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The Slippery Rock University council of trustees approved the University’s 2026-27 fiscal year budget request and several naming resolutions at is quarterly business, Sept. 18, at the Russell Wright Alumni House and Conference Center.

The trustees approved a balanced budget proposal based on a year with no increase in state appropriations and a 4.3% tuition increase. The proposed balanced budget will be forwarded to the Pennsylvania Board of Governors for approval at its next meeting, Oct. 8.

The approved naming resolution included:

  • Charlie Sheetz ’74 Mentorship Program.
  • Charlie Sheetz ’74 and Gail Sheetz Nursing Skills Lab.
  • Finney Finance Lab.
  • UPMC Nutrition Bar.

The Sheetz family investments, announced earlier this year, are designed to prepare students to lead, achieve, and thrive in high-demand careers. The mentorship program prepares junior and senior SRU business students from any major for professional success through meaningful alumni engagement and career-focused programming. The nursing lab provides state-of-the-art, immersive training environments that replicate real-world clinical settings.

The Finney Finance Lab, also announced earlier this year, are named for named for Joe and Pam Finney ’86 thanks to their $500,000 gift that will provide SRU students direct access to the tools used by investment banks, asset managers and corporate finance teams worldwide. 

The UPMC Nutrition Bar is a concourse area of the Campus Success Center where students can access healthy snacks, after UPMC Northwest pledged $50,000 to create the nutrition bar. 

Also at the quarterly business meeting, the council received the President’s Report, reports from standing committees, and received updates about the following topics: contracts, active projects for facilities and planning, human resources personnel items, budget/finance, the comprehensive planning process, and divisional reports.  

The next council of trustees meetings are Dec. 10-11.

More information, including a link to meeting materials, is available on the council of trustees webpage.

Justin Zackal

Justin is SRU’s associate director of University Marketing and Communication and the primary media relations contact.