Board Of Governors Freezes Tuition At State-Owned Universities, But There's A Catch
HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - By a narrow 9-to-8 vote, the board of governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education has frozen tuition for the coming academic year for students attending one of the 14 state-owned universities.
"The motion carried and we've moved ahead with the tuition freeze which I believe is in the best interest of the students," PA Rep. Mike Hanna told KDKA money editor Jon Delano on Thursday.
"Students are faced with massive debt at the conclusion of their pursuit of higher education. We've got to do what we can to try to minimize that debt."
Hanna is a member of the board and introduced the tuition freeze that Governor Wolf proposed in his budget address.
"We had a healthy debate about the proposed tuition freeze. I made the motion to move ahead with the freeze."
But there's a big catch.
To keep the freeze in place this fall, the Republican-controlled legislature must restore half of the $90 million cut during the Corbett years to Pennsylvania's universities.
In exchange for the tuition freeze, Wolf has requested $45.3 million dollars in additional funding for state universities that, locally, include California, Clarion, Edinboro, Indiana and Slippery Rock.
Hanna, a Democrat from Clinton County, is cautiously optimistic that his Republican colleagues will support this effort.
"I think public support and I think legislative support will follow the public support it seems to be rallying around the governor's effort to make a sea change in the way Pennsylvania government has conducted itself, and I'm confident we're headed in the right direction with this proposal," said Hanna.
The legislature has until June 30 to approve a budget hike for higher education that will keep the tuition freeze in place.
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter