Harrisburg, Pa (November 15, 2023) – State Senator Carolyn Comitta applauded the passage of legislation allocating long overdue state funding to Lincoln University and the three other Pennsylvania state-related universities.
House Bill 1461, the State-Related University Nonpreferred Appropriations Act, passed the Senate by a vote of 45-5 Wednesday. It was subsequently approved in the House and now goes to the governor for his signature.
Watch: Senator Comitta calls on the legislature to fund Lincoln University.
Comitta has been a strong advocate for releasing the funding, which has been held up since the summer as part of the budget process.
“When Lincoln University became a state-related institution in 1972, the legislature made a promise. And today, that promise was kept,” Comitta, who serves on the Senate Education Committee, said. “I am grateful that we were finally able to vote on this bill and am proud of all the students and allies that advocated for Lincoln and the other state-related schools. They deserve to know that their schools have the funds and resources necessary to continue to provide a top-notch education.”
The vote comes on the heels of the Lincoln March, a 66-mile student-led advocacy march from Lincoln University to the state capitol in Harrisburg to urge the legislature to release the funding. The march took place over last weekend and concluded with a rally in Harrisburg on Monday.
“I speak not only for the 13 other students that marched 66 miles with me, but also for the 1,800 Lincoln students in total, when I say that we are elated to have received news of the Senate’s passage of HB 1461. This funding is crucial to keep Lincoln as the last best hope for many of our students so we can continue our long tradition of learning, liberating, and leading,” said Drake Smith, a junior at Lincoln University and lead organizer of the march. “I am especially thankful for Senator Comitta’s unwavering commitment to Lincoln and the community it serves.”
Under the legislation, Lincoln will receive nearly $18.5 million in state support, which accounts for about 20 percent of the school’s operating budget. Funding was also released for Penn State, Temple University, and the University of Pittsburgh.
“I was pleased to hear that the Senate passed HB 1461 supporting funding for Lincoln University. Lincoln depends on the state appropriation to support scholarships for Pennsylvania residents as well as support for our operating budget. It has been tough to manage the budget the last five-months but I am pleased that the bill is moving along and that there is an increase for Lincoln. The Lincoln University is grateful to both the House and the Senate for their continuous support,” said Dr. Brenda Allen, President of Lincoln University.
Lincoln University, located in Lower Oxford Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, is the first degree-granting historically black college and university in the nation. It serves more than 1,800 graduate and undergraduate students annually and employs 100 full-time faculty members, as well as hundreds of additional staff.
For more information on Lincoln, visit www.lincoln.edu.