Ready to talk cash?
Ready or not, the House Democratic Task Force on Higher Education Affordability is coming to MSU, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Main Lounge of the Union. The task force will discuss tuition increases, school funding and the tuition tax credit repeal during a public hearing.
Democratic state reps. A.T. Frank of Saginaw Township, Alexander Lipsey of Kalamazoo, Jack Minore of Flint, Mike Murphy of Lansing, and Gretchen Whitmer of East Lansing are expected to attend.
“Over the course of the last several months we have been going around the state to higher education institutions and listening,” said Lipsey, co-chairman of the task force. “The response is that the state is not providing reasonable increases in state support, and most schools are looking to students to make up the difference.”
The task force has previously stopped in Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Mount Pleasant and Ann Arbor in an effort to collect information that will be used in the state appropriations process.
“We are hoping to get as much input as possible to take back to the Legislature so that when we are talking about affordable schooling, we aren’t just talking about tuition,” Lipsey said.
At most hearings, Lipsey said students have asked about the tuition tax credit repeal. The state House has yet to vote on the bill to repeal the tuition tax credit, which would send $164 in refunds to students taking 30 credits a year at MSU.
“This gives students access to state representatives to express concerns about problems they are facing with higher education like minority graduation rates, tuition increases and the tax credit repeal,” said Jody Weissler, president of the MSU College Democrats.
MSU tuition increased by 8.9 percent this year when the state failed to allow significant increases in the university’s appropriation. State revenue shortfalls totaling nearly $1 billion caused the state to rethink spending.
“I sincerely hope they talk about the relative priority in ranking state universities in our state budget,” said Steve Webster, MSU vice president for governmental affairs.
Webster said the public hearing will provide students with an opportunity to give some input to the state budget process. The university relies on state money for about 50 percent of its total operating budget, Webster said.
Jason Ahrens, chairman of the MSU College Republicans, said it is a good idea for state lawmakers to meet with students about higher education concerns.
“I’m not happy about having a biased panel,” he said, referring to the all-Democratic panel. “Education is not a partisan issue. It is a matter than concerns both parties, and it is on the top of the agenda as far as importance for the people of Michigan, and all across the country.
“It is a major issue that both parties have been aiming to improve to make sure education and the higher education are among the best in the world.”
