More than 100 students from the Commonwealth’s independent colleges and universities will participate in a noon press conference in the Capitol Rotunda to cap the annual Student Lobby Day on Tuesday, April 8, 2008. The event is sponsored by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP). Students from 35 independent colleges and universities across Pennsylvania—including Seton Hill University —will be in the Capitol visiting with their local legislators.

Due to changes in federal law and turmoil in financial markets caused by the national subprime mortgage crisis, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) may not have the business earnings needed to provide the same financial supplement to the Pennsylvania State Grant Program as it has in recent years. PHEAA is contributing $69 million of its earnings to help supplement the state’s $386 million appropriation to the Program for the current school year.

Despite Governor Rendell’s proposed 3 percent increase ($11.6 million) for the State Grant Program, many students could experience a noticeable reduction in their grants in the next academic year. Throughout the day, students will be asking legislators for a 10 percent increase in the state’s appropriation to the Grant Program ($38.6 million) to simply keep the grant levels similar to this current academic year. Legislative commitment to Pennsylvania college students had made ten percent funding increases relatively customary in the recent past.

At the noon press conference, PHEAA Board Chairman Rep. William Adolph (R-Delaware), AICUP Board Chairman Dr. Brian Mitchell (President of Bucknell University), and Pennsylvania State Grant recipient Richard Riley, who attends Villanova University, will speak.

More than 100 college students representing schools from throughout the Commonwealth will be available for media interviews and photo opportunities. Your coverage is invited.

About AICUP:
The Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), the only statewide organization that serves exclusively the interests of private higher education within the Commonwealth, exists to complement and support the work of campus leaders. With a membership of 84 private colleges and universities within Pennsylvania, the Association provides a variety of services and programs tailored specifically to the needs and situation of independent higher education. A list of AICUP’s member colleges and universities is included on its website at www.aicup.org.