Leaders of Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities today approved an appropriation request for next year and agreed to freeze part of the system's current year operating budget given the state' worsening economy.

The board of governors for the State System of Higher Education, meeting today in Harrisburg, voted to ask the state to approve for the 2009-10 academic year an appropriation of $498.5 million, an increase of 5.7 percent or $28.4 million over this year's subsidy. The money would support operation of the 14 campuses including California, Clarion, Edinboro, Indiana and Slippery Rock universities in Western Pennsylvania.

The State System anticipates holding tuition increases next year to 4 percent if the full request is granted, though the likelihood of that appears questionable at best given the economic downturn that has pummeled Pennsylvania's finances.

Several weeks back, Gov. Ed Rendell asked the State System to freeze 4.25 percent of its current year appropriation to help deal with an anticipated revenue shortfall. Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, Lincoln and Temple universities face the same percentage cuts.

If the state's fiscal picture does not improve by June, the 14 state-owned universities would give up $22.4 million. Pitt would lose $7.3 million; Penn State would give up $14.4 million; Temple would do without $7.5 million; and Lincoln University would lose $616,000.

Where the cuts would be made on the various campuses this year is still being determined.

State System spokesman Kenn Marshall said next year's budget request is justified.

"We understand the difficulty the state's economy is going through but we view the appropriation to the State System as an investment in the state's future," Mr. Marshall said.