will recommend a process that uses metrics to distribute funding to state-related schools.
Kevin Washo, chief of staff to Pitt’s chancellor and senior vice chancellor for university relations, is Pitt’s representative on the board.
— Susan Jones
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