Harrisburg – The 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities raised a combined $42.6 million last year from private sources, including alumni and parents of current students.

The market value of the PASSHE university endowments increased by more than $30 million in 2006-07. The market value has increased by more than $50 million over the last two years and now stands at a record $240.4 million.

PASSHE alumni continued to be the schools’ biggest supporters, donating almost $14 million to their alma maters last year, or about one-third of the total contributed by private individuals, corporations, foundations and other organizations. Parents of currently enrolled students donated about $1.6 million.

Other individual donors contributed about $7.8 million (18 percent) to the PASSHE universities in 2006-07, while corporations contributed $7.5 million (17 percent). Foundations made donations totaling $5.2 million (12 percent) and other organizations combined, about $6.6 million (16 percent).

In all, about 11 percent of PASSHE university alumni contributed to their alma maters in 2006-07. Among similar type public institutions in the region, only about 9 percent of alumni donated to their former schools.

“Private fundraising is becoming increasingly important to public universities across the United States , and PASSHE schools are no exception,” said Board of Governors Chairman Kenneth M. Jarin.

“It is especially gratifying to see the level of support our universities are receiving from their alumni and the parents of our current students. The support the universities receive from these important groups of individuals is a strong endorsement of the quality of the educational opportunities PASSHE universities provide.”

Private support from all sources help enable PASSHE universities to enhance learning opportunities for students, said Chancellor Judy G. Hample. “We are extremely grateful to the individuals, as well as the corporations, organizations and foundations, who invest in our universities, in our students and in the Commonwealth,” Hample said.

The majority of the gifts received by the PASSHE universities were designated for specific uses, including student scholarships and to help fund campus construction and renovation projects. About one-fourth were designated to help the universities build their endowments, which have grown by nearly $100 million since 2001-02.

The universities on average raised about $3 million in private funds in 2006-07. That amount is comparable to what similar type universities in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Ohio raised last year.

With more than 110,000 students, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth.The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 405,000 PASSHE 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. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.