Letter to the editor

Dear Editor,

Last year, in the face of unprecedented budget cuts, thousands of Temple students answered the call to prevent a devastating cut in our funding. Thanks to their efforts – as well as thousands of alumni, parents, faculty and administration – we managed to save some $50 million dollars from the chopping block. Your letters, phone calls, rallies and face-to-face contact with legislators truly made a difference.

Now the trumpet summons us again. Pennsylvania is once again facing a serious budget deficit for the coming year and once again, Governor Tom Corbett pledged not to raise taxes. This means Corbett will likely target students and higher education to make up the difference. Corbett will deliver his budget address in the first week of February and we already know that Temple’s funding will be significantly affected.

Since September, Temple Student Government and the student governments of Penn State, Pitt and Lincoln universities have worked hard to ensure we would be ready for every budget possibility. No matter what, though, we will need your voices and your help to keep our tuition affordable, our education on track and our university’s future in sight.

The first opportunity for you to make a difference will be the Rally for Higher Education on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at the state capitol building in Harrisburg.  Buses will leave the student center at 9 a.m. and return at 4 p.m.  TSG and Temple, will provide buses, breakfast, lunch and permission slips for you to attend free of charge.  You can register to attend the rally – and help keep Temple affordable – at temple.edu/government/rally.

Last year’s budget wasn’t pretty, but because of your hard work, we helped restore millions of dollars to Temple’s funding and showed our government what Pennsylvania’s students are made of. We need your help to do so again.

See you in Harrisburg.

Yours,

Temple Student Government