This report, commonly known as the Snyder Report, is specifically produced for the use of the appropriations and education committees of the House and Senate; however, it should be of interest to Pennsylvania students and parents.

This year's Snyder Report shows that Commonwealth instructional appropriations reached about 228,000 public university students in 1996-97. The General Assembly directly appropriated $888 million to the State-related and State-owned universities for instruction, averaging about $4,330 per full-time equivalent (FTE) student. In addition, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency awarded grants and matching funds amounting to about $515 per FTE student at these universities.

Compared to the previous year, FTE enrollments increased by 1 percent. Despite a decline in the number of traditional college-age persons in the Commonwealth of 14 percent over the past five years, FTE enrollments in Pennsylvania's public universities declined by only 4 percent.

During the past year the average instructional salary of the faculty at Pennsylvania's public universities--the salary directly attributable to instructional activities-- increased by about 1 percent to $48,500. The average total workweek of these faculty remained the same at about fifty-four hours per week. Average faculty contact hours with students also remained steady at about ten hours per week.

Student revenues for the 1996-97 school year amounted to about 59 percent of the total instructional revenues in these universities. Over the past five years, the portion of instructional costs borne directly by students increased, while the portion borne by Commonwealth appropriations decreased.