Government and Community Affairs Update |
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August 26, 2014, Volume 61, No. 02 |
Penn’s Commonwealth Appropriations for FY 2014-2015
On July 1, 2014, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (vote of 193-9) and the Senate (50-0) approved the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine non-preferred Commonwealth appropriation bill (House Bill 2338) for FY 2014-2015. The legislation, as signed into law by Governor Corbett provides $28,261,000 for the School of Veterinary Medicine, an amount equal to the FY 2013-2014 budget and the Governor’s February budget proposal. The appropriation received the support of virtually every major agricultural organization in Pennsylvania in recognition of the school’s contribution to agriculture in the Commonwealth.
The General Assembly also passed House Bill 2328, the FY 2014-2015 General Fund Budget for the Commonwealth. House Bill 2328 restores a portion of the Commonwealth Universal Research and Education (CURE) program funding for the current year, and all of the funding for the upcoming year. Funding for the program was subject to an arbitration decision and later appeal which reduced the amount of total available funding. House Bill 2328 also included funding from the Department of Public Welfare for the School of Nursing Living Independently for the Elderly Program (LIFE) and level funding for the Physician Practice Plan which provides funding to the Perelman School of Medicine and the Dental School. In addition, appropriations for Community Colleges, the State System of Higher Education and Pitt, Temple and Lincoln University were funded at the FY 2013-2014 level, while Penn State received a modest increase in funding for the Pennsylvania College of Technology, a two-year technical training program run by the university in North Central Pennsylvania.
On July 2, 2014, Governor Tom Corbett signed into law House Bill 272. The legislation, now known as Act 89 of 2014, was sought by Pennsylvania’s three dental schools including Penn as a means to attract and retain faculty by creating a new category of license for faculty who do not want to obtain a full Pennsylvania license, particularly those trained outside of the United States. The Act creates a restricted faculty license that allows the licensee to engage in direct clinical teaching, including practicing clinical care for the purpose of instructing students within the primary facilities of the employing dental school. The legislation was supported by the State Board of Dentistry and the Pennsylvania Dental Association.
New Associate Director of Federal Affairs
In June 2014, Erica Dowell joined the Office of Government and Community Affairs as Associate Director of Federal Affairs. Prior to this role, she led life science advocacy efforts out of the Washington, DC, British Embassy for UK Trade & Investment. This work focused on fostering innovation through invest and trade work in medical technology and pharmaceutical spaces. Previously, she worked with Small Business Majority as Outreach Manager and health lead outreaching to the business community through listening tours, webinars and panel discussions centered on small business policy issues. Ms. Dowell earned a BA in psychology and history from the University of Virginia.
—Jeffrey Cooper, Vice President, Government and Community Affairs
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