In $42-Million Blow, 4 Pa. Universities Are Removed From Bid for Stimulus Money

Gov. Ed Rendell removed four state-related universities from Pennsylvania’s application for federal stimulus money to help public higher education, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

The preliminary federal-aid application had earmarked nearly $40-million for Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Lincoln University. But a revised application, made public Friday, would cost Penn State $20-million, Temple $11-million, Pitt $10-million, and Lincoln $870,000. The money would instead go to other state universities and community colleges.

Mr. Rendell has said previously that he does not regard the four affected institutions as “fully public universities.” The money for the four was to have offset a proposed 6-percent cut next year in state appropriations for each institution.

Geoff Rushton, a spokesman for Penn State, said he expected the Legislature to intervene. “That proposed amount would certainly be a catastrophic cut to the university,” he said. “But at the same time, we anticipate that this will be resolved … over the coming months.” —Don Troop