In an attempt to keep tuition low, Penn State President Graham Spanier will try to persuade legislators today to provide the university with more state dollars.

Spanier will testify before the House and Senate Appropriations Committees about Penn State's 2007-08 budget, which projects a tuition increase of nearly 5 percent.

Although university spokesman Bill Mahon said Spanier usually appears by himself, this year he'll appear with leaders of Pennsylvania's three other state-related schools -- Lincoln University, Temple University and the University of Pittsburgh.

According to the University Budget Office Web site, Penn State plans on requesting $365.17 million for the upcoming year, which is a $23.3 million -- or 6.8 percent -- increase from last year's $341.87 million appropriation.

Gov. Ed Rendell's proposed budget calls for increasing Penn State's appropriations by $5.5 million, a 1.6 percent increase.

"I don't think there will be a significant increase [in appropriations] because the legislature doesn't usually stray far from the governor's budget," Spanier said. "I'll hope for a moderate increase."

According to the Web site, if Penn State's requests are approved, the tuition rate for in-state students will increase by 3.8 percent at commonwealth campuses and 4.8 percent at University Park, which would be the lowest increase in in-state University Park tuition since the 2000-01 academic year.

Spanier said if the General Assembly approves the 6.8 percent request, tuition could stay relatively stable, but if the appropriation was far below that, tuition could increase more significantly.

Tuition at University Park last year increased by 5.6 percent for in-state students and 4.4 percent for out-of-state students.

Tuition has increased by 2.9 percent for both in-state and out-of-state students at Commonwealth campuses, according to Daily Collegian archives.

During the 2006-07 school year, tuition and fees made up 71 percent of Penn State's general funds budget, and appropriation made up 22 percent.

Spanier said he has been preparing for the visit to Harrisburg for a couple of weeks.

It's like "cramming for an exam," he said -- but one with a million-dollar report card.