President Eric Barron publicly criticized state legislators in light of the budget crisis that has left schools without funding and students without financial aid.

In op-ed he coauthored in Penn Live alongside Pitt’s Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, Temple’s President Neil Theobald, and Lincoln University’s President Richard Green. The message from the four university administrators was clear: “There are only two options here: Choose to invest in our future or continue to punish our students and employees while elected officials battle over unrelated issues.”

They called the school’s appropriations the “latest bargaining chip in a protracted political fight.” They went on to point out that none of the schools have received funding from the state eight months into the fiscal year. And while the university leaders are doing what they can to handle the impasse as “strategically and conscientiously” as possible, there’s still a combined $600 million budget gap.

“It is not for us to assign blame for this unprecedented situation, but instead to focus on the consequences if the state budget impasse is not soon resolved,” they wrote.

The op-ed concluded with a powerful message that will be difficult for the folks in Harrisburg to ignore. “We will fail our students, employees, and communities if our elected officials do not quickly reach a long-term budget agreement that provides for funding for our universities.”