Level funding projected for Pa.’s state-run colleges

Pennsylvania’s state-related and state-owned colleges will not see cuts to their commonwealth aid if the governor has anything to do with it.

In return, Gov. Tom Corbett says, he’s asked for state-supported colleges and universities to keep their tuition increases as low as possible.

Last year, when lawmakers worked a similar deal with colleges and universities, the rule was to keep hikes within the rate of inflation — about 3 percent.

Corbett says he’s not drawing that kind of bottom line right now because too much is still unknown about revenues.

Sen. Jake Corman, the Senate Appropriations Committee chairman whose district includes Penn State’s flagship campus, says he’s hoping for tuition increases that are no bigger than the ones approved last year.

“Look, they’re going to do the best they can,” said Corman, R-Jefferson. “I believe their commitment is to do that.”

A year ago in his budget address, the governor proposed cutting state aid to higher education by 20 to 30 percent.

Corman says improving revenue projections allowed the governor to eventually agree to flat-fund higher education.

Corbett will present his budget address Tuesday.