Pennsylvania college students in the form of grants.

Gov. Edward Rendell’s 2010 budget proposal announced last week would provide up to $7,600 in need-based financial aid to cover costs for tuition, books, fees, and room and board for Pennsylvania students whose family income is less than $100,000. However, under the current proposal, Temple students, as well as their counterparts at the other state-related universities — Penn State, Pittsburgh and Lincoln Universities — are not eligible to receive these funds. The tuition support would be available only to those attending the state’s community colleges or the 14 state-run institutions that are part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

According to government officials, the state-related schools were excluded because the state has less influence over how they are managed. Although Temple and its state-related partners receive an annual appropriation from the commonwealth, their budgets are independently set and not directly controlled by the state.

The proposal has raised concern among members of the Temple student body, who believe they are being unfairly slighted, and at a time when the university is tightening its belt due to reductions in its state appropriation.

“I was surprised to learn Temple would not be included,” said Temple Student Government president Nadine Mompremier. “How can they limit support to the university but not give us any help?”

Mompremier believes that if the funds from the legalized video poker machines are not sufficient to support the state-related schools, the state should seek alternative funding sources. Through Student Government, Mompremier is working with student leaders at the other state-related institutions to raise awareness among students at each of the campuses. Earlier this week, several dozen students held a rally at Penn State’s University Park campus. A similar event is now being planned for Temple.

“We want our fellow students to know that this is an issue they should be concerned about,” said Mompremier. “We have to let our leaders know that this is something that we want changed.”

Temple president Ann Weaver Hart has said that she will work with the other state-related university presidents to advocate strongly for the university’s inclusion in the final program.

“In these difficult times, students need all the help they can get to keep their costs as low as possible,” said Hart. “Temple’s students deserve the same opportunities for support as those attending other schools in the commonwealth.”