Affordable College Now! rally in Harrisburg, Pa.
Monday, Sept. 28, 2026 โข beginning promptly at noon on the front steps of the Pennsylvania Capitol
We are standing together to advocate for a 15% increase in funding for public higher education in Pennsylvania, for the Pennsylvania Promise plan to make college more affordable, and for other higher-education and labor issues.
Rally partners: AAUP, AFSCME Council 13, AFT, AFTPA, AFT Local 2067- CCAC, APSCUF, Emergency Campaign to Support Higher Education, FSFCCP, Federation of Reading Area Community College, HELU, IBT Local 8, MCCC Faculty Federation, PA-AAUP, PA AFL-CIO, PSEA, SEIU 668, TAUP, TUGSA, USW District 10, USW Local 1511
Click here to read the press release.
This page will be updated, as the rally approaches.
Jump to a section:
RSVP
Spread the word: Social media and flyers
What to wear
Signs for the rally
Parking and food
Press coverage
More resources
RSVP here:
RSVP using the form below. Make sure to press “submit” at the end of the form. Device users: If you do not see the “submit” button right away, scroll over the survey itself, and the button should appear.
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Printable flyers and posters
Download a flyer (8.5-by-11 inches, letter size) or poster (11-by-17 inches, tabloid size) to print and post. Make sure you follow the sign policies of your campus or other venues where you are posting them.ย
Click here to download a PDF of the 8.5-by-11-inch, letter-size flyer.
Click here to download a PDF of the 11-by-17-inch, tabloid size poster.
Need another format? Email .
What to wear
We’d love to see the labor unions and colleges/universities represented. (APSCUF members, contact your chapter office or order your own APSCUF gear here.)
The event will take place rain or shine. If there’s precipitation in the forecast, bring a poncho, umbrella (Please consider your wingspan and others standing around you.), and/or other rain gear. Please also plan to protect yourself from the sun and wear sunscreen.
Signs for the rally
Sign basics
While the rally is outside, we do not recommend adding sticks to your rally signs; if you chose to enter the Capitol before or after the rally, your sign will not be permitted. (Signs on handsticks or poles are prohibited in the interior public areas of the Capitol complex, per the PA Code Chapter 86.)
Plan to take your sign with you after the rally. Do not leave it on the steps or in the Capitol. Please also be considerate of how much space it will take up in a trashcan. Why not take it with you and save it for your next rally?
Making your signs
Handmade signs and posters are great; in fact, we prefer them.
Budget โ You can make an impressive, eye-catching sign without spending a lot. Repurpose one side of an old cardboard box. Buy posterboard at a dollar store (which you can cut it in half or quarters to make more than one sign). Markers or paint will cost you another few dollars. Share those supplies with a friend for extra savings.
Friendly โ The more, the merrier. A poster-making party is a great way to bond with classmates and colleagues and to make new friends. (Make sure everyone who creates a poster also attends the rally.) RSVP for bus information.
Clean โ Your posters will be seen and photographed by attendees and the media. Keep them classy. Stumped about what to write on you poster? Expand the section below for slogan ideas.
Sign ideas
Coming soon.
Printables
We strongly encourage handmade signs, but if you absolutely cannot make your own, here are a few printable options in 8.5-by-11-inch and 11-by-17-inch options. Click the links to download PDFs.
Letter size (8.5 by 11 inches)
Affordable College Now!
Pass the Pennsylvania Promise
15% more funding for public higher ed
Tabloid size (11 by 17 inches)
Affordable College Now!
Pass the Pennsylvania Promise
15% more funding for public higher ed
Parking and food
Buses will depart Monday morning from all 14 State System campuses and several other locations. RSVP to receive information about buses. If you’re driving on your own, click here for directions and parking information, and click here for even more parking information.ย
Lunch will not be provided, but the Capitol and surrounding area offer dining options. Click here for information.
Press coverage
Click here to read the rally press release.
APSCUF Vice President Dr. Kara Laskowski discusses the rally on an episode of “Behind the Headlines”:
APSCUF Secretary Patrick McGinty discusses the rallly on “The Rick Smith Show” (starting at at 38:05)
More resources
Rights and safety at the rally:
- Know Your Rights at a Protest
- Know Your Rights Guide: Academic Freedom and Campus Free Speech for Scholars and Students on Visas
- Safety, parking, and accessibility at the Pennsylvania Capitol
Talking points and general information:
- About the Pennsylvania Promise
- AFT/AAUP Higher Education: Savings Lives, Building Futures, Powering the Economy
- Talking points: Higher Ed Research Saves Lives
- Talking points: How Cuts to Basic-Needs Programs Affect College Students and Employees
- Fact sheet: Congressโ Reconciliation Bill Will Make Higher Education Less Affordable and Accessible for Pennsylvania Students
- How the โbig, beautiful billโ harms higher education
- Increased costs and decreased protections
- Defending Higher Education in 2025
- Video playlist: Higher Education: Saving Lives, Building Futures, Powering the Economy
Questions?
Email .
Spread the word: Social media and flyers
We’d love to hear why you’re coming to the rally. Share your public post using #AffordableCollegeNow and/or email a link to .
Social media
Spread the word by using #AffordableCollegeNow.
Click on the images below and right-click to download social-media graphics: