Temple’s Footprint

Temple’s contribution to Philadelphia outweighs the proposed budget cuts.

On Wednesday, March 16, and Monday, March 28, President Ann Weaver Hart, Lincoln University President Ivory Nelson, University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg and Penn State University President Graham Spanier, addressed the State Senate Appropriations Committee in Harrisburg, Pa., concerning Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed budget for 2011-12.

Pennsylvania’s four state-related schools’ commonwealth appropriations would be cut by 50 percent for the 2011-12 fiscal year if the budget passes as proposed, Temple would receive approximately $82.4 million next year. This year, Temple received $172.7 million.

As Amelia Brust reports in “Hart makes case for education,” Page 1, according to a report Hart presented to the committee, Temple generates $1.5 billion for the Philadelphia economy with Temple University Health Systems alone, while also generating an additional $1.2 billion for the commonwealth as a whole. Temple supports 33,000 jobs in the state, with 18,500 in Philadelphia.

The Temple News encourages students to make their voices heard and become involved as the budget continues to be the subject of debate in the upcoming months.

Both Temple and TUHS are crucial to Philadelphia and to Pennsylvania, and are looming dramatic cuts. Temple University Hospital faces cuts to several supplemental medical assistance programs.

Additionally, as Valerie Rubinsky and Alyssa Saylor report in “TUH prepares for Corbett’s proposed cuts,” Page 1, TUH, which serves more medical assistance patients than any other hospital in Pennsylvania, could be hit hard by the proposed budget.

Obstetrics and neonatal services, hospital-based burn centers, critical access hospitals, trauma centers and academic-medical centers are among the medical assistance programs that would have their funding terminated if the budget passes. TUH receives more funding for the services that could be terminated than any other hospital in the state.

While Hart makes a case for Temple to the State Senate Appropriations Committee, don’t underestimate the importance of student involvement. On March 30, Temple Student Government is hosting another Rally for Higher Education, which will include a march down Broad Street after a petition-signing at the Bell Tower.

Temple is an important part of the community, Philadelphia and the state. The voice of students and community members in support of Temple and TUHS can make a difference.