This is not a good look. It also seems unsustainable.
Campus Reform reports:
Penn State hikes tuition while raising president’s pay and spending millions on DEIPennsylvania State University is set to raise tuition and student living expenses while giving the university president a six-figure raise and spending millions on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.The Penn State Board of Trustees passed its fiscal year 2027-2028 operating budget on July 17, ushering in a wave of cost increases set to take effect next July.The changes will impose a 2.5 percent increase on in-state undergraduate tuition, bringing the total cost to $21,400 annually. Out-of-state undergraduates, meanwhile, will pay $46,356, representing a 4 percent increase.Graduate and medical student tuition will be raised 2 percent for in-state students and 4 percent for out-of-state students. Law school tuition will increase by 2 percent as well.Living expenses will also increase, with the cost of a standard dorm room being raised by 2.5 percent and the dining plan an additional $75.The changes come as the university faces lower-than-expected enrollment numbers and the impending closure of seven of its satellite campuses, contributing to $79 million in lost tuition.Despite this, the Board authorized a total of $55 million in earmarks to raise the salaries of faculty, staff, graduate assistants, and other employees. The university’s president, Neeli Bendapudi, will receive an additional $210,000 performance bonus, a 15 percent increase to her $1.4 million salary.Trustee Joseph Paterno Jr. defended the decision, saying that “retention of presidents is vital” and that the school is “fortunate that we have a president who’s been here for four years already because that’s not the norm in our conference.”
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