The Michigan Senate approved a higher education budget plan Wednesday, which included a 3.1 percent funding decrease to all state universities next fiscal year.
In addition to the higher education budget, the Senate approved budgets for community colleges and corrections, school aid, community health, education and natural resources and environment departments this week.
The Senate approved these budgets months ahead of schedule, said Matt Marsden, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester.
“We’ve said from the beginning we would mark our priorities, set the targets and move them,” Marsden said. “Today, we have completed our budget process. We have moved the bills we are able to move.”
The 3.1 percent decrease would cut MSU’s state funding by $9.1 million. Reducing state university operations funding by 3.1 percent would save $47.8 million next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
All of these budget bills now will move to the state House of Representatives for consideration.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s suggested the Legislature maintain university operations funding at last year’s rates in her annual budget proposal released in February. But in order to eliminate Michigan’s $1.7 billion projected deficit cuts to higher education are necessary, Marsden said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
