Students' football tickets missed a $2-per-game price hike delivered to public season ticket holders Monday by the University's Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

The price increase for public season and individual game football tickets is a result of a need to generate revenue to support the current 28-sport intercollegiate athletic program, said Athletic Director Jim Tarman.

Public season tickets for the six home games will be priced at $108 and single game tickets will be $18, an increase of two dollars over the 1988 season price.

Student season ticket prices will remain at the 1988 season price of $30, Tarman said.

"Increasing ticket prices is a route we'd rather not take, but the dollars we receive in football receipts enable us to fund 14 men's and 13 women's sports which are not self-supporting," Tarman said.

The football program is the only self-supporting sport at the University, said L. Budd Thalman, associate athletic director for communications.

Associate Director of the Alumni Association John Black said that while he does not think anyone will be overjoyed at the increase, he could not characterize the opinions of every ticket holder.

"As one season ticket holder, I am not surprised at the price increase, but it will not discourage me from buying a season ticket next year," he said.

The added revenue will be turned over to the athletic department, which will allocate the money to the different teams, Thalman said.

Ticket Manager Bud Meredith said he could not say whether or not the student season ticket will be raised in the future.

"Pricing for tickets are under consideration each year," he said. "This year (the price increase) doesn't have an impact on students."

Notre Dame charges $21 per ticket, University of Nebraska charges $18.50 and University of Texas charges $25 comparatively, Meredith said.

Applications for public season tickets are currently available, he added.

Tarman said the ticket price increase was not related to recent plans to expand Beaver Stadium by 9,200 seats, tentatively scheduled for completion by the 1990 season.

Last year, Penn State was among the nation's top four in Division I-A college football attendance. At the Boston College game, the University welcomed its 10 millionth spectator to Beaver Stadium.

Penn State's 1989 home schedule includes games against Virginia, Temple, Boston College, Alabama, West Virginia and Notre Dame.