Dear University Community,
Last night, the House of Representatives passed the non-preferred appropriation bill that funds Pitt by an overwhelming margin of 181-5. The bill now goes to Governor Tom Wolf for his approval, so this action essentially marks the end of the stalemate that was blocking passage of our funding bill for the current year.
Your strong support, expressed in tens of thousands of phone calls, emails and letters, was vital to this positive outcome. Your messages to lawmakers affirmed that the University of Pittsburgh is critically important to Pennsylvania families and to the success of our Commonwealth. The central theme was clear: Pennsylvania and its citizens are winners when we support the world-class research and education that Pitt provides. Thank you for your willingness to get involved. Your voice made a difference!
Now, it is important that we share our appreciation for this hard-won outcome. I am asking you to visit with.pitt.edu one more time to thank our leaders in Harrisburg for passing the appropriation bill to fund Pitt for this fiscal year. We will need their support for the next budget season, so it is important to demonstrate that we appreciate their support for Pitt and that it matters. After all: With Pitt, Pennsylvania wins.
Thank you,
Patrick Gallagher
Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh