Slippery Rock University students are not waiting for change to happen — they are actively engaging with lawmakers and collaborating to shape the future of higher education in Pennsylvania. Nine representatives from the Slippery Rock Student Government Association traveled to the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg last month to gain career experience and advocate for higher education funding on behalf of SRU students.
SRSGA operates as an independent corporation that advocates for students, provides services and governs more than 200 student clubs and organizations.
While there, the students met with legislators, their staff members and other government officials to share their perspectives on the value of higher education and observe the legislative process in action to better understand how government decisions shape education and communities. The visit extended classroom learning, allowing students to engage in professional conversations.
“For students, affordability is everything,” said Connor Pavlicko, a junior political science major from Struthers, Ohio (Struthers HS), who is president of SRSGA. “This was a great opportunity to gain real-world advocacy experience and speak directly with legislators about why state funding matters to students at Slippery Rock and across (Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education). That support is vital to ensuring that more students can continue to stay in school and graduate without taking on overwhelming costs.”
The experience also helped students strengthen their professional communication and networking skills while learning about careers in public service and public policy.
SRU was one of seven State System schools to have students visit the capitol this spring.
PASSHE is requesting a $651.8 million state appropriation for fiscal year 2026–27, a 5% increase, to support affordability and student success across the State System’s universities. The proposed funding would allow the Board of Governors to freeze in-state undergraduate tuition at $7,994.
More information about SRSGA is available on the organization’s website.
