Gov. John Engler will recommend no increase in state funding for MSU and Michigan’s other public universities in his annual budget proposal, Lansing-based NBC affiliate WILX reported Wednesday.
Engler, who attended the MSU-University of Michigan basketball game Wednesday evening at Breslin Center, would not confirm the report with The State News. He is expected to deliver his budget on Feb. 7.
State Sen. John Schwarz, chairman of the Senate’s Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, said he also could not confirm Engler’s recommendation Wednesday. He said, though, the best possible outcome remains no decrease in funding. The worst-case scenario would be a 5-percent cut.
“I would think that a rollover budget with no cuts for the universities would be a pretty big thing,” the Battle Creek Republican said.
MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said the university will do what it can to prevent a significant increase in tuition.
“Our commitment always has been access to quality,” he said. “Since the institution of the Tuition Guarantee, (we have) aimed to assure affordability while maintaining quality. This is an issue that colleges and universities throughout the country, not only throughout the state, are facing.”
A 1.5 percent appropriation from the Legislature caused MSU officials to raise tuition 8.9 percent, which started in the fall, breaking the school’s Tuition Guarantee.
The guarantee, which was instituted in 1994, promised MSU would not raise tuition more than 2 percent above the projected rate of inflation, provided that the state’s appropriation kept with that rate.
State Rep. Paul DeWeese said the Legislature and universities face a tough budget year.
“It is going to put our public universities under very significant strain,” the Williamston Republican said. “It’s going to make it increasingly difficult for them to provide the quality of education that we have come to expect for our students.”
DeWeese, who sits on the House Education Committee, said the state sometimes acts unfairly by not providing the necessary funds to universities, yet criticizing them for raising tuition.
But MSU’s track record of keeping tuition increases low is encouraging, DeWeese said.
“Michigan State University has a long and exemplary pattern of being very efficient and cost-conscious on behalf of our families and students,” he said. “I’m confident that the Board of Trustees will continue to exercise prudence.”
MSU Trustee Robert Weiss said the governor’s recommendation came as no surprise.
“I think it’s probably the best we could have hoped for under the economic conditions today,” he said. “We will have to look at everything - cutting expenses, doing what we can there and even increasing the tuition, which is a long, hard process.”
But Weiss doesn’t expect a drastic tuition increase like Central Michigan University’s recent 28 percent increase.
“It’s obviously possible, but I don’t think it’s realistic,” he said. “You have to look at numbers and see how they add up to make a prediction about the actual increase.
“There will be cost cuts made in conjunction with an increase in tuition.”
MSU Trustee David Porteous said the university is going to have to work to be as productive and cost conscious and possible.
“I think all of us are acutely aware that this is going to be a very challenging year financially for all of us in the state of Michigan,” he said. “We are all aware these are tough financial times in the state.
“A zero percent increase is better than a cut.”
Tuition for fall 2002 will be discussed at the next Board of Trustees meeting, Trustee Dee Cook said.
“This is not good news for higher education,” she said. “This is very difficult and I’m very disappointed in this. I’m sure the administration has been preparing many different scenarios. We won’t be making any decisions until we get all the facts in front of us.
“This is going to hurt a lot of people. I don’t even want to predict what it’s going to do.”
Kurtis Schanz and his parents share the responsibility of paying his tuition, he said.
The telecommunication sophomore said if MSU’s tuition went above $6,500 a semester, he would continue his education out of state. An undergraduate student living on campus with 15 credits pays about $12,758 per year.
“I think that it’s a load of crap,” he said. “It’s not like they’re improving the conditions we’re living in. I’ll probably have to get a second job. I’m sort of stuck here since I’m a sophomore.”
Interior design freshman Stephanie Foster said the zero percent appropriation could hurt her, too.
“I think it’s ridiculous that they keep upping the tuition,” she said. “It’s going to get up there with the private schools. It’s probably going to affect a lot of people that want to go to (MSU) but won’t be able to afford to now.”
