<P> Penn State is a "state - related" university, part of Pennsylvania's Commonwealth System of Higher Education . As such, although it receives funding from the Commonwealth and is connected to the state through its board of trustees, it is otherwise independent and not subject to the state's direct control . For the 2006--2007 fiscal year, the university received 9.7 percent of its budget from state appropriations, the lowest of the four state - related institutions in Pennsylvania . Initial reports concerning the 2007--2008 fiscal year indicated that Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is recommending a 1.6 percent increase in state appropriations . Penn State's appropriation request, submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education in September, requested a 6.8 percent increase in funding . </P> <P> Penn State has eighteen colleges, including three at special - mission campuses . The University Park campus is organized into fourteen distinct colleges, plus the Graduate School and the Division of Undergraduate Studies: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> College of Agricultural Sciences </Li> <Li> College of Arts and Architecture </Li> <Li> Smeal College of Business </Li> <Li> Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications </Li> <Li> College of Earth and Mineral Sciences </Li> <Li> College of Education </Li> <Li> College of Engineering </Li> <Li> College of Health and Human Development </Li> <Li> College of Information Sciences and Technology </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Dickinson Law </Li> <Li> Penn State Law </Li> <Li> College of the Liberal Arts </Li> <Li> College of Medicine </Li> <Li> College of Nursing </Li> <Li> Eberly College of Science </Li> <Li> Schreyer Honors College </Li> <Li> Graduate School </Li> <Li> Pennsylvania College of Technology </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> College of Agricultural Sciences </Li> <Li> College of Arts and Architecture </Li> <Li> Smeal College of Business </Li> <Li> Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications </Li> <Li> College of Earth and Mineral Sciences </Li> <Li> College of Education </Li> <Li> College of Engineering </Li> <Li> College of Health and Human Development </Li> <Li> College of Information Sciences and Technology </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Dickinson Law </Li> <Li> Penn State Law </Li> <Li> College of the Liberal Arts </Li> <Li> College of Medicine </Li> <Li> College of Nursing </Li> <Li> Eberly College of Science </Li> <Li> Schreyer Honors College </Li> <Li> Graduate School </Li> <Li> Pennsylvania College of Technology </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr>

Is there a difference between penn state and university of pennsylvania