Spanier says layoffs possible

By Adam Smeltz, asmeltz@centredaily.com

HARRISBURG — HARRISBURG — Unless the state approves a funding increase for cooperative-extension and agricultural-research programs, Penn State would probably be forced to lay off workers in those divisions, university President Graham Spanier said this morning.

Spanier, appearing in a House budget hearing, said he was baffled that Gov. Ed Rendell's proposed budget for 2007-08 includes no change for Penn State cooperative extension and agricultural research.

"To me, actually, it's inexplicable," Spanier told a House panel. "I don't understand."

Those Penn State units, which do not use any tuition money, have a presence in each of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. They provide advice, research and other direction to the public in a number of realms, including food safety, emergency preparedness and disease control.

When Avian flu, West Nile virus or other maladies spread, Spanier said, "people will want to turn to Penn State for a practical solution, for a research solution."

The Rendell budget, he went on, threatens to dilute Penn State's ability to respond.

In an interview after the hearing, Spanier said he was uncertain how many agricultural-research and cooperative-extension jobs could be at stake if the Rendell budget is approved.

Rendell proposed a zero-percent increase for those units in 2006, as well. At the time, Penn State reported that the impact could cost the university about 50 jobs.

The university and state officials ultimately negotiated a state-funding increase last year. No jobs were lost, though Penn State did downsize agricultural research and cooperative extension in earlier years.

Spanier, in the interview, said he hopes Rendell assumed that Penn State will lobby — successfully — for an increase over the proposed budget. The governor has also proposed no state-funding increase for the Pennsylvania College of Technology, a Penn State unit.

But he has suggested a 2 percent increase in general-education funding for the university.

Spanier's visit to Harrisburg this morning was part of a joint appearance by the executives of all four state-related universities. The academic leaders are scheduled to appear together again this afternoon before a Senate committee.

Penn State, which has an annual budget in excess of $3 billion, receives a tenth of its funding from the state. For the 2008-08 year, Rendell has proposed a 1.58 percent increase in state money for the university. Spanier is seeking an increase of nearly 7 percent.

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Adam Smeltz can be reached at 571-4238.