Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf will join Penn State President Eric J. Barron from the state capitol in Harrisburg during the next episode of WPSU Penn State’s “Higher Education in Focus” at 9 p.m. Friday, May 22, on WPSU-TV and wpsu.org.
The one-on-one conversation between the governor and president will focus on several topics ranging from Penn State’s role in the state economy and the governor’s plan for higher education funding.
The two leaders will discuss the important role Penn State can play in driving economic development and job creation in Pennsylvania as well as efforts to improve access and affordability among higher education institutions. Through the Invent Penn State initiative, Barron hopes the University will develop a culture that rewards entrepreneurship and creates an economic impact throughout the state.
Additionally, Wolf’s proposed budget and its restoration of higher education funding will be discussed during the 30-minute program. The governor’s budget allocates $282.5 million — a 22 percent increase from last year — to Penn State, which is part of the proposed $1 billion educational investment in 2015-16. Wolf’s plan calls for the return of all previous higher education budget cuts within two years.
“Higher Education in Focus” will air throughout the academic year and feature a variety of guests discussing University-related topics. In addition to the WPSU broadcasts, “Higher Education in Focus” will air on WITF-TV in Harrisburg and WQLN-TV in Erie at a later date. For more information and to watch archived episodes, visit wpsu.org/infocus.