Penn State trustees July recap: Board approves budget, tuition for 2026-27

Budget sees tuition freeze for in-state undergraduates at Commonwealth Campuses, includes a 3% pool for merit-based salary increases for Penn State employees

A few of the Lion Shrine at Penn State Abington

The University's Board of Trustees held its July meeting on the campus of Penn State Abington on July 17-18, 2025.

Credit: Penn State Abington

July 21, 2025

ABINGTON, Pa. — Penn State’s Board of Trustees finalized the University’s budget and tuition and housing rates for the 2026-27 fiscal year among other actions during its meeting on July 17-18 at Penn State Abington.

During its session, the trustees approved:

The final budget and tuition schedule for 2026-27, which includes a fourth consecutive tuition freeze for in-state undergraduates at the Commonwealth Campuses, and a 3% pool for merit-based increases for Penn State employees;

Modest increases for 2026-27 housing and food rates;

The purchase of the former Beta Theta Pi fraternity house at 220 N. Burrowes St. in State College for $7.3 million;

An update to the composition of the Penn State Investment Council (PSIC) that allows the chair or vice chair of the board’s Finance and Investment Committee to serve as an ex-officio member of the PSIC; and

Proposed election of members of the Nominating Subcommittee.

The trustees welcomed alumni-elected trustees Uma Moriarty and Greg Pilewicz; Matt Espenshade, who was elected by delegates from agricultural societies; Ruby Bjalme, a student in the Schreyer Honors College and Smeal College of Business as the new student trustee; and Anand Ganjam, who will serve a two-year term on the board as the immediate past president of the Penn State Alumni Association.

The board also welcomed Dr. Michael E. Kupferman, who officially became CEO of Penn State Health on June 23.

Chair discusses president’s performance evaluation, recognizes Langkilde

During his remarks, board Chair David Kleppinger talked about Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi’s performance evaluation and her annual goals. Kleppinger cited her efforts to balance the University’s budget, saying, “You and your team have balanced our university’s budget one year ahead of schedule, completing one of the most impressive financial turnarounds in Penn State’s history. That outcome, while perhaps quiet, has been nothing short of transformative, and you’ve paired that progress with a cultural shift bringing greater accountability, transparency and clarity to how our university allocates and manages its resources.”

He noted Penn State’s fundraising success in securing more than $560 million in philanthropic commitments — exceeding the previous year’s total by more than $160 million — as well as the University’s progress in research and her leadership reimagining the Commonwealth Campuses, among other achievements. Kleppinger acknowledged Bendapudi’s energy and positivity, and highlighted her progress across the institution, including fiscal health, research excellence, student success, health care operations and philanthropy.

He also recognized Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Tracy Langkilde for her work since stepping into the role in April 2024.

“Dr. Langkilde has provided key leadership to reenvision our Commonwealth Campus structure, guiding pivotal decisions on campus alignment and leadership appointments — work that will shape Penn State’s future,” Kleppinger said. He cited her work on a number of fronts, including academic innovation, faculty development and governance, operational excellence and Penn State Global, among other efforts.

Kleppinger said, “She has been — in the words of many colleagues — a joy to work with.”

Bendapudi also thanked Langkilde, noting her excitement, positive energy, dedication and selflessness she brought to the role of interim executive vice president and provost.

Langkilde will return to her role as dean of the Eberly College of Science as Fotis Sotiropoulos begins as executive vice president and provost on Aug. 11.

President highlights recent achievements, inaugural Energy and Innovation Summit

During President Neeli Bendapudi’s report to the board, she highlighted recent achievements at the University, including:

The dedication of Fuller’s Overlook land and property near Scranton, Pennsylvania;

The opening of the newly constructed Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building at University Park campus;

Eight graduate students receiving U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships for 2025-26;

Three faculty who were honored by the American Society for Nutrition; and

Penn State women’s volleyball coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley who was honored with the 2025 Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.

Bendapudi also discussed her recent experience moderating a panel at the inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit on July 15 in Pittsburgh alongside Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick and Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman.

“The summit — and Penn State’s role in it — highlighted Penn State’s position as a leader in Pennsylvania,” she said. “We are committed to continuing to be here for the commonwealth, and to doing all we can to deliver value to our students, to our state and to the future we are all building.”

The Penn State Board of Trustees and President Neeli Bendapudi explored the Penn State Abington archives during their two-day meeting at the campus last week. As the Abington campus marks its 75th year as part of the Penn State ecosystem, the members learned about the property's rich history, including the era when aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart attended what was then the prestigious Ogontz School for Young Ladies.

Credit: Penn State

Abington chancellor highlights the ‘Abington Experience’

Abington Chancellor Gary Liguori outlined the ‘Abington Experience,’ which focuses on four aspects of Penn State Abington’s campus offerings, including embedded short-term academic travel, leadership, internships and faculty-led research. He also highlighted to trustees nearly $100 million in construction projects planned to enhance the student experience on campus.

Committee discussions

During the board’s July 17 committee meetings, trustees heard reports from Penn State leaders, including:

A panel discussion during the Committee on Student Success led by Liguori and members of the Penn State Abington campus administrative team, faculty and students, discussing efforts and accomplishments of Abington’s academic and student support programs. The panel highlighted the impact of the campus’ Chaiken Center for Student Success.

A presentation by Senior Vice President for Research Andrew Read on strategic research and technology partnerships during the Research and Technology Committee meeting. Read provided an overview of Penn State’s Corporate Engagement Center and its approaches to identifying and cultivating strategic partnerships, and how those partnerships are integral to student success, the research enterprise and the University’s land-grant impact. The committee heard partnership case studies with IBM, Silicon Carbide Alliance and Pratt and Whitney.

James Delattre, associate vice president for Research and director of the Office of Entrepreneurship and Commercialization, discussed the community impact of Penn State’s LaunchBox locations across Pennsylvania, including a new LaunchBox to support economic development in north central Pennsylvania to be powered by the Pennsylvania College of Technology. Delattre also introduced the Penn State Investor Network, which is designed to support startup activity and innovation across the University, and offered an overview of the Nittany Angels platform for connecting investors with Penn State-affiliated startups.

Recordings of the meetings are available on the Board of Trustees website.