Temple's Commonwealth appropriation was unanimously approved by the state Senate on Wednesday, by a vote of 50-0. As of late Wednesday afternoon, the appropriation only needed the signature of Gov. Edward Rendell to be finalized. The House approved the appropriation earlier this spring.

“This was a significant achievement for Temple, especially when the demands on the state budget have never been greater,” said Ken Lawrence Jr., senior vice president for Government, Community and Public Affairs. “We are grateful for the support that Temple has received from our elected officials.”

In addition to the Commonwealth appropriation for Temple and the other state-related schools, both houses of the General Assembly gave final approval to a $28 billion budget on Wednesday. Gov. Rendell announced he expects he will sign the budget into law, as soon as other budget-related bills are completed “by the end of the week; possibly sooner.”

Members of the Temple Advocates Legislative Outreach Network (TALON) help to keep the university’s interests in front of the General Assembly members. To find out more about TALON and how you can take action on behalf of Temple’s ongoing needs, go to the Office of Government Relations website.