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Is more funding for low and middle income college students the answer to Pa.’s labor shortage?

  • Scott LaMar
University sign in autumn with copy space

University sign in autumn with copy space

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Airdate: Monday, May 2, 2022

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education has frozen tuition at state-owned universities for the fourth straight year. Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins July 1 calls for a 15% increase in funding to $550 million, an additional $200 million for student financial aid, and $75 million in funds to continue the merging of six universities into two.

Even with those increases, Pennsylvania ranks in the nation’s bottom five for state support for public universities.

At the same time, labor shortages became widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PASSHE Chancellor Dan Greenstein says one of the ways to fill positions is for more low and middle students to attend college and that takes money.

Greenstein appears on Monday’s Smart Talk to discuss funding.

 

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