The Penn State Board of Trustees will convene today and tomorrow at the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Ave., for its bimonthly meeting to discuss the establishment of the university's state budget for 2003-2004.

University spokesman Bill Mahon said Penn State officials will present a budget outline before the board tomorrow morning that will include next year's appropriation request.

After a period of discussion, members will vote on whether or not to approve the university's budget, he said.

If the board approves the budget, Mahon said, the appropriation request would then move to the Pennsylvania Department of Education in Harrisburg by as late as November for approval.

"We're hoping this [budget] will lend itself to getting more funding next year," Mahon said.

Penn State's recent 13.5 percent tuition increase, as well as dwindling state appropriations over the last few years, has increased the importance of this year's budget request, Mahon said.

"[State appropriations] have a direct impact," he said. "The funding we get from the state is completely tied to the amount of tuition we charge."

Last year, Penn State requested $360.8 million from the state for the 2002-2003 school year; the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted in July to give the university $322.6 million.

For the 2001-2002 fiscal year, Penn State received $334.8 million in state appropriations.

In remarks to the University Faculty Senate on Tuesday, Penn State President Graham Spanier said the university must find a way to save money in the face of low appropriations.

He added that the university hopes it will not have to make these cost cuts "visible to the faculty" through layoffs or budget cuts.

Trustee Steve Garban said he understands the difficult economic position Pennsylvania is in and recognizes that legislators' "hands are tied."

However, he said, the state still has a responsibility to provide Penn State with the budget a top-notch university needs.

"I'm very disheartened and it saddens me to raise tuition," he said. "It's clearly due to state support, that's the culprit."

Garban, a self-proclaimed "proponent of lower tuition," said students and parents should remain optimistic that things will turn for the better.

"This is the first launch in a very long process. To get all excited at this point is misguided," he said.

In addition to the university's budget, the board will hear remarks this afternoon from Spanier in his president's report.

Among the topics generally discussed in the open session are university highlights from the previous two months, the success of move-in weekend and any student or faculty awards, Mahon said.

Committees on finance and physical plant, educational policy and campus environment will also have presentations before the board over the two-day period.

All meetings will be open to the public. Today's session starts at 1 p.m. and tomorrow's meeting begins at 8:30 a.m.