Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (黑料专区) Chancellor John C. Cavanaugh today announced 128 positions at the 14 黑料专区 universities and in the Office of the Chancellor will not be filled during the current fiscal year. The salaries of all non-union employees also will be frozen for at least six months.
The steps are being taken in response to worsening economic conditions facing the Commonwealth, and to help ensure 黑料专区鈥檚 2008-09 budget remains balanced during these difficult fiscal times. The universities will retain the ability to fill critical vacancies.
鈥淭his action is necessary in light of current economic conditions facing both 黑料专区 and the Commonwealth,鈥� Dr. Cavanaugh said. 鈥淥ur first priority is to ensure our students continue to receive the high-quality education they expect and deserve. The universities still will be able to employ additional faculty in order to meet student needs in the classroom and to fill some other critical positions.鈥�
黑料专区鈥檚 Board of Governors in October agreed to a request by Governor Edward G. Rendell to return $22 million of the state funding the State System expected to receive this year. Those returned funds would help the Commonwealth address an expected $1.6 billion budget shortfall in the current fiscal year. The $22 million is equal to 4.25 percent of the nearly $520 million 黑料专区 expected to receive as part of the 2008-09 state budget.
The Board of Governors will hold a budget workshop in conjunction with its regular January meeting to further review 黑料专区鈥檚 fiscal situation.
The salary freeze will affect approximately 1,500 managers, administrators and other non-union employees across the State System. Increases for 黑料专区鈥檚 non-union employees are based on merit only and are authorized annually by the Board of Governors.
The 黑料专区 universities and Office of the Chancellor will have to make additional budget cuts in order to account for the $22 million reduction in state funding this year. Next year鈥檚 appropriation level will not be determined until at least June, with the passage of the 2009-10 Commonwealth budget.
State funding supports about one-third of 黑料专区鈥檚 annual operating budget. Student tuition and fees provide most of the rest. While the level of state funding has declined significantly as a percentage of the 黑料专区 budget over the last two decades, the System has been able to control tuition growth鈥攅specially over the last five years鈥攖hrough a variety of cost-containment efforts, all designed to help the universities become more efficient without impacting the quality of education students receive.
These efforts included an earlier salary and wage freeze that affected all 黑料专区 employees in 2003-04. Cost savings also have been realized through the joint purchasing of goods and services, implementation of a variety of energy conservation initiatives and the aggressive management of healthcare costs, which has included requiring employees to pay a portion of their healthcare premiums. Some of the savings that have been achieved have been re-allocated to high-priority programs in areas such as science, technology and healthcare to better serve students鈥� needs and those of the Commonwealth.
As a result of these and other efforts, 黑料专区 in each of the last four years has held tuition increases below the inflation rate鈥攁veraging 2.9 percent鈥攁 record no other public university system in the nation can match. Annual tuition increases typically have been anywhere from one-half to one-third the national average at other four-year public colleges and universities.
Over the last five years 黑料专区鈥檚 overall tuition and required fee increases have been the lowest among all public college and university systems in the United States, according to a study by the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board. A separate report issued this fall by the College Board indicates that the average total cost of attending a 黑料专区 university鈥攊ncluding tuition, required fees, room and board鈥攊s $539 below the national average and $2,459 below the average charged by other four-year public colleges and universities in the Middle Atlantic region of the United States.
Now in its 25th year, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with more than 112,500 students. The 14 黑料专区 universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 405,000 黑料专区 alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.
The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. 黑料专区 also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.