1. Key Trends Key Decisions
ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP FORUM
Based partly on “2026 The Decade Ahead”
( Jeffrey Selingo, Chronicle of Higher Education)
Good afternoon. Today I will report to the Senate about two related topics. First, I’ll discuss the status of the University’s operating budget for the current, fiscal year. Then, I’ll explain our financial appropriation request to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and related budget planning for the fiscal year.

2. Students of the Future Demographic mismatch
NE overall decrease in HS grads 1% each year for decade
PA birthrates declining 4.3%; U.S. increasing +7.3%
50% of decline - well-prepared students w/high income
NE growth – urban, lower income, 1st in family, minorities
Largest growth – southern states (especially Texas)
# of states where low-income students (less than 40K) exceeds 50% of HS grads has grown from 4 in 2000 to 21 in 2013.
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

3. High School Graduates by Race/Ethnicity
Actual ; projection through 2027

4. Key Actions
“All In”– the importance of an inclusive campus – not a one-off – not PR – critical for our future.
Ensuring graduation of a population not expected to graduate (US News – predicted vs. actual but.. Low income still graduates 22% below the university average).
Open Doors – philanthropic strategy for scholarships that enables low income first in family students to graduate and graduate on time. 9 pilots – 2 to 1 match.
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

5. Financial Trends
Financial ranking organizations place 1/3 of all colleges and universities as unsustainable (another quarter at risk).
Small size is a problem –enrollment demographically controlled – 40% have fewer than 1,000 students; 80% have fewer than 5,000 (800 have critical finances).
State flagships and well-heeled privates – the most robust.
But, Pell Institute predicts 16 states will cease funding public universities over next 3 decades – includes PA.
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

6. Key Actions
Focus on retention to graduation - becoming a key financial factor – a student retained is a student we don’t have to recruit.
Plan for a state contribution that is at risk.
Plan for a budget that cannot be balanced by reliance on out-of-state students who are increasingly financially challenged. Will pendulum swing even more to international? Will they be welcome?
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

7. Faculty trends
Faculty are aging – at least 25% of tenured and tenure-track professors are approaching 70. Some less productive. Renewal of the faculty is more challenging than ever.
Add lack of resources to the challenge of renewal.
Institutional response – hire part-time and non-tenure track ( % tenured now less than 1/3).
Does shared governance become a burden? Does high use of adjuncts result in decreased student success?
Emergence of mission faculty & mission support - preceptors as well as TA’s; plus instructional designers (if you can afford it).
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

8. Number of faculty in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by employment status: Selected years, fall 1995 through fall 2015
From 1995 to 2015, the number of full-time faculty at degree-granting postsecondary institutions increased by 47%, while the number of part-time faculty increased by 95%. As a result, the percentage of all faculty who were part time increased from 41 to 48% over this period.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

9. Key Actions PSU 47% tenure track; adjuncts only 6% of credit hours
VRP as an opportunity to add young faculty (202 faculty) with $14M in savings from faculty and staff positions.
End of college/campus recycling associated with significant shift to non-tenure track.
Faculty endowments that support new hires; Thematic philanthropic campaign, Impact the World & Digital Innovation themes. Transforming Education - strategic funding of technical and support staff.
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

10. Research funding trends
Considerable downward pressure on federal support.
Post-recession – flat to declining federal support with the exception of areas of perceived more direct impact (e.g. NIH, computer science).
1960 – Feds 73% of university support – now 60%; corporate sponsorship 3% to 6%; universities 10% to 20%.
Research universities flat or slight increase; smaller educational institutions flat or decrease.
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

11. Key Actions Always attracted to research dollars – keep at it.
Focus on enduring problems – energy, water and food security; human health; economic development (Impact the World themes).
Growing importance of interdisciplinary research investments.
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

12. Future of Learning Upward mobility - H.S 4%; AAU College approx. 45%.
Rapid automation/“Jetson’s lifestyle” college education even more important to achieve high salaries.
Cognitive, intrapersonal, and interpersonal skills key to career success (role of internships plus other engagement).
Learning through failure vs. learning by syllabus.
Competency-based, badge-based; stacked credentials.
Data analytics in the classroom.
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

13. Key Actions Open concept for courses across the university.
Digital Innovation theme.
Transformative experiences (but the cost?).
Invent Penn State.
Penn State as your university for life (post graduate opportunities extending to full breadth of adult learners.
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.

14. Summary
Much of our strategic programming reflects trends (from “All In” to “Invent Penn State” to Digital Innovation and Open Doors).
Key issue is innovation in the face of growing financial strain.
Financial strain is exacerbated by demographic changes and decreasing support for public higher education.
We will have to work hard to buck the trend that future success is more than ever dependent on wealth.
Despite uncertainty regarding the state appropriation, several priorities guided the development of our budget. We wanted to keep tuition increases low or flat. We also wanted to stimulate the Pennsylvania economy and student career success, building on the momentum of Invent Penn State and Penn State’s $30 million start-up investment. We identified potential expense reductions and moderate spending priorities—especially important given the anticipated increases in the costs of employee benefits, including health insurance.
We wanted to fund operating cost increases and selective strategic initiatives—with a special focus on access and affordability, in accordance with a new strategic plan. We also wanted to maintain a competitive position to attract and retain the best talent, who provide the foundation for the high quality of our academic programs.