You could hear a pin drop on Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium when Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett finished his commencement speech Saturday at Millersville University.

Normally, such speeches elicit rowdy applause from the students awaiting their diplomas.

Not this time.

Millersville's 2013 graduating class refused to clap.

About a dozen students - and at least three professors - weren't even facing Corbett.

When he started to speak, they stood up, turned their chairs around and sat back down.

Chet Klinedinst, of Lancaster, was one of the students who turned his back on Corbett.

"I turned my chair around because I felt like I needed to show my disapproval of the cuts that were going to be taken to the budget for public education in Pennsylvania," he said.

Klinedinst also objected to the fact that Corbett was asked by Millersville to speak at his graduation ceremony.

"I felt like it was disrespectful to our class," he said. "I understand that you can't just say no to the governor, so it would be disrespectful to just turn him away, but at the same time, we worked for four years for some reward to earn a degree, and it just seemed a little disrespectful in regards to his relation to public education."

Millersville students saw their tuition increase every year for the past five years.

Those still in school will see it go up again next year.

Over that same period, the state has cut $55 million in educational and general appropriations to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which oversees 14 state universities, including Millersville.

Corbett has been governor since 2011.

In his 2013-14 budget, Corbett recommended $1.58 billion for higher education - the same as last year's budget - in exchange for a promise from the institutions to keep tuition low.

A recent survey by the College Board found the cost to attend one of Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned institutions is right around the national average.

But it's Corbett's first two years in office that Millersville students remembered Saturday, years when he proposed 50 percent and 30 percent cuts, respectively, in funding for higher education.

Those proposals eventually were shaved down during budget negotiations.

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Mallory Austin, of Kennett Square, plans to be a teacher, now that she has graduated from Millersville.

"Especially being a school known for teachers graduating ... I know he's not supporting our school system," she said of Corbett.

Both Austin and her classmate, Melanie Craig, of Bucks County, said they were unable to meet their graduation requirements by taking classes during the normal school year.

"It's just been hard to get all of our classes in," Craig said. "I know both of us have taken summer and winter classes in order to graduate on time.

"Classes were cut and there aren't enough professors."

Susanna Sing, of Narvon, is another education major who said she felt Corbett wasn't the right choice to speak at a commencement ceremony for a school that produces a lot of future teachers.

"I feel kind of a little hurt that he's here," she said beforehand. "I understand why he's here, and I hope that we can be adult enough to be appropriate and give him the respect he deserves - but also make him understand he kind of hurt us."

Since March, a website and Facebook page were created with the theme "No Corbett at Millersville Graduation."

The website nocorbettatmillersville.tum... included a petition that had been signed by 2,270 people as of Saturday morning.

"Our speaker should be someone who makes education a priority and shows an interest in the students," the petition states. "Tom Corbett has consistently made decisions that work against the students. We have worked hard to get to graduation, and he does not deserve the honor of speaking at our ceremony."

Graduating senior Matt Moul, of York County, said he didn't feel strongly one way or the other about Corbett delivering the commencement address.

But he understands the frustration of those who objected.

"It seems kind of counterintuitive that you would have someone who seems so against the educational system," he said. "It seems a bit off ... a bit of a curious selection."

Heading in to Biemsderfer Stadium to receive their diplomas, Corey Marino, of Doylestown, and Kara Williams, of Camp Hill, said they shared in the feeling of disappointment that Corbett was chosen to give the commencement address.

But they hoped the ceremony would proceed without any trouble.

"I don't agree with any of his positions, and I don't agree with the decision to have him here," Williams said. "But at the same time, I'm not going to ruin our graduation by causing a disruption."

Turning his back on the governor was a subtle way he could show his disapproval, Klinedinst said.

"I thought that was a great peaceful protest," he said. "I felt like my voice should be heard."