They’ve planted the seed.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education sent on a bill that calls for a $22 million boost in state funding for the university.
The committee’s efforts may help to reduce the funding gap between research schools, which has existed for decades in the state. MSU has been consistently under-funded in comparison to the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, the state’s other research institutions.
According to the recommended budget, MSU would receive the maximum 7 percent increase.
“This is definitely just a first step, but it is a very important first step,” said MSU President M. Peter McPherson. “To start off in this fashion I regard as just excellent.
“We really needed this substantial increase because we simply haven’t had the appropriations to close the gap. We’ve got a very high-quality university and we are trying to run it on less than full dollars.”
State Rep. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, who represents the university, was one of seven members of the committee who voted in favor of putting the budget forward. One member opposed the budget, while two members abstained.
“This is a major step in the way of closing the gap,” Whitmer said. “I’m proud that we were able to make progress today.”
State Rep. Paul DeWeese, R-Williamston, lobbied with other committee members for additional funding for the university.
He said the committee addressed the tuition tax credit by recommending to continue the program, but if the money is not used by students it will return to the higher education fund, rather than to the general fund. MSU students have not received the tax credit for several years.
“It went well because, based on a lot of work, we were able to substantially augment Michigan State University’s funding over previous years,” DeWeese said. “This funding increase of $22-plus million can enable the university to hold the restraint on tuition while maintaining accessibility and quality of education for students.”
The higher education budget will be passed onto the House Appropriations Committee for review next week.
State Rep. Keith Stallworth, D-Detroit, who abstained from voting Wednesday, said he will propose an alternative plan before the full committee.
“I do believe the Legislature still has not finished its work in developing a funding formula that will address the unique vision and population of each university,” he said.
The plan will likely face opposition as it travels through the full House, state Senate and governor’s office.
Editor and publisher of Lansing-based newsletter Inside Michigan Politics, Bill Ballenger, said the budget probably won’t stand.
“It will probably be scaled back,” he said. “When it gets to the Senate, you’ll have (John) Schwartz (R-Battle Creek) to contend with. I would be surprised if it stays at that level. But if it does, hooray for Michigan State - it is about time.”
Political economy senior Jeff Ziarko, director of university governmental and budgetary affairs for ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, is hopeful the university will get the funding boost.
“These are fantastic numbers. This kind of increase will allow MSU to drive the quality of education while continuing to restrain cost,” he said.
