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download .pdf of Higher Education Platform
The Issue All Michigan citizens have a right to a high-quality education that carries them as far as their ambitions, talents, and hard work will permit. Access to post-secondary education is a central part of this right. Public higher education should be affordable to everyone. No Michigan citizen should be forced to give up on college for financial reasons or take on an unmanageable debt to attend a public community college or university in Michigan. As a Senate Fiscal Agency report demonstrated, when the state provided more money to fund community colleges, tuition remained stable and enrollment surged, even with a much stronger economy. From 2002-2007, Michigan's higher education investment has been the lowest in the nation and well under the national average of 15.1% over that same period. In the FY 2007-2008 and FY 2008-2009 budgets, Michigan's public four-year universities received a modest overall increase of 1%, with community colleges receiving 2%. In 2009-2010, community colleges received no increase whatsoever and universities actually saw a reduction of 0.4%. We can and should do better than that. Michigan's public universities have suffered from successive cuts in state appropriations. Between 2001 and 2009, state budget cuts have reduced the average state payment per pupil by $2,852. As a result, students have been forced to pay a greater portion of the bill as the State's level of support has dropped. Research shows that as the percent of the population with college education rises, so do the wages for both the college educated and those NOT college educated.1 It is no coincidence that the three most prosperous states - Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts - rank among the top five states in the educational levels of their populace. Michigan students should have a broad variety of choices for educational advancement after high school and throughout their lives, from technical education to an associate or bachelor's degree, as well as graduate study and lifelong learning. 1"Michigan Economy in the Balance: the Case for Funding Higher Education," a presentation by Dr. Michael Boulus, Presidents' Council, PCSUM, February 17, 2009 Action Steps Tuition: Provide adequate State funding that does not result in spiraling tuition increases; Funding: Necessary funding requires the State adopt a revenue structure that is fair, stable and adequate; Up Out of Poverty: Citizens on public assistance should be able to utilize the maximum federal allowance to gain access to higher education and training, thus enabling their permanent transition into the workforce. Post-secondary education is more critical for low income students than ever, due to the state of the economy. It is important that both transportation and childcare needs be met while these students work to improve their lives for the benefit of themselves and their children; Financial Aid Essential: Michigan has moved from being in the middle of the pack in providing state financial aid per student to the bottom of the pack. In FY 2007-8, Michigan ranked 28th among states in providing this assistance to students. The House Fiscal Agency estimates that in 2010-11, Michigan will rank in the 43rd spot, seventh from the bottom. We must do better. Expansion of Access: Universities that currently grant applied baccalaureate programs should continue to develop partnerships with community colleges to enhance access. Additionally, Michigan's higher education institutions should continue to enhance and maintain the website containing course articulation and transfer information for all Michigan institutions. Policy makers and institutions must work to increase credential and degree completion by adult residents who have already completed some post-secondary education. Finally, to meet the needs of students and the State's economy, Michigan should continue to make progress to create, maintain and enhance its longitudinal data system to track Pre K-12, higher education and adult job training and reemployment program students in a manner that protects students privacy while producing valid and reliable data that can be generated for continuous improvement and decision-making. |
