Apr 28, 2015 2 min read

I am extremely disappointed Gov. Tom Wolf recently threatened to withdraw his support for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education in order to win approval of a hypothetical tuition freeze next year. Although Wolf campaigned on the idea of a “fresh start,” his latest stunt reeks of old-fashioned politics at its very worst – resorting to extortion for the sole purpose of scoring a minor political victory.

At a recent Board of Governors meeting, a high-ranking Wolf administration official bullied members into passing a tuition freeze resolution by threatening to withdraw support for additional funding. No one wants to see a tuition increase on State System students and their families, but resorting to bullying and intimidation of the Board of Governors is the wrong approach and sets a very bad precedent. It is unconscionable that Wolf would show such blatant disregard for an independent body that plays such an important role in educating young people and preparing them to be leaders.

The State System of Higher Education is an engine for economic growth that produces thousands of qualified and capable graduates who are ready to enter the workforce each year. We see evidence of these benefits in local communities every day, as graduates of California University of Pennsylvania and other PASSHE schools continue to assume leadership roles in nearly every sector of the economy. That’s why it is so disappointing the Wolf Administration has resorted to strong-arming the higher education system instead of focusing on what is most important – the commonwealth’s students. Pennsylvanians deserve better.

Camera Bartolotta

Monongahela

Bartolotta is a state senator representing Pennsylvania’s 46th Senate District.