House Republican leaders encourage state-related universities to roll back announced tuition increase

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus Leaders Wednesday sent a letter to the heads of the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University, Temple University and Lincoln University encouraging each institution to roll back announced plans to increase tuition and fees for the upcoming academic year.

According to the Leaders' letter, the recent news that Gov. Tom Wolf will be using a pandemic response discretionary account to provide these universities with their sought-after 5% increase should lead these universities to halt planned tuition increases.

“We were disappointed to learn that almost immediately after your FY 2022-23 state funding was approved, Pitt, Penn State and Temple announced tuition increases for the coming academic year. In at least two instances, the state flat-funding appropriations over last year was cited as a cause for the tuition increase,” the leaders wrote.

“Given the recent news about receiving additional funding for the 2022-23 academic year, it would only be prudent to roll back these decisions for all students, but at a minimum, for Pennsylvania residents attending your institutions.”

The letter was signed by all eight members of the House Republican Leadership team:

• House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-centre/mifflin)

• Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-lancaster)

• House Appropriations Committee Chairman

Stan Saylor (R-york)

• House Majority Whip Donna Oberlander (R-clarion/armstrong/forest)

• House Republican Caucus Chairman George Dunbar (R-westmoreland)

• House Republican Caucus Secretary Martina White (R-philadelphia)

• House Republican Caucus Administrator Kurt Masser (R-northumberland/columbia/montour)

• House Republican Policy Chairman Martin Causer (R-mckean/ Potter/cameron)