“This is a tremendous budget for the State System universities, for our students and for all Pennsylvanians,” said Board of Governors Chairman F. Eugene Dixon, Jr. “It will enable us to continue to build upon our efforts to develop a public university system that is second to none – one that provides students outstanding educational opportunities and that is fully responsive to the needs of the Commonwealth.

“We appreciate this strong endorsement by the governor and the General Assembly.”

The System receives about half of its funding from the state. Most of the remainder comes from student tuition and other charges.

The Board of Governors will adopt the State System’s 2000-01 budget in July. That budget will include next year’s tuition rate for students who attend any of the 14 state-owned universities.

It also will detail how the System plans to spend the majority of a special one-time appropriation of $19.3 million included in the new state budget. A total of $4 million is earmarked for the development of a shared integrated information system and central data repository and another $2 million is to be used to help the System make the transition to the Commonwealth’s new telecommunications network. The Board of Governors will determine how to use the remainder of the special funds.

“The Board has been working very hard over the last two years on the development of initiatives designed to respond specifically to the needs of Commonwealth,” said Christine J. Toretti, chair of the Board’s committee on finance, facilities and administration. “We have placed a key focus on accountability and performance.

“The special appropriation will give the Board the flexibility to continue to drive funding to the areas where it is needed most, and the ability to ensure the funds are spent in the most cost-effective manner.”

Some of the special appropriation – which is guaranteed for only one year – could help fund the Corporate Alliance for Pennsylvania, which was created to work directly with business and industry to develop programs to meet the needs of Commonwealth employers. More also could be spent on the System’s ongoing efforts to establish new and to enhance existing programs in science and advanced technology. Both initiatives are among those for which the System had sought separate funding.

The Board will examine those and other proposals in the process of writing a final budget.

The System will receive additional state funding from several other sources in the budget, including an estimated $9.3 million for deferred maintenance through the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund. All of higher education will share $5.5 million for technology initiatives and another $6 million for equipment purchases. It is not certain how much of that money could end up going to the State System.

“We are extremely excited and encouraged by the strong support Gov. Ridge and the Legislature have shown for the State System with this budget,” said Chancellor James H. McCormick. “We are pleased they have recognized our efforts through the Board’s systemic change initiative to meet the Commonwealth’s changing needs in an efficient and effective manner.”

The State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 350,000 System 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. The System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the University Center for Southwest Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. The regional centers are part of the Educational Resources Group, which is responsible for coordinating statewide programming.