News

July 14, 2009

Legislators rally for universities

Fourteen congressmen are against the governor’s federal stimulus fund ban for state universities.

By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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Fourteen Pennsylvania congressmen including U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, D-Dimock Township, sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Education to deny Gov. Ed Rendell’s decision to bar the four state-related universities from receiving federal economic stimulus money.

The four institutions are Temple, Lincoln and Penn State universities and the University of Pittsburgh. In a preliminary application, the four had been slated to receive almost $42 million combined in stimulus aid, but Rendell removed them from the formal application filed June 26.

Rendell spokesman Barry Ciccocioppo said there was no payback by the governor because he felt those four schools haven’t allowed the state more oversight.

He did mention during a phone interview Monday the fact that the 14 state-owned schools, which include Bloomsburg, East Stroudsburg and Mansfield, have agreed to keep tuition increases and costs “reasonable.” State-owned tuition rates will be set Thursday and could rise anywhere from 2 to 7 percent.

About $51 million in federal funds have been requested for the 14 state-owned schools.

“The governor has … asked universities in the state to hold the line and keep tuitions low. The state universities responded and kept theirs reasonable,” Ciccocioppo said. He added the four state-related schools “were not as responsive.”

Penn State trustees are expected to raise in-state tuition for the coming school year 4.5 to 9.8 percent. Temple raised tuition 2.9 percent but the rate could change. Lincoln and Pitt have not set rates yet.

The letter to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the state’s application “is at odds with the letter and spirit" of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. That law allows stimulus money to be provided to public institutions of higher education.

The letter, which was signed by eight Democrats and six Republicans, said “We strongly believe that by following the spirit and intent of the (law), the Department of Education will reject the application in current form and compel the commonwealth to use federal funds to maintain state support for every public institution of higher education in Pennsylvania, including the state-related universities.”

U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, was not a signatory.

The governor’s office doesn’t believe the four state-related schools are guaranteed funds from the stimulus package and that distribution is at the discretion of the governor.

The letter indicates the move by Rendell that arbitrarily redefines “these universities as nonpublic, simply because the institutions are not ‘under the absolute control of the commonwealth’ sets a dangerous precedent.” Penn State President Graham Spanier sent a letter to Duncan dated June 29 that included the same phrases and terms used in portions of the letter from the congressmen.

Under the laws governing the stimulus funding, Ciccocioppo said, the state has discretion over which schools should receive the funds.

“They want to be public institutions when they are seeking public dollars,” Ciccocioppo said.

A recent editorial in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette echoed those sentiments.

“Pitt and Penn State can’t have it both ways -- they can’t pretend to be public institutions when they are waving the beggar’s bowl and private ones when they want to be secretive.

"We think they should come back and make their pitch to the governor when they are believable. Because when you walk like a private duck and quack like a private duck, you can’t blame someone like the governor for not feeding you tidbits meant for the public ducks.”

Vincent A. Rongione, Carney’s spokesman, said the congressman was approached by Penn State about the letter. Carney taught government classes at Penn State Worthington Scranton from 1992 until he took office three years ago.

Efforts by The Times Leader to reach U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski to find out why he didn't sign the letter were unsuccessful.

Carney said he signed the letter and supports the federal government's intervention.

In an e-mailed statement, Carney said "As a former educator and father of five, I know that an affordable college education is increasingly important to achieving the American dream.

"Our state and state-affiliated colleges and universities are critically important to the future success and competitiveness of our commonwealth and they must remain strong. These schools educate and train our future workforce and community leaders while providing a level of access to higher education that people from all walks of life can afford. I was proud to join my colleagues in support of our state schools because we cannot let the rising cost of education prevent the next generation of Pennsylvania leaders and innovators from realizing their full potential."

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