Pa. Senate approved funding

The Pa. Senate approved funding for Temple and other state-related universities Wednesday evening.

As a state-related university, Temple’s $150 million in state appropriations was at risk during the budget impasse due to a $2.2 billion deficit.

Funding for other state-related universities — Lincoln University, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pittsburgh — was also at risk if the budget was not balanced and passed.   

If the funding was not given to the university, President Richard Englert said in a Letter to the Editor the tuition discount for in-state students would be taken away and salary increases for non-union employees would be frozen.

In-state students would have been charged an extra $6,000 each semester if the budget did not pass.

Temple Student Government, who has organized on-campus advocacy for state funding, tweeted about the budget passing Wednesday evening.

“Thanks to your quick action in calling your representatives, the budget (SB238) was passed and Temple will remain a state-related school,” the tweet read.

Thanks to your quick action in calling your representatives, the budget (SB238) was passed and Temple will remain a state-related school!

— Temple Student Government (@TempleTSG) October 26, 2017

TSG set up phone banks last week where in-state students called their state representatives and encouraged them to vote on the bill.

The university did not immediately respond to request for comment on the budget passing.