This year when University administrators go to Harrisburg to lobby for higher education funds, they will not be alone. Four state-related and 14 state schools have joined forces to battle legislators, and they do not plan to come home empty-handed.

"We intend to spare no effort," University President Joab Thomas said at the University Board of Trustees meeting Friday.

Penn State received $249.2 million in allocations from the state last year for the 1993-94 school year.

The 18 schools involved have been meeting to prepare the Public Universities Key to Pennsylvania's Future document, which will be presented to the state General Assembly tomorrow and distributed to statewide news media.

The document's unity is a first for the schools, Thomas said. The document reinforces these universities' link to statewide educational opportunities, economic well-being and community service.

"Legislation is back in session and they want to meet with them before the governor's budget message on Feb. 8," said Helen Caffrey, the University's director of commonwealth relations.

The document is meant to strengthen support for higher education, Thomas said, adding that it specifically focuses on the 1994-95 appropriations.

"Higher education in general, and Penn State in particular, must do a better job of telling its story, particularly to those who support us," Thomas said. Harrisburg legislators hear from University administrators and they hear from lobbyists, but they rarely hear anything when they return to their local districts, he added.

One of the University's goals is to get money to spend on individual students.

"We spend less money per student than our peers," Thomas said.

The University receives a smaller endowment compared to the size of its student body and the service and education it supplies, according to the document.

"If we had Michigan's money and Harvard's reputation, we wouldn't need to make our case," Thomas said.

The coalition of higher education institutions plans to send a long-term and relentless message to Harrisburg, promoting funding for higher education institutions. The main goal is to keep the quality of education high but the cost low, Thomas said.

Vincent Carocci, press secretary for Gov. Robert P. Casey, said the state budget will be presented in two weeks and the coalition's impact will be evident then. The fact that they are making a case can only help these universities, he added.

"The final outcome will be determined by the amount of money available," Carocci said.