Republican state Senator and gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano weighed in late Monday on Gov. Tom Wolf’s move to secure for state-related schools including the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University an appropriation increase they otherwise were denied in this year’s commonwealth budget.
The candidate says that in return for a roughly $40-million, or 5% funding boost for the four institutions that also include Temple and Lincoln universities, their leaders should freeze tuition in the 2022-23 academic year.
He made that assertion in a letter sent to officials at Pitt, Penn State, Temple and Lincoln, which by and large already established higher rates in recent days before Mr. Wolf’s efforts surfaced Monday in a report by Spotlight PA. He is using federal stimulus funds for what was described as “pandemic response.”
The appropriations for those school became enmeshed in the ire of some House Republicans over Pitt’s pursuit of fetal tissue research. The schools ultimately received appropriations unchanged from a year ago, even as the State System of Higher Education and its 10 state-owned campuses received a record increase of 16%, or $75 million, amid system redesign.
In the Senate, Mr. Mastriano himself was among those voting against the state-related appropriation, according to legislative records.
Neither he nor a spokesman for his campaign were immediately available for comment Monday evening. Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee, also could not be reached.
Schools including Penn State and Pitt have some of the highest public tuition and fees in the nation, but they argue that they have taken steps to curb increases, including tuition freezes three of the previous four years at Penn State. They are in a Commonwealth with a Republican-led Legislature that ranks near the bottom in support to higher education, typically 47th.
In his letter Monday, Mr. Mastriano alluded to higher inflation and said:
“I realize the economic forces at work have not spared higher education. Although a tuition hike offers a straightforward solution, it will cost Pennsylvania far more in the long run in lost economic opportunity. Pennsylvania’s families simply cannot afford a tuition hike in addition to the rising costs in other parts of the economy.”
The commonwealth budget passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the governor totaled $45.2 billion.
Gillian McGoldrick contributed. Bill Schackner: bschackner@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1977 and on Twitter: @Bschackner
First Published: July 27, 2022, 5:23 p.m.
