Lansing - MSUreceived $326 million in funding Tuesday.
The state Senate approved budgets for universities and community colleges that deny them funding increases but protect them from cutbacks.
On a 36-1 vote, without debate, senators approved a $1.7 billion budget for Michigan’s 15 universities in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, virtually unchanged from the current year.
“It’s a continuation budget that ensures tuition restraint,” Sen. John Schwarz, R-Battle Creek, said of the university budget.
Funding ranged from $363.6 million for the University of Michigan to $14.3 million for Lake Superior State University.
The lone “no” vote came from Sen. Dale Shugars, R-Portage, who charged the Legislature was shortchanging Western Michigan University.
WMU is scheduled to receive $125.7 million.
“It perpetuates the underfunding of Western Michigan University,” Shugars said of the bill.
The Senate voted 37-0, also without debate, for a measure allocating $315 million to the state’s 26 community colleges. That’s the same amount as the present budget.
Appropriations ranged from $32.2 million for Lansing Community College to $2.5 million for Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville.
Both budgets now go to the House.
The budgets reflect agreements reached earlier by state legislative leaders to restrain spending amid the slumping economy.
Universities agreed to accept a flat budget if they agreed not to raise tuition rates by more than 8.5 percent.
Community colleges did not have to promise to restrain tuition, but Gov. John Engler said he trusts community colleges to keep tuition in check.
The Associated Press
