Stimulus money to go to PA Universities

It looks like someone has gotten around to reading the stimulus bill, and realized their is funding for higher education in there.  The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports state-related universities (Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, Lincoln University and Temple University) will get $42 million from the federal stimulus money, restoring the 6% state budget cut proposed by the Governor Rendell.

But the universities are not satisfied, "That doesn't represent an increase in our budget," said Penn State president Graham B. Spanier. "It just gets us back to zero."


"If the Legislature could see its way clear to appropriate an increase of some level [then that could result] in a reduction in tuition, but I don't see that as a high-probability event right now," Mr. Spanier said.

State funding makes up a small percentage of these school's overall budgets, some see this as the deeper problem, even though the state has little control over tuition hikes at these schools.

Perhaps their ungrateful attitude is has something to do with being left out as a beneficiary of the governor's proposed video poker tax.  Offering more taxpayer money to institutions without transparency or accountability measures will do nothing to reduce the cost of tuition to students.

Check out our suggested Higher Education Reforms here.