A group of eight Penn State student leaders have written a letter to leading government officials in Pennsylvania’s state legislature. The letter called for greater funding to Penn State as the university faces budget cuts and a budget deficit.

“As student leaders of Penn State, we urge each of you to vote in favor of increased Penn State funding. Not only does the university and its students depend on it, but each resident of Pennsylvania will see the immediate impacts of an investment into the sole land grant university of this commonwealth,” the students wrote.

“In the words of our university President, Neeli Bendapudi, ‘an investment in Penn State is an investment in Pennsylvania,'” they continued. “This change isn’t just necessary and fair; it’s essential to the continued success and impact of the Pennsylvania State University on each of its students and on the commonwealth as a whole.”

The students pointed to Penn State’s lack of funding per student, which is among the lowest rates in the nation. It also noted how the university contributes to 1% of the state’s GDP, how Penn State’s students often live in Pennsylvania after graduation, and how 96% of Pennsylvanians live within a 30-minute radius of a Penn State campus.

The letter was addressed to 10 members of Pennsylvania’s state government, including Senate Majority Leader Joseph Pittman, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, and House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler.

The letter’s signees were Michael Fowler and Andrew Jackson, president and vice president of the Lion Caucus, Ethan Galley and Tyler Hoppe, president and vice president of the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, Zion Sykes and Rasha Elwakil, president and vice president of the University Park Undergraduate Association, and Seth Hojnacki and Anthony Miduri, president and vice president of the Graduate and Professional Student Association.

A full copy of the letter can be found here.