U. gets $35 million

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed Governor Robert Casey's proposed budget plan for the fiscal year 1994-95 this week, which includes a bill that will give the University $35 million in state funding. The Pennsylvania Senate will vote on the budget Monday. The budget was passed 268-60 in the House Monday. Director for City and Commonwealth Relations Paul Cribbins said yesterday that he "expects it will pass" in the Senate as well. Of the $35 million, $15. 5 million will go to instruction at the University, about $1 million will go to the Dental Clinic, $4.3 million will go to the Medical Center and $14.2 will go to the Veterinary School. Executive Vice President Janet Hale said she is "very pleased with the dollar figures." "We are clearly pleased that the House of Representatives understands the importance of the University of Pennsylvania," she said. House Spokesperson Tom Potts said the University receives "what we give to any of the 86 other private institutions combined." Cribbins said the 86 other institutions are in a separate funding category than the University, so it is difficult to make a comparison. But State Representative Joseph Preston (D-Allegheny), who voted against the bill, said state schools should receive more money than the University, which is a private university. "Why do we treat our state schools worse than our private schools?" he asked. "I believe everybody should be treated fairly." The $35 million figure is $6.3 million more than the state stipend the University received for fiscal year 1993-94, and $13.2 million more than the funding received in fiscal year 1992-93. The University's state funding for fiscal year 1994-95 represents a 3.4 percent decrease from the funds received in fiscal year 1991-92, the year in which Casey declared that less money would be allocated to the University in order to prevent a tax hike.