\n\tBy SUSAN JONES<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile nationwide, state support of higher education has continued to rebound from the pandemic years \u2014 up 4% between fiscal year 2023-24 and 2024-25, according to the National Education Association<\/a> \u2014 Pennsylvania has continued to fund Pitt, Penn State and Temple at the same level since 2019.<\/p>\n \n\tThe 2026-27 state budget proposed by Gov. Josh Shapiro on Feb. 3 keeps the line-item amount for each of the schools the same, but also asks for a\u00a0$30 million investment in performance-based funding for the three larger state-related universities and $1.1 million for Lincoln University.<\/p>\n \n\tLast February, Shapiro proposed $60 million for performance-based funding to be split between Pitt, Penn State and Temple. The Performance-based Funding Council \u2014 which was established in the 2024-25 budget and includes Kevin Washo, Pitt\u2019s senior vice chancellor for external relations \u2014 released the final recommendations for the performance metrics<\/a> in May 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThe General Assembly adopted the recommendations during the 2025 legislative session, but ultimately no money was included for the program in the final state budget that passed in November.<\/p>\n \n\tThat left Pitt\u2019s general funding appropriation from the state for 2025-26 once again at $151.5 million.<\/p>\n \n\tFor 2026-27, the General Assembly again will have to determine how much money, if any, to distribute using the performance-based formula.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe\u2019ve got this important tool in place,\u201d Shapiro said in his budget address. \u201cWe established the metrics. Now it\u2019s time to fund it.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tIn addition to the number of in-state students at each school, the metrics<\/a> include four- and six-year graduation rates, six-year Pell-eligible graduation rates, high-priority occupation degree production, improved college affordability, transfers from community colleges, and enrollment from underrepresented high schools.<\/p>\n \n\tThe proposed budget also includes $3.98 million to Pitt \u2014 the same as last year \u2014 for rural education outreach, which supports work at the Pitt-Bradford campus.<\/p>\n \n\tPitt had to submit its budget request for 2026-27 in October, before it knew what this year\u2019s funding would be. The University asked for a 3.7% increase\u00a0for the coming year,\u00a0based on the\u00a0Higher\u00a0Education Price Index projections for 2025.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThe state funding amounts to about 7% of Pitt\u2019s operating budget. All of the general funds from the state go toward giving tuition discounts to in-state students. State funding provides approximately 60% of that discount while Pitt covers the remainder.<\/p>\n \n\tOfficials from the state-related universities are scheduled to testify before the House Appropriations Committee at 10 a.m. March 11.<\/p>\n \tOther proposals that could impact Pitt<\/p>\n \n\tInnovation fund: Shapiro proposed once again backing an innovation fund, like the one created in 2013 under Republican Gov. Tom Corbett\u00a0 and seeded with $100 million in tax credits approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cLet\u2019s fund that again \u2014 and be even more targeted, using those dollars to provide capital for promising start-ups, fund clinical trials for the life sciences, and develop a workforce and education pipeline to help these companies succeed,\u201d Shapiro said.<\/p>\n \n\tStudent-teacher stipends: Shapiro cited Pitt graduate Hallie Sill as an example of students who benefited from the bipartisan effort three years ago to create student-teacher stipends. He said that so far 2,000 students have received these funds.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe need more Hallies in our classrooms, so let\u2019s increase our commitment to this initiative that we know works. As she and the other 2,000 student teachers show \u2014\u00a0 if we put more money in people\u2019s pockets, we can get them into the jobs they love.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tSusan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu<\/a> or 724-244-4042.<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tHave a story idea or news to share?\u00a0Share<\/a>\u00a0it with the University Times.<\/p>\n