It seems like it was just yesterday Penn State’s Board of Trustees was announcing plans for tuition hikes. It was an exciting time. Would the state legislature pass the budget? Would we see a 4.5% or 9.8% increase? Well, the dance has begun again.

Friday, the Board announced it is expecting a 4.9% tuition increase for in-state students, as well as a 3.5% increase for those out-of-state in its 2010-2011 state funding request.

You may wonder why Penn State keeps increasing tuition so much, but considering trends, we shouldn’t be upset about this proposal.

To the right is a plot of tuition increases by percentage over the past two decades.

For Penn State standards, the proposed increase is on the low end of things. Considering the multitude of budget constraints the board is facing, the fact that they aren’t putting more of the burden on students is almost a surprise.

The Board is also being more conservative in their requests for state funds, only asking for a measly $360.9 million. That is less than the $377 million they asked for last year, but still more than the $338 million they actually got. In addition, they are also lifting the freeze on Penn State employees’ salaries, which is good news for them (though no word yet on Christmas bonuses).

Of course, all of this depends on the state’s approval, Penn State’s revenue and a host of other factors, so nothing is set in stone so far.

All I can say is I’m glad they aren’t proposing a 32% increase like some other state’s institutions…

[Data]