Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke at Penn State in the “Rally in the Valley” event as part of his 10-day bus tour before Election Day on November 3.

After the rally, Shapiro visited the Berkey Creamery to taste the famous ice cream before getting back on the road. While enjoying his cup of the frozen dessert, Shapiro answered questions about Penn State’s state funding and public transparency.

Here is what he had to say.

University Funding

Shapiro said he is adamant about improved funding for Penn State and other schools around the state.

“I think it’s essential that we make higher education more affordable and more accessible to people who want to come [to Penn State] or go to our other state-related institutions,” Shapiro told Onward State.

Penn State receives less general support funding today than in 2000. For the 2026-27 fiscal year, Penn State received $242.1 million in general support funding and $4 million in performance-based funding.

If state funding kept pace with inflation, the appropriation would exceed $450 million.

Penn State has asked the state for additional support to help close a funding gap with other public institutions. Per in-state student, Penn State receives $5,796 in general support, the lowest in Pennsylvania.

“Per pupil, per capita, that we’ve got to do more for Penn State,” Shapiro said.

He also added that he has tried to improve Penn State’s funding in the past.

“I’ve been able to pretty significantly increase funding for Penn State for brick and mortar, and to work in innovative ways to make sure we’re driving dollars out to students who have majors and go into jobs that we need here in Pennsylvania,” he said.

Shapiro said that if reelected, he, along with other Democrats, will work to “significantly increase support for higher education.”

University Transparency

Penn State has undergone several changes recently, including academic program closures and Commonwealth Campus closures. Because Penn State is not fully covered by the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, the university is not obligated to release certain information.

Shapiro said he helped establish the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law as a state representative.

The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law provides public access to records held by government agencies. Penn State, Pitt, Temple, and Lincoln are considered “state-related institutions,” meaning they are treated differently from other schools.

“Transparency is important, and I’ll continue to work with lawmakers in both parties to increase transparency across the board,” Shapiro told Onward State.

In 2023, Penn State supported a law expanding its Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law coverage. It required the universities that receive millions of dollars in state aid to publicly disclose more information about their finances, employment, and operations. Shapiro signed the measure into law

Onward State verified his work establishing the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law but could not locate information specifically about his work establishing “public-private institutions.”