HARRISBURG – Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) has issued the following statement regarding the Shapiro Administration’s release of a blueprint for higher education:
“Ensuring Pennsylvania is an economic leader and dynamic place to live depends a great deal on the strong workforce and jobs within our commonwealth. A key component of helping to foster greater growth requires preserving access to affordable higher education options for families. This is why as part of the enacted 2023-2024 state budget, we made substantial investments in higher education, which are helping to provide for the long-term viability of our systems.
“I appreciate the perspective put forth by Gov. Shapiro within his proposal and believe his plan is well intended. The types of changes being proposed are no small undertaking and notably absent from the announcement is the amount of funding required to effectuate the plan. Two key considerations with any substantive changes must be the additional costs to taxpayers, as well as the impact on local communities where our state’s higher education institutions are located.
“Details matter and a proposal of this magnitude will require extremely close examination. I look forward to engaging in discussions with the governor and my colleagues in the General Assembly about how to transform the delivery of post-secondary education in this commonwealth. Attracting students to our institutions, increasing access to affordable educational opportunities, and ensuring a strong workforce to address future needs will remain key areas of focus for the Senate Republican Caucus.”
CONTACT: Kate Flessner kflessner@pasen.gov