HARRISBURG -- Pitt and Penn State will be under greater pressure to increase student tuition if the Legislature goes along with Gov. Ed Rendell's proposal to "flat fund'' the state-related universities in fiscal 2010-11, university leaders said told a state House appropriations committee today.

Penn State President Graham Spanier told legislators he needs $331 million in state funding for the new fiscal year, which starts July 1. That is $13 million more than the state appropriation for the current year.

In addition to that state funding, Penn State will get $15.8 million in federal stimulus funds in both fiscal 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg is seeking a state appropriation of $176 million for 2010-11, which is up from $168 million this year. Pitt will get $7.5 million in stimulus funds in each year.

Mr. Spanier said there has been no increase in state financial support for the four state-related universities for the past 10 years, which is putting increased pressure on student tuition, since university costs for salaries, utilities, food and other things continue to rise.

"We want to keep our universities affordable and keep education high quality," he said. The size of tuition bills for the 2010-11 school year will be based in large part on the size of each school's state allocation. Tuition bills will be sent out in mid-July.

The university officials said that their two major sources of revenue are tuition and state aid, so if state aid stays flat, as it has in recent years, it makes it more likely that tuition will rise.

Temple University in Philadelphia and Lincoln University in southeastern Pennsylvania are the other state-related schools, and they too asked for a higher allotment of state funding.

Officials at the State System of Higher Education, which runs 14 state schools, also asked for more money after receiving no increase in the governor's budget recommendation.

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