Mar 25, 2015 2 min read

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Penn State’s president says he will support a tuition freeze next year if lawmakers approve a nearly $50 million increase proposed by Gov. Tom Wolf.

PSU President Eric Barron made the offer at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday regarding the governor’s $49.6 million request for Penn State.

Barron previously proposed a tuition freeze at some campuses and modest increases at others up to a 2.99 percent increase at the university’s main campus in State College, if the governor’s request was approved.

The governor has proposed increases of more than $140 million for higher education in the fiscal year that starts July 1, including community colleges, the 14 state-owned universities and the state-related schools — Penn State, Pittsburgh, Temple and Lincoln. As part of his proposal, Wolf wants the state universities to freeze tuition and the other schools to try to keep rates low.

Currently, freshman and sophomore tuition at Penn State’s main campus is $16,572 for Pennsylvania residents and $29,522 for non-residents. A freeze for 2015-2016 would be the first since 1967-1968, university spokeswoman Lisa M. Powers said Wednesday.

Last week, Penn State trustees approved a 3.9 percent boost in room and board charges last week, citing inflationary increases. The board will vote on the university’s budget in July.