About 50 state representatives contacted last week by Undergraduate Student Government members campaigning for an open, line-by-line University budget were generally receptive to the student lobbyists, said USG President Seth Williams.

The lobbying efforts included the presentation of a bill draft to amend the Pennsylvania Right to Know act to include state-related universities, Williams said.

Rep. Brian Clark, D-Allegheny, a member of the House appropriations committee, attributed the recent release of additional University budget information - including a breakdown of expenses by departments and administrative programs - to greater demands for information by legislators.

"We requested information in the House of Representatives that we don't traditionally ask for," Clark said. "We asked for a budget formatted along the same lines as state agencies."

Clark said the information would help to prove that higher education budget increases are excessive.

"There's no justification for the rate of inflation in the higher education community," Clark said. "We live on an extra 4 percent in the real world while the inflation rate reaches 15 to 20 percent in the education world. There's definitely a problem."

University President Bryce Jordan said last week the budget would reveal that the University is underfunded. He described the line-by-line budget information as private.

Another committee member, Rep. Mark Cohen, D-Philadelphia, said legislators have a right to press for more information.

"It's good for the legislature and the citizens to know in as much detail as possible where state dollars are going," Cohen said. Currently, he added, legislators only see a budget summary provided by the University.

"I think it's a legislative decision how determined the budget should be," Cohen said.

Williams saw legislative reaction as a sign of disenchantment with University attitudes.

"Many (legislators) are questioning and speaking with members of the appropriations committee," Williams said. "They want to know University priorities. This has definitely affected the thought processes of many people -- as is proper."

Local representatives were sympathetic to the open budget campaign.

Rep. Lynn Herman, R-Centre, said he has referred the proposal to amend the Right to Know Act to the House Appropriations Committee staff for further investigation.

"I don't think there's any harm in more openness," Herman said. "I'm pleased to see Penn State recently released more information to the public." He said the USG campaign appears to have played a part in the University's interest in an open budget but other factors were involved.

Herman's staff is also investigating the budgets of state-owned universities to find out what information is available. "There has to be some comparison," Herman said. "I don't think the Penn State budget should be more open than that of the state-owned system."

Rep. Ruth Rudy, D-Centre, said the recent release of information indicated a good faith effort by the University, but said the release of further information will probably extend over a long period of time.

Rudy said the USG lobbyists' visit "probably has aroused the question in some legislators as to why the personnel at the University are against the open budget. Any time a question arises, they like to dig at the facts and try to find reasons for it."

Rudy said the release of some information would help to alleviate tension between University administrators and legislators.

None of the representatives interviewed had read the bill draft yesterday. Clark said he plans to read the draft carefully before House budget hearings begin March 28.