Public Insitutions

On November 12, 1982, Act 188 was signed into law establishing Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education on July 1, 1983, including the 13 former state colleges and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Today, the State System of Higher Education comprises 14 universities, four branch campuses, the McKeever Environmental Learning Center, and Dixon University Center.

The System's purpose, as outlined in Act 188, is "...to provide high quality education at the lowest possible cost to students." The System universities, located in rural, suburban, and small-town settings throughout Pennsylvania, educate more students per year than any other higher educational institution in the state.

Three State-Related institutions are governed by the Commission for Commmonwealth Universities.

Penn State's University Park Campus, in Centre County is the administrative hub of a statewide system of campuses. It is the primary site for graduate study and enrolls more than half of all Penn State undergraduates. (See: Schools and Colleges for more information) An initiative started here recently that eventually will reach new learners throughout the commonwealth, and well beyond, is the virtual Penn State World Campus.)