Penn State’s Board of Trustees approved a total state appropriation request of $347 million for the 2019-2020 fiscal year at its public meeting Friday at the Penn Stater.

This total represents $251.6 million for the university’s education and general budget, a six percent increase over the 2018-2019 general support appropriation of $237.3 million.

The request also includes $24.1 million for the Pennsylvania College of Technology (6 percent/$1.4 million increase), $57.1 million for Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension (6 percent/$3.2 million increase), and $14.2 million for Penn State Health’s Hershey Medical Center (6 percent/$804,000 increase).

Appropriation increases for 2018-2019 allowed Penn State’s Board of Trustees to approve a tuition freeze for in-state students. Funding from the state offsets tuition costs to keep the university affordable for Pennsylvania residents.

Penn State will now submit the request to state legislature for consideration. The governor is expected to present his budget proposal in February, followed by hearings held in February or March.

Legislators are supposed to pass a budget for the following fiscal year by July 1. The Board of Trustees is expected to approve a full budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year at its July meeting.