Wednesday, March 4, 1998

Spanier answers more questions about budget

By PATRICIA K. COLE
Collegian Staff Writer

HARRISBURG -- The growing scope and interests of the University were the topics of most questions the state House Appropriations Committee had for University President Graham Spanier yesterday.

The representatives asked about issues such as increased technology, the agriculture cooperative extension programs, the future of the Commonwealth College and other University locations and the Penn State Geisinger Health System.

In his second appropriations hearing in a little more than a week, Spanier requested the legislature consider adding to Gov. Tom Ridge's proposed budget which will provide a 3.25 percent funding increase to the University. An additional 5 percent increase for 'competitiveness funding' would help the University stay at the forefront of higher education, he said.

Spanier discusses possible technology school

The representatives asked mostly informational questions about the University's proposed school of information science and technology and research efforts. But state Reps. John Barley, R-Lancaster, and Paul Semmel, R-Berks and Lehigh, were concerned about the future of the agriculture cooperative extension, which provides agriculture resources and information throughout the state and has not been sufficiently funded in recent years.

"I can't overemphasize the importance of this legislature to continue to understand how important agriculture to this state," Spanier said.

Representatives with Commonwealth College campuses and other University locations in their districts questioned Spanier about the recent restructuring of the Commonwealth Educational System to include more four-year colleges and upper division options.

"(The purpose is) so a Penn State student could finish a Penn State degree at the campus of their choice, while preserving flexibility," Spanier said.

The expansion of the University, due to its affiliations with the Geisinger Health System, The Dickinson School of Law and other businesses, was a topic of great concern to state Rep. John Lawless, R-Montgomery.

"I'm concerned about the growth of Penn State," he said. "Enough is enough. You are . . . competing against taxpayers . . . and you are putting taxpayers out of jobs."

Lawless fired questions at Spanier, who was joined by Dr. C. McCollister Evarts, senior vice president for health affairs, concerning the numerous products with the Penn State logo, the number of physicians within the Penn State Geisinger Health System, the flexibility of the Penn State Geisinger Health Plan and benefits for University employees.