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 229,000 public university students in 1995-96. The General Assembly directly appropriated $886 million to the State-related and State-owned universities for instruction, averaging about $4,350 per full-time equivalent (FTE) student. In addition, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency awarded grants and matching funds amounting to about $482 per FTE student at these universities.

Compared to the previous year, public university enrollments increased by less than 1 percent. Despite a decline in the number of traditional college-age persons in the Commonwealth of 13 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 3 percent to $48,200. The average total workweek of these faculty remained the same at about 54 hours per week. Average faculty contact hours with students also remained steady at about 10 hours per week.

Student revenues for the 1995-96 school year amounted to about 57 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.