University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg hinted in a letter to the federal government that in-state students could face higher tuition if Pitt and three other state-related universities lose $42 million in federal stimulus aid.

Pitt and Temple University yesterday provided copies of letters sent by their leaders to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, protesting Gov. Ed Rendell's decision last Friday to classify the four schools as non-public and thus ineligible for stimulus money.

The Rendell administration says the schools were omitted from Pennsylvania's revised stimulus application because the state does not have absolute control over them, and as evidence of that, the governor in recent months has cited tuition increases as large as 14 percent imposed by those schools.

In his letter, Mr. Nordenberg said Pitt, Penn State University, Lincoln University and Temple collectively educate 123,000 Pennsylvanians, more than the 101,000 in-state students at the 14 state-owned universities, which are slated to receive stimulus aid.

Mr. Nordenberg's letter, and that of Temple President Ann Weaver Hart, contained arguments similar to those raised by Penn State University President Graham Spanier. In his letter to the secretary, Dr. Spanier said a dangerous precedent would be set if a governor is allowed to arbitrarily pick and choose which schools are considered public for the sake of receiving federal aid.

"The governor criticized (unfairly, we believe) our tuition-setting practices," Mr. Nordenberg said in his letter, dated Wednesday. "Among other things, he specifically called for Pennsylvania's public research universities to control tuition at their 'satellite campuses.' "

Mr. Nordenberg said his school -- responding to the governor and with the understanding that stimulus money was available -- announced in April a tuition freeze for the fall at its Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown and Titusville campuses. He said Pitt also pledged, given the recession, to do everything possible to limit main campus tuition increases.

He noted that Temple, as well, approved an exceptionally low tuition increase this year of roughly 3 percent.

"Of course, this new [stimulus] application changes everything dramatically, and that change goes well beyond the fact that Pitt, Penn State, Temple and Lincoln would be deprived of anticipated support" from the stimulus pool, Mr. Nordenberg said.

He noted millions of dollars in aid cuts endured by his school. And he said Mr. Rendell's handling of the stimulus application undermines one of the law's intents -- "to mitigate the need to raise tuition and fees for in-state students."

Asked about the chancellor's letter, Pitt spokesman Robert Hill late yesterday said Pitt intends to honor its branch campus tuition freeze but could be forced to raise main campus rates higher than expected if the loss of stimulus aid and other budget reductions stand, costing Pitt $31 million.

In their appropriation requests last fall, Pitt and Penn State envisioned tuition increases in 2009-10 of no greater than 4 and 5.5 percent, respectively, provided their funding was increased. Amid the state's fiscal crisis, the governor's latest proposed budget would cut their appropriation by nearly 13 percent. Mr. Hill said Pitt will continue to charge separate in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.

At Lincoln University, the potential loss of $870,000 in stimulus aid on top of likely appropriation cuts has forced planners to revisit next year's draft budget. Lincoln envisioned a 3 percent tuition increase but now "it could be potentially double [that], hopefully not more," said Michael Hill, vice president for development and external relations.