While Penn State trustees are pinning their hopes on a break in the deadlock that has held up the release of this year’s state funding for the university, they are looking ahead to next year and asking for more money.

The trustees on Friday voted to approve an appropriation request that would bring $368.1 million in state support for the university’s 2024-25 operating budget, as had been recommended by a board committee on Thursday.

That represents a 42%, or $108.8 million, increase over the $259.3 million it expects to receive this year.

That is the lion’s share of the requested state funding that Penn State has relied on for decades to support its university operations and various entities including Pennsylvania College of Technology, Penn State Health and College of Medicine, Penn State Agricultural Research and extension services.

In total, the university is requesting a record high $434.4 million next year from the state to support all of its entities, according to data on the university budget office website. That represents a 33% increase over the $363.3 million it anticipates receiving this year to help fund them.

Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for finance and business, said the basis for the state funding request for the university’s operating budget is to bring its $5,757 in-state per-student funding up to the same level as the $8,754 per student that Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education receives.

The additional money for the university would be directed to support investments in the priority areas to support the needs of the commonwealth including healthcare, education and STEM fields; facilities upkeep; a 3% merit increase for faculty and staff, and student aid and success, she said.

Trustees made no public comment about the deadlock in the state House of Representatives that has caused the state funding delay.

The holdup centers around dozens of House Republican members’ desire to see tuition rates frozen and more transparency about how the university spends the state dollars it receives. A bill that would have provided funding to Penn State as well as Pitt, Temple and Lincoln universities fell six votes shy of the required two-thirds majority needed to pass the 203-member House in July.

Some GOP lawmakers took an even stronger stance and called for cutting off institutional funding to Penn State and instead giving the money directly to students.

Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers said the university has been in regular communication with the House Republicans but declined to share details about those conversations, saying it would be inappropriate.

Attempts to get a comment from House Republicans were not immediately successful.

Penn State trustees in July approved a two-year freeze on in-state tuition for students attending its branch campuses while approving a 2% increase for in-state students at its University Park campus this year and again next year.

That increase for University Park students brings this year’s two-semester tuition charge for a Pennsylvania freshman to $19,672. Tuition for many juniors and seniors at that campus ranges from $21,222 to $25,234, depending on their majors.

The trustees approved the appropriations request without any opposition although Education Secretary Khalid Mumin abstained.