Trustees increase tuition rates for Oakland campus at 3 percent

Pitt’s Board of Trustees approved a 3 percent tuition increase as part of a $1.94 billion operating budget during a public executive committee meeting Friday at Posvar Hall.

The 3 percent tuition increase at Pitt’s main campus for both in- and out-of-state students reflects an agreement made by administrators from Pennsylvania’s public universities to keep tuition increases under the inflation rate of 3.2 percent after the Pennsylvania State Legislature approved an operating budget maintaining state appropriations from the last fiscal year.

The Board of Trustees also approved a 2 percent increase in tuition for Pitt’s regional campuses in Greensburg, Johnstown, Bradford and Titusville. These increases, in addition to the 3 percent increase at Pitt’s main campus, produce a University-wide blended tuition increase of 2.8 percent.

For members of the Board of Trustees, the decision of the state legislature to maintain Pitt’s $136 million appropriation was relieving­, especially after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett proposed a state budget that included $41.7 million in cuts toward Pitt’s state appropriations.

Last year, following a 19 percent reduction in state funds to the University, Pitt raised tuition 8.5 percent for in-state students, and 4 percent for out-of-state students.

Pitt’s Chief Financial Officer Arthur Ramicone said the restoration of Pitt’s appropriations in Pennsylvania’s latest state budget takes a burden off the shoulders of Pitt students and members of their families.

“[The] restoration of funding was a welcome to the University of Pittsburgh because, as you know, in February, Gov. Corbett proposed a $41.7 million reduction, representing 29 percent of the University’s total appropriation,” Ramicone said. “The restoration of funding will also benefit University students and their families.”

Ramicone also said the latest budget includes funding for upgrades to instructional laboratories, information technology and academic programs “continue to attract some of the finest students in the commonwealth and throughout the world.”

After the meeting, Patricia Beeson, Pitt’s provost and senior vice chancellor, attributed

the discrepancy in tuition rate between the University’s main campus and regional campus to a mission of broadening access to a Pitt education for Pennsylvania residents.“We’re trying to maintain access to Pennsylvanians to a Pitt education through the regional campuses,” Beeson said.

Ramicone added that Pitt’s urban campus coincides with higher costs, including larger programs and heightened security.

Pitt’s latest budget also includes a salary-increase pool of 3 percent — this coming after last year, when the University froze base salaries of employees earning over $40,000 in the first half of the year.

In a press release from the office of Robert Hill, Pitt’s vice chancellor of communications, Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg said this year’s salary-increase poll demonstrates the University’s dedication to its employees.

“[Pitt’s faculty and staff] have made significant salary sacrifices in recent years and will be moving forward with substantially reduced numbers in the year ahead,” Nordenberg said. “This year’s salary-increase poll, while not overly generous, does at least reflect the fact that, at Pitt, our people are a high priority.”

In addition, the Board of Trustees approved a $57.7 capital budget that includes a $9,429,270 renovation to Pitt’s bookstore, The Book Center. According to an agenda from the Property and Facilities Committee meeting, these renovations include a new small cafe on the Fifth Avenue level as well as upgrades to the building’s heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing systems. Funding for the renovations is expected to come from from the University’s auxiliary reserves.

The capital budget also includes $22 million in renovations for Clapp, Langley and Crawford Halls, with $21 million of the funding coming from state appropriations and $1 million from donations.

Ramicone said the latest capital budget is a testament to Pitt’s dedication to controlling spending at the institutional level.

“To place this overall capital budget in context, the last five capital budgets approved by this committee have been $157 million annually,” Ramicone said. “Thus, in the coming year, you’re looking at capital expenditures that are nearly $100 million less than that five-year average.”