HARRISBURG -- The 273 students who stood on the steps of the rotunda at the state Capitol in Harrisburg represented millions of students -- and millions of dollars in debt.

The students, who came mostly from Commonwealth Campuses, gathered for the fifth annual Rally in the Rotunda, an event organized by the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG) to lobby state legislators for increased support for higher education. The rally featured speeches by student government representatives as well as state Reps. John Yudichak, D-Luzerne, and Lynn Herman, R-Centre.

"Sometimes it feels like higher education is not the priority that it should be," CCSG Governmental Affairs Director Kyle Templin said.

Yudichak said increased costs were making tuition at state universities too expensive.

"The cost of higher education is slipping out of reach of too many Pennsylvanians," he said. "Pennsylvania needs to find the funding."

Herman cited a study of Penn State's economic impact that said for every dollar invested in Penn State, about $19 is returned in economic impact and $1.56 is returned in taxes.

Herman said he had introduced legislation to extend Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency loans to fifth-year students because many students do not graduate in four years.

Undergraduate Student Government President Galen Foulke said higher education needed to be a priority in state allocations.

"Higher education is the future of Pennsylvania," he said.

CCSG President Kathleen Streaker said she graduates this year with $70,000 in student loans. She said this was her third year at the rally.

"I have heard a lot of talking, but very little action," she said. "I want to leave here today knowing that higher education will become a priority."

Streaker said that in the past, the rally focused on increasing appropriations mainly for Penn State. This year, the rally focused on all state-funded schools and on educating students, she said, adding that students who want to help should contact their representatives and "put a face behind the dollars."

"The best thing they can do is just share their own personal story," she said.

Templin said 16 of the 20 Penn State campuses were represented at the rally. He said representatives were also present from Lincoln University and the University of Pittsburgh, but not from Temple University.

Yudichak said the federal budget cuts for social services had forced state funding increases in those areas over the last four years.

"I'm a little more optimistic [about increased higher education appropriations] than I was a few years ago," he said.

Vicki Cangelosi, who chairs the Penn State College Republicans, said she thought legislators would be more likely to increase allocations to Penn State if the money were restricted to specific uses.

"The main things I keep hearing [from legislators] are, 'We're reluctant to give Penn State more money because Penn State wastes it,' " she said.

Senate Majority Policy Chairman Joe Conti said taxes would probably have to go up to increase higher education funding further. He said he planned to talk with Penn State President Graham Spanier by June about finding new ways to increase funding.

Conti said grassroots efforts by Penn State alumni were important to increase funding for higher education.

"What's compelling is five or 10 people coming to the district office," he said.

Conti said funding increases were more likely if they were introduced in the governor's original budget. He said that many state legislators had graduated from Penn State, but most Pennsylvania governors had come from private institutions.

"We really need someone to run for governor that comes from Penn State," he said.

Legislative assistant Jeff Miller said legislators hoped to finish the budget by June 30. He said the expected budget surplus should be released today when it is voted out of the appropriations committee.