HARRISBURG — The board that oversees Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities, including Slippery Rock University, narrowly endorsed a tuition freeze Thursday sought by Gov. Tom Wolf in exchange for a $45.3 million increase for the State System of Higher Education.

The system’s board of governors voted 9-8 to support the freeze, which also covers instructional fees. The board, however, reserved authority to make any “final determination.”

Wolf applauded the decision and said the freeze is contingent on lawmakers approving a budget that includes the promised increase. “Students have borne the brunt of massive cuts over the last four years and today’s action is an important step in giving them a break from constantly rising college costs,” he said in a statement.

Tuition at the state-owned universities this year is $6,820 for an in-state resident — a figure that grew by $1,016 during Gov. Tom Corbett’s four-year tenure, according to system spokesman Kenn Marshall.

The funding increase, which would be the first in seven years for the system, is a priority for the new Democratic governor as he and the Republican-controlled Legislature fight tax and spending proposals for the state budget.

“The battle for the $45.3 million starts now,” said Rep. Mike Hanna, D-Clinton, the House minority whip who introduced the board resolution.

Several board members expressed concern about committing to a tuition freeze so early in the budget process.

“We don’t want to raise tuition, ever,” but sometimes circumstances require it, said board member Jonathan Mack. “The governor says that he’s committed to higher education. So are we.”

“If we are all working together, we don’t need a resolution,” said board member Aaron Walton.

Wolf has said the proposed increase is the first of two annual installments to replace the roughly $90 million cut by Corbett. Together, the increases would boost state funding for the system by 11 percent, officials said.

In his budget plan, Wolf is proposing increases of more than $140 million for higher education in the fiscal year that starts July 1. In return, he asked universities in the state system to freeze tuition and asked the state-related universities to keep their tuition as low as possible.

Yet at legislative hearings last month, state system Chancellor Frank Brogan declined to promise to freeze tuition, saying it is up to the board, while Penn State President Eric Barron said he would support a tuition freeze at the state’s largest university if lawmakers approve the increase Wolf requested.