On Friday, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) visited Cheyney University in Cheyney, PA to host a ceremonial signing of HB897.
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NewsTranscript
00:00:30Good morning. I'm Aaron Walton, the 13th president of the historic Cheney University of Pennsylvania.
00:00:53And it's my distinct honor to welcome each of you to today's event.
00:00:59Cheney University holds a unique position within the American higher education community.
00:01:06It was established in 1837 through a request of Richard Humphreys, a Philadelphia Quaker, who wished to see young people of African descent have access to education.
00:01:21The challenge remains today, 187 years later.
00:01:26One of the most significant barriers to post-secondary education is cost.
00:01:32We live in an age where employment while attending college for a large majority of our students is an imperative, resulting from many adverse circumstances and family situations.
00:01:45I can personally relate to this challenge, having been the last of 12 children, a lot of kids, with parents having a second and eighth grade education respectively.
00:01:58Clearly, a first generation college student along with several of my siblings.
00:02:04One who also had to work full time all four years of my undergraduate education.
00:02:12Today, we are being presented with an opportunity to live out the theme of Maya Angelou's poem, And Still We Rise.
00:02:21A demonstration of resilience, empowerment, and overcoming obstacles.
00:02:27The poem celebrates the speaker's ability to rise above difficulties and societal expectations, emphasizing the dignity and strength of marginalized people.
00:02:41Governor Shapiro's and the bipartisan legislators' unwavering commitment to investing in our students and institutions is a beacon of hope and progress, especially for historically black colleges and universities like Cheney.
00:02:58This significant investment not only acknowledges the vital role that HBCUs play in shaping future leaders, but also ensures that we can continue to provide an exceptional education to our deserving students.
00:03:13We celebrate this remarkable achievement and look forward to boundless opportunities it will create for our community and beyond.
00:03:22And while I'm here, let me thank and welcome some of our dignitaries.
00:03:27Senator Vincent Hughes.
00:03:35Representative Jordan Harris.
00:03:41Senator John Kane.
00:03:46Representative Amara.
00:03:49Representative Mary Isingson.
00:03:54Representative Craig Williams.
00:03:58Commissioner Josh Maxwell.
00:04:03Commissioner Marion Moskowitz.
00:04:07Ryan Boyer, our chair.
00:04:12Pastor Marshall Mitchell.
00:04:14And Councilman Richard Womack of Delco.
00:04:17Thank you all for being here.
00:04:20And now we'll hear from our secretary.
00:04:29Thank you so much and good afternoon.
00:04:33I am Secretary Dr. Khalid Mumine, and I am thrilled to be here today.
00:04:41To celebrate these investments in higher education here in the Commonwealth.
00:04:46I think that deserves a round of applause.
00:04:49Our HBCUs, like Cheney, produce nearly 20% of all African-American college students or college graduates, and nearly 25% of all African-American STEM graduates.
00:05:02So it's critical that we invest in our colleges as a way to make sure that our students have access to education.
00:05:12So it's critical that we invest in our colleges as they prepare today's learners for tomorrow's jobs.
00:05:22Now, under Governor Shapiro's leadership, we are making progress for the first time in decades.
00:05:32And that entails building and investing in a stronger, higher education system to meet Pennsylvania's needs long term and make education more affordable for more students.
00:05:51And we are coordinating every sector of higher education and ensure that it meets critical workforce needs and serves as an economic driver for Pennsylvania.
00:06:03Together, we can make an impact on learners today, tomorrow, and for future generations to come.
00:06:13So again, thank you, Governor Shapiro, for your leadership.
00:06:18Thank you to our legislators for their collaboration and leadership.
00:06:22And thank you to the great graduates and prospective graduates of our HBCUs because they are truly being prepared for an ever-changing future.
00:06:33So thank you so much.
00:06:37It is my pleasure to bring to the podium Representative Williams.
00:06:44Thank you. I am Representative Craig Williams.
00:06:48And welcome to the 160th District where you are right now.
00:06:52It is my great pleasure to be the representative for Cheney University.
00:06:57And I should also note that I am the Republican up here.
00:07:01And I want you to know why I point that out to you.
00:07:06Because it took many of us to cross the aisle.
00:07:08Number one, to get this budget done.
00:07:10And number two, to make education a priority in this budget.
00:07:14And agree with people like Chairman Harris who graciously allowed the education issue from my Republican caucus to be a central theme of this budget.
00:07:24Which I think brought over dozens of Republican votes when we eventually passed this budget.
00:07:29I am grateful for this bipartisan atmosphere, especially on this issue.
00:07:35For me, this was the issue that got my yes vote.
00:07:40This was it.
00:07:42If you wanted to give me a win back home in my district, it was HBCUs, Cheney University, scholarships for students that would reduce their cost of education.
00:07:53We know that if you make cost prohibitive going to college, they won't go.
00:07:59One of the other things that we did was to try to reduce the brain drain in Pennsylvania.
00:08:04And by that I mean giving them opportunities to find education pathways to serve Pennsylvania.
00:08:11Cheney has one of the leading programs right here that is making contact with Chester County businesses to try to help students understand what our local needs are in terms of college educated graduates.
00:08:25That's how you lead.
00:08:27And it takes money.
00:08:29We got, I think, half a million dollars in this year's budget for Cheney.
00:08:32We got $6,000 per year for students to get those scholarships.
00:08:36We've also started programs to incent people to study in areas where we need people in Pennsylvania.
00:08:43But we're not done fighting.
00:08:46I know the caucus behind me right now would agree, we're not done fighting when it comes to education in Pennsylvania.
00:08:53This is the doorstep for everything we need, building our economy, safer streets, opportunity in Pennsylvania, bringing businesses to Pennsylvania, reducing tax burden because we have more wealth.
00:09:05It all starts with education.
00:09:08Thank you so much for coming to my district, Governor.
00:09:10Thank you for being here.
00:09:12I know you have a little bit on your plate right now.
00:09:15We're so grateful that you would take time for this.
00:09:18And with that, I'd like to turn it over to another fellow Delaware County representative, Representative Jennifer O'Mara.
00:09:30Good morning, everyone.
00:09:32My name is Jennifer O'Mara, and I am a state representative from Delaware County.
00:09:37So I am thrilled today to be here to celebrate the passage of the budget, the investments that we made in public education and higher education, and the bill signing for a piece of legislation that includes legislation that I have been working on.
00:09:52As a legislator, since I've been in Harrisburg, I have worked on the Student Debt Caucus, founding a caucus that didn't exist because I graduated from a school in Pennsylvania with the average amount of debt that a student graduates with, around $40,000.
00:10:07That's too much, and it is prohibitive for so many.
00:10:11I'm also thrilled to be here today because I am a member of the FIAA Board of Directors, and I know firsthand the impact that we are going to make on students who rely on the FIAA grant so they can attend school.
00:10:23I know that creating a grant program that's going to help and support disadvantaged students is going to create opportunities for kids who need them.
00:10:31And I'm also thrilled to be here today because I am a PASHE graduate.
00:10:35I graduated from Westchester University right down the street.
00:10:40We did a lot in coordination with Cheney.
00:10:43I also went to school to be a teacher, so I was a student teacher.
00:10:46I remember having to work a full-time job while student teaching.
00:10:50It was one of the hardest times in my life because you weren't allowed—you didn't get paid.
00:10:54You had no compensation for being a student teacher.
00:10:56And this is going to continue to invest in the stipends we've already created.
00:11:01And lastly, I'm thrilled to be here because I'm a first-generation college student.
00:11:06I lost my dad—oh, thank you.
00:11:08Very exciting.
00:11:10I lost my dad when I was 13 years old.
00:11:12I was raised by a single mom from the city of Philadelphia.
00:11:15The fact that I stand here before you today alongside the governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the chairs of appropriations in the House and the Senate, as an elected official, is truly remarkable and only possible because of my education, my public and higher education.
00:11:33And so I thank you all for understanding and recognizing that this budget needed to include this investment and for allowing me to be a small part of this amazing celebration.
00:11:47I now would like to introduce my friend and colleague, Representative Mary Isaacson.
00:11:59And this is a great day.
00:12:00It's a day to celebrate where we're making overdue investments in higher education here in Pennsylvania.
00:12:06And there are so many distinctive investments and reforms to celebrate in this bill.
00:12:12This new law, which we're here to sign today, makes a payment—a down payment on public higher education.
00:12:19And we are only getting started.
00:12:21This is only a starting point.
00:12:24While the new board will work to bring stakeholders together, this law will also enable our public higher education systems to make more accessible and affordable to those looking for training and career paths.
00:12:37Dual enrollment in this bill will create a new and simplified path for students to earn college credits with support services provided to a larger population who may not have ever been able to benefit from it in the past.
00:12:52This law also calls for articulation credits acceptance across all of our public higher education systems, making a four-year degree more affordable, as well as creating easier transfers and transitions for students.
00:13:08English 101 now is the same no matter where you get it, whether it be a community college or a PASHE institution.
00:13:16The new recording requirements will make it easier for the board to collect data and to make sure we are meeting the needs of the students and the needs of our current and future workforce.
00:13:31And as a board member of FEA, I saw the wild success of the student teacher stipend program last year.
00:13:39It sold out in one day.
00:13:41Maybe an hour or two.
00:13:43And I'm happy this year that we doubled down on that and trying to get more teachers into the pipeline to address the teacher shortage we have here in Pennsylvania and make sure that we are paying student teachers for their valuable time.
00:13:58And thank you to everybody who worked on this legislation.
00:14:01Thank you, Governor, for your leadership in this.
00:14:04And it is my honor to introduce Senator John Koehn.
00:14:08Thank you, Governor.
00:14:14Good morning, everybody.
00:14:15So I'm Senator John Koehn, and welcome to the 9th Senatorial District, which encompasses parts of Delaware County and also Chester County, Lake Cheney University.
00:14:26What an honor it is to be back in our nation's first and most historic HBCU, right here in the 9th District.
00:14:37Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of touring this iconic campus, learning about its rich history and meeting the wonderful folks who make this place so special.
00:14:51During that visit, I made a promise to Cheney, its board, the staff, and its incredible students.
00:14:59We would make real investments and bring real opportunities to this university.
00:15:06Today, I am proud to say that we have a historic state budget that fulfills that promise.
00:15:14We have investments in higher ed, investments in our current and future educators, and we have key policies that will enhance the level of education our students are getting.
00:15:30We also have a governor, and hopefully future me, Payne.
00:15:37That's right.
00:15:41Who not only shares a powerful vision for education in our commonwealth, but is taking concrete steps to elevate our schools to the level they deserve.
00:15:53Now, I used to be a plumber, so I'll leave all the big budget numbers to our governor, but let me say this.
00:16:02Cheney has no doubt faced its fair share of challenges, as pioneers often do, but Cheney has never, ever stopped pushing forward.
00:16:18That's right.
00:16:20The future here is bright, and Cheney's students continue to be in excellent hands.
00:16:26Our accredited and beautiful HBCU, thank you.
00:16:33And now, it's my distinguished honor to introduce Majority Chair, Representative Jordan Howard.
00:16:43Good morning, Cheney.
00:16:48Good morning.
00:16:49Oh, come on.
00:16:50It's the HBCU.
00:16:53We grew up in the black church.
00:16:56We know colors.
00:16:57Let's try this again.
00:16:58Good morning, Cheney.
00:16:59Good morning.
00:17:00All right.
00:17:01That's a little bit better.
00:17:02All right.
00:17:03Praise the Lord.
00:17:04All right.
00:17:05Listen, it's an honor and a privilege to be here on the campus of Cheney University, the nation's first historically black college and university, founded in 1837.
00:17:17The university that many follow, many have tried to emulate and imitate, but the best, the brightest, and the first to do it.
00:17:30It is always a pleasure to be with my governor, Governor Shapiro.
00:17:35Glad to be here with you, and thank you for all of the work that we did together to get this budget done.
00:17:41So glad to see all of the media.
00:17:43I'm so glad you all came to see me today.
00:17:45You can answer all their questions.
00:17:48But, no, but seriously, this is a great day for us here in the Commonwealth.
00:17:59This was a good budget, and I've said this time and time again, I've been in the legislature for six terms, and I've voted on several budgets in the past,
00:18:09but this was the first time that I can honestly say I am proud of the budget that we passed.
00:18:16I am proud of the things that are included in this budget, and what we're here today to celebrate is a big part of that.
00:18:25For those that don't know, Cheney University is not just an HBCU.
00:18:29It is not just a member of the state system of higher education.
00:18:33Cheney University is the conscience of the black community in Pennsylvania.
00:18:38Cheney University is the place where many of our best and brightest have been educated, trained, motivated, and have gone on to be successful.
00:18:49People like Octavius Cato, who if you go to the city of Philadelphia, there's a statue in his honor.
00:18:55A black man who was killed registering people to vote.
00:18:59A black man who was very instrumental in making sure that people that look like me have the right to vote in this country.
00:19:06People like Julian Abel, who was an architect.
00:19:09A lot of folks don't talk about Julian Abel, but Julian Abel lived actually in part of my district, which is now called Black Doctors Row.
00:19:17If you look at the art museum, if you look at the free library, you're looking at Julian Abel's work.
00:19:23If you look at people like Baynard Rustin, a civil rights leader, guess where Baynard Rustin was educated, reared, and got his identity?
00:19:32Here at Cheney University.
00:19:35When you watched 60 Minutes and you saw that guy, Ed Bradley, well, you didn't know it at the time, but you were looking at one of Cheney University's best, brightest, and finest.
00:19:45And whenever you get that Philadelphia Tribune, don't forget about our friend and one of Cheney's biggest cheerleaders, Bob Bogle,
00:19:53or another one of our big cheerleaders for Cheney, Brother Sam Patterson.
00:20:00Listen, I say these names, I say these names not just for shout outs and for purposes,
00:20:06but you have to understand the lineage and the heritage of the ground that you stand on today.
00:20:14I would say to you today that for many of us, it is sacred ground.
00:20:18It is hollow ground.
00:20:21Right here at Cheney University, some of the sharpest minds in America were educated.
00:20:29For a very long time, if you were a school teacher in the Philadelphia school district and in school districts around Philadelphia,
00:20:36you were educated right here at Cheney University.
00:20:43So let me, you know, please, ma'am, please, sir, let me just take a moment in time for us to recognize why this budget matters.
00:20:52See, these aren't just dollars and cents.
00:20:55They aren't just lines on a paper, but it is the future of the Commonwealth.
00:21:00When a teacher stands in front of a young person and that teacher is able to ignite the mind of that young people,
00:21:08ignite the inquisitive nature of a young person, that teacher sets that young person on fire.
00:21:17And once that fire begins to burn, you can never shut it off.
00:21:22But that teacher is typically educated here at Cheney University.
00:21:30So, yes, it's a six percent increase.
00:21:33Yes, PASHE has frozen tuition again for years in a row.
00:21:38You know, you can plan for that.
00:21:39That's good.
00:21:42But understand something.
00:21:44It's not just the money, but it's what the money represents.
00:21:50Pennsylvania will have no future if we don't invest in our young people.
00:21:56I would submit to you Black America would have no future without places like Cheney University.
00:22:03All right.
00:22:06So I'm grateful today to be here with all of you, and I'm grateful to stand with my governor who gets it, who understands,
00:22:14who doesn't have to be convinced about why these investments matter.
00:22:20He's been a true partner in our work to invest in what I consider our most valuable asset in Pennsylvania,
00:22:28and that is our young people.
00:22:30So this is a start.
00:22:34We got more work to do.
00:22:36We have more investments to make.
00:22:38We have more people to inspire, more young people like the one you're going to hear from, to make sure.
00:22:44We can't tell these young people, right, that they need to go to school and do the best.
00:22:49If we're not going to put the resources there so that when they do what we ask them to do, we need to take care of the rest.
00:22:57Okay.
00:22:58You can't tell them that education is the elevator out of poverty and then give them a broken elevator.
00:23:03You got to make sure it's maintained and that it's working.
00:23:06All right.
00:23:08So that's why we're here today, to celebrate this historic investment,
00:23:13because we know that the young people that leave this hollow ground will make history one way or the other.
00:23:21It's my privilege to introduce my friend, the Chairman of Appropriations on the other side of the building, State Senator Vincent Hughes.
00:23:29Good job.
00:23:35Give Chairman Harris another round of applause, please.
00:23:38Do that.
00:23:40All right.
00:23:41Look at Mike McGuire over there.
00:23:42All right.
00:23:43Let's do it like this.
00:23:44We are at Cheney University.
00:23:45What do we do?
00:23:46See you.
00:23:47See you.
00:23:48Oh, no, no, no, no.
00:23:50See you.
00:23:51See you.
00:23:52See you.
00:23:53See you.
00:23:54See you.
00:23:55That's much better.
00:23:57All right.
00:23:58So you got a lot of great minds who are up here and making speeches and doing stuff like that, but it don't happen.
00:24:07Governor, you know how this works.
00:24:09It doesn't happen without some serious, hardworking staff to get all the points together and get them all on paper and make sure the numbers add up.
00:24:16I got to give a shout-out to my Chief Counsel, Michael Deary, who you had the opportunity to meet because she's going to be interning for me, Governor.
00:24:23Oh, good.
00:24:25All right.
00:24:26Michael Deary is here.
00:24:28Mike is here.
00:24:29Thank you, Michael.
00:24:31Just two representatives of all of the staff, all of the staff who have been involved in this process to make a difference.
00:24:43So two years ago, it was a different campaign season, and we sat down with the Governor.
00:24:55Ryan, you may remember this conversation, and we sat down with the gentleman who wanted to be Governor, and we had this conversation,
00:25:03and we talked about the importance of Cheney University and Lincoln University and the fact that these two of the oldest,
00:25:14and I know you're hearing a lot about Howard University, appropriately so.
00:25:19Appropriately so.
00:25:20Appropriately so.
00:25:21Okay?
00:25:22See what an HBCU can do for you.
00:25:25All right?
00:25:26All right?
00:25:27See what an HBCU can do for you.
00:25:29But the first, we're right here in Pennsylvania.
00:25:33That's right.
00:25:34And we talked about how we need to escalate and increase not just the support but also the visibility
00:25:44and these historic cultural landmarks that have had footprint not just in Pennsylvania but all across the country, in fact, all across the world.
00:25:55And we had that conversation.
00:25:57It was a long conversation.
00:26:00But our Governor has listened, and he's delivered.
00:26:04He has delivered.
00:26:06His first commencement speech, I believe, was at Lincoln University.
00:26:09Correct.
00:26:10All right?
00:26:11And I don't know, President Walton, what you got planned for commencement this time, but, you know, I'm sure he might be available.
00:26:17All right?
00:26:18All right?
00:26:19If you ask now, okay, because, you know, things could change.
00:26:22All right?
00:26:23All right?
00:26:24You get to plug in now.
00:26:26All right?
00:26:27You know.
00:26:28Okay.
00:26:29I'm sorry.
00:26:30Let's move on.
00:26:31All right?
00:26:32You just opened it up for that, man.
00:26:33You know?
00:26:34What can I say?
00:26:35The important thing is that in addition to acknowledging the importance of this university and our sister university down the road,
00:26:45the Governor has also been strategic in making sure that we put the environment together to make those successes mean something more.
00:26:55There's been a lot of talk about our historic investments in basic education this year.
00:27:00A lot of talk about that.
00:27:02You know, over $1.1 billion of new investments, especially going to K-12 schools that have historically been locked out and left out.
00:27:14But if you don't make the investment in higher education, you really can't respond to what you've done in K-12.
00:27:21And so what we did with the Governor's challenge to us, and he challenged the legislature on February 6, 2024,
00:27:29he challenged the legislature to step up and do something different in higher education, and that is what we have done.
00:27:35We talk about the investments, a dramatic investment in Keystone Honors, a dramatic new investment in the Bond Hill Scholarship Program.
00:27:43I know you like those.
00:27:44I know you like those.
00:27:45All right?
00:27:46I know you like those, which I think you're going to be taking advantage of.
00:27:48All right?
00:27:49Okay?
00:27:50Dramatic investments all across the board, campus investment, infrastructure investment, all across the campus.
00:27:55You like that, right?
00:27:56Okay?
00:27:57All right?
00:27:58And wonderful things that are going on, but it's been strategic.
00:28:02It's been thoughtful.
00:28:03It's been purposeful.
00:28:05And he has led us to rise to the occasion.
00:28:07Transparency in your higher education experience.
00:28:11You'll be able to know coming into a university all the costs you're going to have to deal with for those four years.
00:28:18And you'll know with counseling when you leave, when you graduate the university, everything that's on the table.
00:28:24You would think that that would be automatic, but that's not the case.
00:28:27So we had to make sure that that was in the legislative package.
00:28:30So all of that is part of this.
00:28:33And we're glad.
00:28:35Chairman Harris, you know, you and I started out about four or five years ago with the PA Promise.
00:28:40That's right.
00:28:41Okay?
00:28:42Which was all about the pathway to free and affordable college.
00:28:45We have finally gotten it done.
00:28:47And thankfully, we've gotten it done with Governor Josh Shapiro pushing us to make sure it happens.
00:28:53And, of course, the Student Teacher Stipend Program where we've doubled from $10 million to $20 million.
00:29:00So maybe it takes two days to utilize all of that.
00:29:06But making sure that we do maybe the most important thing, which is invest in our teachers.
00:29:11Because without teachers, none of this, none of this is possible.
00:29:15And for someone, if I can introduce to you now, someone who obviously listened to some very, very good teachers.
00:29:23And she is on her way into her senior year.
00:29:27And we're going to try to do our best to make it as smooth as possible for her, all right, so that she can graduate, go to law school,
00:29:34and then be the inspiration for other young people to, in fact, do the same, if you will.
00:29:41Please, John Kane, Delaware County, one of Delaware County's own, okay?
00:29:46Veronica Redden.
00:29:47Veronica.
00:29:48Veronica.
00:29:55Thank you to Senator Hughes.
00:29:57Good morning.
00:29:58My name is Veronica Redden.
00:30:00I'm a senior here at Cheney University.
00:30:02My journey began four years ago as I was filling out college applications.
00:30:07And if I can remember, it was a time of uncertainty as to how I was going to pay for the education I was seeking out.
00:30:14I had schools I showed interest in and schools that showed interest in me, but none were offering the support me and my family were searching for.
00:30:23That is until I got a call from the admissions office stating that I qualified for the Keystone Honors Scholarship, a full tuition scholarship.
00:30:33The promise of a free education motivated me to not just attend but excel during my time at Cheney.
00:30:43Looking back on my time here, I'm proud to say that I've been encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity that would open up for me,
00:30:51opportunities to prioritize learning and growth without the worries of a tuition bill.
00:30:57It's the reason why I'm able to stand here today introducing Governor Shapiro as he signs this historic bipartisan budget bridging more gaps than one,
00:31:06a budget that will provide students just like me with the support they need to pursue a higher education.
00:31:22Let me begin by saying, Veronica, this is why we do what we do for you.
00:31:28And I want you to know it's not just that you're an outstanding student.
00:31:33It's not just that you're dedicated to your craft of learning, but you're paying it forward in your community,
00:31:39already doing an internship to strengthen your community in Delaware County and doing work to help your fellow neighbor.
00:31:47You know, my faith teaches me no one is required to complete the task, but neither are we free to refrain from.
00:31:54Each of us has a responsibility to get off the sidelines, get in the game and do our part.
00:32:00Veronica, you are doing your part and we are grateful to you.
00:32:07Mr. President, thank you for having me.
00:32:09I would note for the record a bit of a failure in your leadership because when Senator Hughes was introduced,
00:32:15the drum band played him on.
00:32:17When I was introduced, I got bupkis when I got up.
00:32:21Come on, guys.
00:32:23Give me a little something.
00:32:25There we go.
00:32:32All right.
00:32:34We're cheering on the New Look Sixers this year.
00:32:38PG-13 is in town.
00:32:40Mr. President, thank you for your leadership.
00:32:43And you have had tests in your leadership, not just the daily tests of a university president, but a whole lot thrown at you.
00:32:52And we've been with you every step of the way, and you've been an outstanding leader for this university.
00:32:56We're proud to have your back.
00:33:01The president knows he's only as good as the team around him, so let me give a shout-out to the folks who represent that team around him,
00:33:08the great women and men of AFSCME and APSCUF who are here doing great work at Cheney University every single day.
00:33:19We're grateful for the work you do and the way in which you stand up and make sure folks like Veronica get the best quality education,
00:33:27one of the finest institutions in America.
00:33:30As you know from Professor Jordan Harris, the new history professor here at Cheney University,
00:33:36I assume you've figured out a way to sign that up.
00:33:40The chairman gave us an important history lesson, of course, noting that Cheney is the first HBCU in this nation,
00:33:48and it holds a special place in the history of this commonwealth and the history of this country.
00:33:54The mark its graduates have left have been felt far and wide, not just here in suburban Philly or in the city or in the commonwealth,
00:34:03but indeed all across this country.
00:34:06Cheney's excellence has paved the way for generational efforts that have created meaningful change.
00:34:15For nearly two centuries, HBCUs like Cheney have helped ensure that the doors of opportunity are open to more people,
00:34:23that quality education is more accessible, especially for black Pennsylvanians,
00:34:28especially for folks who have historically been denied the opportunity to pursue a college degree.
00:34:36And in the face of hard times, Cheney has remained resilient, continuing to make progress,
00:34:42while also remaining true to their legacy, true to who they are as one of only two HBCUs in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
00:34:52a legacy that really matters and a legacy that we value here in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
00:34:59in the governor's office, in the legislature, and in both parties here in Pennsylvania.
00:35:05And so when our administration heard that Cheney's accreditation status was abruptly placed on probation last year,
00:35:12I want you to know we all went to work and we pushed back hard.
00:35:16And I personally lobbied from the secretary of education to others to make sure they relooked at the decision that they made,
00:35:23the wrong decision that they made.
00:35:25And I want to give special thanks to this entire group up here, but especially to Chairman Hughes,
00:35:30who challenged all of us, who pushed all of us on this, and who ultimately was our partner in making sure that we reaffirmed Cheney's accreditation going forward.
00:35:43And so with that behind us, today we get to stand up together and talk about the future of education in Pennsylvania
00:35:53and the future of a great quality education here at Cheney University for the next generation of leaders like Veronica.
00:36:01Look, I firmly believe that every Pennsylvanian, no matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love, or who you pray to,
00:36:09you should have the freedom to chart your own course and the opportunity to succeed.
00:36:14And we recognize there's many paths to success after a great K-12 education.
00:36:20Some of our young people will go in the military.
00:36:22Some of them will go straight into the workforce.
00:36:25Some will enter a union apprenticeship program under the leadership of people like Ryan Boyer, the head of the Philadelphia Building Trades.
00:36:32And hear me on this.
00:36:34We need to respect all paths to opportunity and success.
00:36:38All paths to opportunity and success.
00:36:42And for those who choose to pursue opportunity in our college classrooms, well, we're making sure we are there for you.
00:36:53After 30 years of disinvesting from higher education, and because of that, playing a game of subtraction in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
00:37:03subtracting resources, subtracting services, subtracting access, well, as a result of that game of subtraction, over three decades,
00:37:13enrollment declined and the cost of attending our colleges and universities has skyrocketed.
00:37:19But this group, this group understood instinctively that we needed to do better in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
00:37:27So my first budget address about a year and a half ago, I stood before a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the General Assembly
00:37:35and said to them and the good people of Pennsylvania that we need to do something about this.
00:37:40We can no longer play that game of subtraction.
00:37:44Let's reimagine higher education together.
00:37:47How about we stop playing subtraction games and start playing games of addition in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania?
00:37:53And so I directed our great Secretary of Education, Dr. Khalid Mumine, who stands tall behind us here today,
00:38:00and his amazing team at the Pennsylvania Department of Education to bring together higher education leaders,
00:38:06including your president from all across Pennsylvania, to have that meaningful conversation,
00:38:11to change that dynamic that's existed here for decades.
00:38:15He put his outstanding deputy, Secretary Kate Shaw, on the job, and under her leadership,
00:38:21the Department of Education listened to stakeholders, to students, to higher ed leaders, legislators, labor leaders,
00:38:31and so many more who have a stake in the success of a place like Cheney University.
00:38:36And with that feedback, we put forth a blueprint on how we could reimagine higher education,
00:38:42that we would reinvest in our colleges and universities, we would make college education more affordable,
00:38:49and hear me on this, more accessible to all Pennsylvanians,
00:38:54and that we would increase coordination between our colleges and universities.
00:38:59Thanks to the leadership of Chairman Harris in the House and Chairman Hughes in the Senate,
00:39:04and a bipartisan coalition that includes your legislators, Senator Kaine, Representative Williams,
00:39:11Representative Isakson, and O'Mara, they came together, and folks put their best ideas on the table.
00:39:18And you know what we did? We did something that too many folks in politics don't do today.
00:39:22We listened to one another, and we compromised, and we found a path forward to success for higher education in Pennsylvania.
00:39:31And that, right there, what I'm about to sign, is the result.
00:39:34A budget that makes the first significant investment and reform in higher education in more than 30 years in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
00:39:44Let me tell you what we're doing.
00:39:48First, we're creating a state board of higher education to coordinate higher ed in Pennsylvania,
00:39:53collect real data about what's working and what's not, so the dollars can specifically follow what's working for our young people.
00:40:01We want to make sure our colleges and universities are all rowing in the same direction.
00:40:06This board is going to find real solutions to the problems in higher education,
00:40:10and focus on tying the work that is happening in classrooms here at Cheney to the jobs we need all across Pennsylvania when folks graduate from this university.
00:40:20It's going to ensure that all of our colleges and universities serve now as economic drivers for progress in our communities all across Pennsylvania,
00:40:30and give students more tangible opportunities for success when they graduate a great institution like Cheney.
00:40:37And, number two, we are increasing our investment in PASHE schools, including Cheney University,
00:40:44and including in that increasing funds for our community colleges, which are so critically vital in communities all across Pennsylvania.
00:40:53The 6% increase is one thing, but this budget, this budget, as you heard from Chairman Harris before,
00:40:59this is a statement of our values, of what we respect, of reflecting what we believe in.
00:41:07We believe in high-quality, affordable education for all in Pennsylvania, and we especially believe in our two HBCUs.
00:41:16This investment is critical so that we can preserve the pathway to opportunity all across Pennsylvania.
00:41:23And, again, it's especially critical to our HBCUs.
00:41:26I have said many times from that private meeting I had with Ryan Boyer and Chairman Hughes to many times all across this commonwealth,
00:41:34whether at an HBCU or not, that I'm committed to supporting in and investing in our HBCUs in a meaningful way as we reimagine higher education in Pennsylvania.
00:41:46Hear me on this.
00:41:47As we do this reimagination of higher ed, it's not just nice to invest in HBCUs.
00:41:54It is absolutely critical that we do that if we want to make sure we set up our higher ed system and its students for success.
00:42:03I have visited your friendly rival.
00:42:05In fact, you all got me in trouble when I was at Lincoln a few months ago because I made the mistake of uttering the two words that they did not want to hear on game day.
00:42:15I said Cheney University about four hours before you all had a basketball game that night, and they kind of lit me up with some booze over at Lincoln.
00:42:24But I know it is a friendly rival, and I know that we all want to support and lift up both HBCUs in Pennsylvania.
00:42:34But, listen, our relationship with Cheney is very special and very particular.
00:42:39In addition to all the additional funding in the budget that's going to help lift up our colleges and universities, we have earmarked specifically $2.5 million for two scholarship funds specifically here at Cheney for Cheney students and Cheney alum who want to continue
00:42:56who choose to continue their studies at a graduate program here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
00:43:08That's money specifically earmarked to help our Cheney students get further ahead and to be able to realize their dreams.
00:43:16That is, of course, on top of the tens of millions of dollars in additional scholarships that we are making available to college students across Pennsylvania to make college more affordable.
00:43:26The first time we're making those types of investments in years, and I know that Representative O'Mara and the good folks over at FEA will make sure that those dollars go far.
00:43:37And it's going to help us fill the positions that we need filled in order to benefit all Pennsylvanians.
00:43:43We're investing state dollars in that budget for nursing apprenticeships for the first time ever in Pennsylvania.
00:43:50And we saw how many people last year applied when we made student teacher stipends available for the first time ever.
00:43:58Four thousand of our fellow Pennsylvanians who want to go in the classroom and change lives, they applied for these student teacher stipends in just the first few hours that the website was open.
00:44:10We knew immediately we had to go and double down on that investment.
00:44:13And this budget does exactly that.
00:44:16And we're making sure that the doors of opportunity are open to anyone who wants to walk through.
00:44:22And my administration will continue to make that commitment to institutions like Cheney University who have their doors open up to all Pennsylvanians.
00:44:32Listen, here in Pennsylvania, we have shown that we can come together and get big things done, get stuff done, the three letters that we live by in our administration, GSD.
00:44:44It should be lost on no one that we are the only state in the entire nation with a divided legislature.
00:44:51Think about that for a minute.
00:44:52In these hyper-polarized times, one chamber, the Senate, is led by Republicans, and the other chamber, the House, is led by Democrats.
00:45:00And notwithstanding how polarized these times are, notwithstanding that we are the only state in the nation with a divided legislature,
00:45:07we have shown an ability to come together to tackle big problems, to meet the moment, and to get big things done.
00:45:15We've learned how to give a little bit in order to get a little bit.
00:45:20And it's important that when we move the ball down the field, when we put some points on the board,
00:45:25that we come together, Republican and Democrat alike, and we celebrate that success.
00:45:30Because while I realize the word compromise can be a dirty word in some areas of our politics today,
00:45:36compromise is how you make progress for the good people of Pennsylvania.
00:45:40Compromise is how we get stuff done and how we tackle the big problems that we face today.
00:45:48I want you to know this is a big challenge, higher ed., that we are tackling.
00:45:51And as every speaker told you here today, this is a beginning.
00:45:54We've got a lot more work to do, and I'm committed to that work going forward.
00:45:58But understand, this isn't the only time that we've come together to solve a major challenge.
00:46:04Just last year, we were able to cut costs for seniors for the first time in 20 years.
00:46:09We passed the largest targeted tax cut for seniors in nearly two decades.
00:46:14We passed the largest targeted tax cut for families with kids in child care ever in Pennsylvania.
00:46:20We came together, Democrat and Republican alike, to put more money back in people's pockets as costs were rising.
00:46:27When the Commonwealth Court said that our K-12 system of education was not just broken but was unconstitutional,
00:46:35fundamentally for two reasons.
00:46:37Number one, we weren't investing enough.
00:46:39And number two, we weren't driving those dollars out to the school districts that need it most.
00:46:43Republican and Democrat came together.
00:46:46We had tough conversations, honest conversations.
00:46:49And the result of that is we invested a new $1.1 billion in public education in Pennsylvania.
00:46:57That number is unprecedented.
00:46:59And we not only made sure to invest in the bottom line of these school districts,
00:47:06every single kid going to a Pennsylvania school is getting universal free breakfast now.
00:47:11We listened to kids when they said to us that they were struggling with their mental health issues.
00:47:18And now we've invested $200 million just so we can hire more mental health counselors in our schools for our kids.
00:47:25When Chairman Hughes and others came and said we got too many crumbling schools, not just in Philly,
00:47:30but in Redding and in Allentown and communities all across Pennsylvania,
00:47:34we created a fund for the first time ever with about a half a billion dollars in it to fix our crumbling schools.
00:47:39Democrats and Republicans solving problems.
00:47:43When Pennsylvania had the unfortunate distinction of being one of only two states in the entire nation
00:47:49that didn't fund indigent defense, didn't fund public defenders at the state level, you know what we did?
00:47:55We came together, Democrats and Republicans alike, and invested in indigent defense.
00:48:00And by the way, at the same time, passed some of the most sweeping criminal justice reform bills
00:48:04in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
00:48:07We did that together.
00:48:11We have shown that we can tackle big things here in Pennsylvania.
00:48:15We have shown that notwithstanding the noise that exists in our politics today,
00:48:19we can find ways to come together and get stuff done.
00:48:23This is critically important for the good people of Pennsylvania,
00:48:27and I think this is a model for how government is supposed to work.
00:48:31And so I want to close by saying a special thank you to all these lawmakers who are here today,
00:48:36who represent many other lawmakers who did this hard work of coming together,
00:48:41of having tough and honest conversations, of being willing to join us in challenging the status quo
00:48:48and making sure we delivered meaningful results for folks who most oftentimes have been left out of the conversation.
00:48:56I'm grateful to be back here at Cheney University.
00:48:59This is a place where we can learn a whole lot about making sure that all Pennsylvanians are heard from,
00:49:05all Pennsylvanians are listened to, and that we deliver for all of our fellow Pennsylvanians.
00:49:11Thank you all very, very much.
00:49:13I'm going to be signing this today.
00:49:44It's a drum roll.
00:49:45I know, I'm about that.
00:49:47Thank you, guys.
00:49:51Down, please.
00:49:52Down, please.
00:49:53Still down.
00:49:55Y'all ready?
00:50:21Great work.
00:50:22Great work.
00:50:23Mr. Chairman.
00:50:28Great work.
00:50:31Thank you very, very much.
00:50:33Mr. President, this is for you.
00:50:35You can cash this check here.
00:50:47All right.
00:50:48Take that to the bank.
00:50:49All right.
00:50:51Here you go.
00:50:52Thank you for your leadership.
00:50:53There you go.
00:50:54Thank you for yours.
00:50:55All right.
00:50:56Thanks, everybody.
00:50:58All right.
00:50:59Veronica, you want to answer these questions?
00:51:06All right.
00:51:07We'll take some questions from the media here.
00:51:11I'm happy to answer your question.
00:51:14Let me see if we got anything on Cheney, higher ed, or the budget.
00:51:19Really wish we had something from Cheney or higher ed or the budget.
00:51:23Yeah.
00:51:29Look, again, we're the only state in the nation with a divided legislature.
00:51:33And when you show up in a negotiation with Republicans and Democrats,
00:51:37they got strong feelings on things.
00:51:39That shouldn't surprise anybody.
00:51:41What we have learned to be able to do here is to not focus on the differences
00:51:46the parties might have, but the areas of commonality,
00:51:49the areas where we can row in the same direction.
00:51:53And I couldn't be more grateful to the leaders who are here,
00:51:56to Leader Bradford in the House who was the primary negotiator in the House
00:52:00on the budget together with Chairman Harris,
00:52:02and to Leader Pittman in the Senate.
00:52:04We're grateful that they were able to find ways to move forward.
00:52:07And I think we can be a model for the rest of the nation
00:52:10where we can have our honest differences,
00:52:12where we can believe different things,
00:52:13we can be registered in different parties,
00:52:15we can vote for different candidates,
00:52:17where we can all come together and negotiate,
00:52:19recognizing we got a job to do for the good people of Pennsylvania.
00:52:22Governor, do you expect Kamala Harris to ask you to run with her
00:52:25considering all your success here?
00:52:27I think that's a question for the Vice President.
00:52:29Governor, are you planning on meeting with Vice President Harris this weekend?
00:52:33I think any process questions like that should go directly to the Harris campaign.
00:52:37Is that the last time you spoke to Vice President Harris was last Sunday?
00:52:41Yeah.
00:52:42Is that still true?
00:52:43It is.
00:52:44If you're not going to the Hamptons this weekend, what are you doing instead?
00:52:47You all think I'm going to tell you what I'm doing?
00:52:50Come on. Go ahead.
00:52:52Will you be in Philadelphia on Tuesday by chance?
00:52:54Hopefully, yeah.
00:52:55Governor, I want to ask you about President Trump's comments.
00:52:58We're here at a very historically important HBCU,
00:53:01presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris,
00:53:05a senator, of course, an HBCU Howard, too.
00:53:08That's right.
00:53:09As we stand here, what do you make of President Trump's attacks on her identity?
00:53:13He says, in his words, she only recently, quote, became black.
00:53:18I think it's offensive.
00:53:20And it is more of the same from Donald Trump.
00:53:23He attacks other people based on what they look like
00:53:26or who they pray to, who they love, the way they were raised.
00:53:30He tries to divide Americans because, quite frankly,
00:53:34he struggles with uplifting all Americans.
00:53:37I think it shows a profound weakness in a leader
00:53:40when they can't sell themselves, but instead they've got to attack other people.
00:53:44And attacking the identity of the vice president is shameful.
00:53:48And attacking the identity of the vice president
00:53:51doesn't at all reflect negatively on Vice President Harris,
00:53:54but shows a real insecurity about Donald Trump.
00:53:58Listen, this guy is nervous as hell to face Kamala Harris.
00:54:02He's already trying to back out of the debate.
00:54:04Did you notice that?
00:54:06Part of that is because he knows she's going to whoop him in the debate.
00:54:10She is a skilled prosecutor, a great communicator.
00:54:14But there's another reason why he doesn't really want to debate her
00:54:18and doesn't really want to have a conversation about the issues,
00:54:21and that is because he can't defend his record.
00:54:24He has a record of failure when he was president.
00:54:27I want you to think about this.
00:54:29When he was president, we had fewer jobs in Pennsylvania,
00:54:34we had less freedom,
00:54:36and a whole lot more chaos when Donald Trump was in charge.
00:54:40And listen, Kamala Harris, what she proposes to do for this nation
00:54:45is uplifting, it is empowering,
00:54:48and it's going to help make sure we move all Pennsylvanians forward.
00:54:52From our HBCUs to our skyscraped center cities to our farmlands.
00:54:58And I must tell you that I've been traveling all around this commonwealth,
00:55:01as you know, doing my job as governor
00:55:03and also making sure that I tell people about the Kamala Harris that I know
00:55:08and that I've known for the last 20 years.
00:55:10Folks are excited wherever I go.
00:55:12Rural communities, suburban, urban communities,
00:55:15they're fired up, they're ready to go,
00:55:17and I think Donald Trump's attacks speak volumes
00:55:20about the kind of coward that he is, about his own failings,
00:55:24and say nothing about the great qualifications of the vice president.
00:55:28Governor, what do you think the vice president is looking for in a running mate?
00:55:31I think it's a good question for her.
00:55:33I think it is a deeply, deeply personal decision,
00:55:37one that she understands because she went through it four years ago
00:55:41when then-candidate Biden, or nominee Biden, chose her.
00:55:45She is obviously uniquely aware of the importance of picking someone
00:55:51who she can run with and win with and, of course, govern with,
00:55:54and I know she will make this decision,
00:55:56and she makes every decision in the best interest of the American people.
00:55:59What do you think you bring to the ticket, Governor?
00:56:01I think that's a question for her.
00:56:03The process I understand, but what do you think you bring?
00:56:05I'm not going to engage in those kind of hypotheticals.
00:56:07That's a conversation for her.
00:56:10The Philadelphia Inquirer is writing about a 1993 college article you wrote
00:56:15where you expressed skepticism about a two-state solution.
00:56:18I understand you do support a two-state solution now.
00:56:20Can you kind of just talk about that evolution?
00:56:23Something I wrote when I was 20? Is that what you're talking about?
00:56:26I was 20.
00:56:28Look, I have said for years, years, long before October 7th,
00:56:34that I favor a two-state solution.
00:56:37Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side by side,
00:56:41being able to determine their own futures and their own destinies,
00:56:45being able to work as they want and worship as they want
00:56:49and understand the power of living peacefully side by side
00:56:53and how that will lift up both parties in this
00:56:56or both sides of this conversation.
00:56:59This is obviously a very challenging situation
00:57:03and has been for hundreds if not thousands of years.
00:57:07It is my hope that we can see a day where peace will reign in the Middle East,
00:57:12where there will be a two-state solution,
00:57:15where all leaders involved in the conversations will respect the other side
00:57:20and show a willingness to make the hard choices to find peace.
00:57:25And I hope that the U.S. government will always be a partner in peace
00:57:29in trying to find a path forward in the Middle East.
00:57:33Governor, do you think the Israelis attack, killing, assassination of two leaders this week,
00:57:42one in Iran, one in Beirut, were proper?
00:57:46I think that's a question for the national security team,
00:57:49who has a lot more information on the circumstances surrounding that.
00:57:52Do you need me to hook you up with an interview with somebody else here, Cole?
00:57:55You keep asking me questions that aren't for me.
00:57:58Go ahead.
00:57:59Do you think if Vice President Harris picked someone, anyone from Pennsylvania,
00:58:04to be her running mate, that would help them win the state election?
00:58:08You're really, you're like, I'm not doing the hypothetical game.
00:58:13The Vice President has a deeply personal decision to make.
00:58:16She will make the right decision for her and for the country.
00:58:19Governor, would you accept the job?
00:58:22Will you be attending Harris's rally on Tuesday?
00:58:25I hope to be, yeah.
00:58:26Governor, would you accept the job if Vice President Harris—
00:58:28I'm not going to engage in these hypotheticals.
00:58:30The Vice President is going to make the decision she wants to make.
00:58:33Governor, I know it feels like ancient history now,
00:58:35but after the debate between President Joe Biden and former President Trump,
00:58:39voters still have questions about the President's mental fitness.
00:58:42When you've talked to him and seen him recently,
00:58:46did you have any concerns that he slipped at all?
00:58:49Not at all.
00:58:50And I've been in regular contact with the President.
00:58:53I will tell you that after the tragedy in Butler,
00:58:56the assassination attempt of the former President,
00:59:00bullets that left Corey Comperatore dead
00:59:03and two other of our fellow Pennsylvanians injured
00:59:06and changed the lives of so many families, sadly, for so long.
00:59:13It was President Biden who spoke to me that evening.
00:59:17I believe it was multiple times that evening.
00:59:19He was on top of that, on top of so many other things.
00:59:22I'm grateful for the President's partnership.
00:59:25I was grateful that he reached out to me just moments after he decided to end his campaign.
00:59:30And I think his ability to do the job is unquestioned, certainly in my mind.
00:59:36And his ability to carry us forward as a nation
00:59:40and do big things over his remaining months in office,
00:59:43I think is something that should offer comfort to the American people.
00:59:48Take a look at what he accomplished that was announced just yesterday,
00:59:52freeing three hostages from Russian prisons.
00:59:56That took time to put that together.
01:00:00That took a determined President of the United States
01:00:04who has strong alliances around the world to be able to pull that together.
01:00:09And these three Americans, the American people, are better off because of his leadership.
01:00:15I'm grateful for the investments that the President continues to send our way in Pennsylvania.
01:00:20The I-83 South Bridge in Harrisburg, 200,000 cars and trucks go over it every day.
01:00:26It's been years of people talking about fixing it.
01:00:29President Biden figured out a way to get us the resources to do that.
01:00:32We are poised to be the center of the clean energy universe for decades to come in Pennsylvania
01:00:39because President Biden saw to it to study the issue
01:00:42and make sure that we here in Pennsylvania would be home to not one,
01:00:46but the only state with two regional hydrogen hubs in our nation.
01:00:51So many good things are happening here in Pennsylvania because of the President's willingness
01:00:56and ability to do this job to support our fellow Pennsylvanians.
01:01:00Last question.
01:01:01Governor, J.D. Vance just said this about you, and these are his words, quote,
01:01:05he compared you to a really bad impression of Barack Obama.
01:01:08What is your response to that?
01:01:10Is that what he said?
01:01:12That's great.
01:01:13I love how we get the real-time quotes here.
01:01:15I mean, look, I don't know.
01:01:18Barack Obama was probably our most gifted orator of my time,
01:01:22so it's kind of a weird insult, I guess.
01:01:25But, look, I'll say this about J.D. Vance.
01:01:30It is real hard being honest with the American people when you're not being honest with yourself.
01:01:36J.D. Vance is a total phony baloney.
01:01:41He is the most inorganic candidate I think I have ever seen on the national stage.
01:01:49He doesn't know what he believes,
01:01:52and that is why it is impossible for him to articulate a coherent message to the American people
01:01:58because he doesn't believe it.
01:02:00This guy is not exactly off to a good start,
01:02:04and it is clear that Donald Trump really has buyer's remorse with his pick.
01:02:09So if he wants to sling insults in my direction, which I'm not even sure is an insult,
01:02:14let him do it.
01:02:15That's fine.
01:02:16Bring it on.
01:02:17I'll be ready for whatever the hell J.D. Vance throws in my direction.
01:02:19Thanks, everybody.