U. gets $35 million from state for 1994-95

and Ben Wyche The Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate passed Governor Robert Casey's proposed budget plan for the fiscal year 1994-95 in June, which gave the University $35 million in state funding. 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. Former Executive Vice President Janet Hale said she was "very pleased with the dollar figures." "We are clearly pleased that the House of Representatives [and Senate] 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." 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. In addition to the new financial influx, and contrary to expectations, the University balanced its budget for the 1994 fiscal year and will have surplus funds available for fiscal year 1995. The University finished with a projected surplus of $25,000 instead of the $3.6 million deficit that was originally projected for the fiscal year ending today, according to the Resolution on the Operating Budget for fiscal year 1995 presented in June's University Trustee's meeting. "It shows the University is in a healthy situation," Hale said. "We will continue to move forward from here." The main reason for the drastic difference between the projected and finalized budgets was that the University found $2 million to pay for the Veterinary School -- state funds which the University had not originally expected to receive, Hale said. Several University schools and centers, as well as the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center were mentioned in the report. The Graduate School of Education and the School of Social Work had projected surpluses, but the Annenberg Center was expected to have a deficit due to a revenue shortfall. The Medical Center finished the fiscal year $50,227,000 better than budget.