Michigan College Grants Up To $9,500 Proposed By Senate Democrats

The state of Michigan could one day pay for its students' college educations. Sound like fantasy? Not if a group of state legislators have their way.

Democrats in the Michigan Senate told the Associated Press Wednesday that they are creating a plan to give each of the state's high school graduates grants -- about $9,500 yearly -- to pay tuition and costs at Michigan's public universities and community colleges.

Their proposal for funding has not been clearly laid out, but Michigan Radio reports that the Democrats have several plans, including closing tax loopholes, ending tax credits and collecting sales tax from out-of-state retailers.

The college grant proposal is part of an effort to reinvest in public education after the state cut public secondary education funding, despite rising tuition costs.

Joining a nationwide push for student loan reform from the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy U-M members protested their rising tuition costs at a December Board of Regents meeting.

And University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman recently appealed to President Barack Obama, writing, "we absolutely must find ways to provide a college education at a cost that is sustainable."

According to Senator Gretchen Whitmer, one of the Democrats behind the new proposal, an affordable education for Michigan students would also make the state more hospitable to businesses.

"We've got to do something bold to say Michigan believes in education and this is a great place to come and locate your business because we've got the work force you need," she told the Associated Press.

As of Wednesday, Republicans hadn't seen the proposal, but a bill would likely face tough opposition before passing the GOP-controlled state legislature.

So it may be a while before college grants make their way into the hands of Michigan's knowledge-hungry youth. And even if they do, a total of less than $40,000 for four years of schooling might not cut it. The Daily recently estimated costs for students at public colleges and universities would reach $80,000 by 2034.

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Comments

[foresure]

11:16 PM on 01/16/2012

As I remember, at one time state universities were free to residents. Is that not correct?

[Tim Janssen]

05:34 PM on 01/13/2012

I'm reading "A lot of "it can't happen here" because of the GOP controlled legislature. Well then, throw the bums out and recall Rick Snyder. It can be done if enough people decide to make amends by voting out these ruinous rascals thus undoing the mistake made by electing them in 2010 and in previous elections. It's about time everyone realizes that Republicans are a disaster for our state. I'm not just saying vote Democratic either. Elect Green Party candidates and others including independents, anybody but these traitorous Republicans. They've done enough damage in recent years that will take decades to repair.

[luapmi2]

06:36 AM on 01/14/2012

"ruinous rascals"....LOL

$350,000,000 owed by the Detroit School Board.....Detroit going bankrupt, Flint, etc....

Yeah, the previous ways were so much better.

[Greg34]

11:15 AM on 01/13/2012

Collecting sales tax from out of state retailers? What is this. Don't get me wrong the idea is great but how are they going to levy a tax on people that are not in the state. If it is Amazon and people like that ok, but they can't tax people that do not operate in Michigan. Their taxing authority ends at their borders.

[luapmi2]

06:39 AM on 01/14/2012

I live in MI and pay NY State income tax and MI income tax. There are hundreds of scenarios that make that possible and reasonable.

[corwin]

10:28 PM on 01/14/2012

" Hundreds"

[HaeJee]

10:50 AM on 01/13/2012

In TN and surrounding states, students who have a certain GPAs can go to college in state or surrounding states for free. This is paid by the lottery program. If we want to invest into our state and home, we need to invest in our kids.

[HaeJee]

10:37 AM on 01/13/2012

I have always believed that Michigan has needed a program like this. After working in the financial aid department at a large university in Michigan, it was eye opening. This also would create jobs. Kalamazoo offers a similar program to their graduates. Unfortunately, I don’t think the Republicans will support it and will continue driving our state into the ground.

[luapmi2]

06:43 AM on 01/14/2012

Corporations recruit GLOBALLY.

So your suggestion that Michigan is being piled into the ground because of tuition rates is amazingly laughable.

The unions almost killed Michigan and now that many of the perpetrators are now retired, they are puling because they have to pay income tax. BOOHOO

The Michigan ship is righting itself. When benefits were cut, the scum started to abandon ship for richer parasitic locations.

[eceresa]

06:37 AM on 01/13/2012

Michigan is controlled by Republicans in the legislature, in the governor's office, and in the Supreme Court. These Republicans have gutted school funding and passed a bunch of anti-education legislation in the last year.

Nice idea, but it's never going to happen.

[Trompe loeil]

02:23 AM on 01/13/2012

Higher education is free in Europe, including medical school. Why not here?

[corwin]

10:29 PM on 01/14/2012

Europe is a continent.

[Trompe loeil]

01:58 AM on 01/15/2012

OK, France, Germany, and Switzerland come to mind immediately.

You could look up it up.

[Lauren Lamourine]

12:33 AM on 01/13/2012

I think colleges should get rid of this whole "liberal arts" requirement for degrees. If a person is a math major, why take a class in US history (especially as it will be no different than the history class in high school)? If a person is an English major with a minor in communications, why take a physical science lab? The years it takes to get those degrees will shrink from five years down to three, and reduce the debt per student by 30+grand.
One thing that could help with that is setting up dual-credit systems between high schools and the state schools, like an AP format. A student takes an extra year of mathematics, that makes the student exempt from needing the one term of mathematics in college. Colleges count the classes in high school as meeting the pre-req, so why not count the class for credit itself?

[Trompe loeil]

02:28 AM on 01/13/2012

Because it makes someone a more well-rounded person if they have general knowledge about history and literature, which at times shaped social policy.

If anything we need more emphasis on the humanities as a way of providing perspective and context to life's foibles, follies and tragedies.

Learning for learning's sake is the best of all possible worlds. While it is important in the modern world to acquire the skills that one needs for the world of work, the arts, literature, music and history provide an important part of a good education.

[JackVandusen]

03:29 AM on 01/13/2012

Exactly. Higher education has shifted so much to the vocational side that it's almost completely skills based in some areas.
We need fewer bean counters, and more independent thinkers. (F&F)

[Lauren Lamourine]

02:19 PM on 01/13/2012

I support well-rounded and diverse education in high schools, I just do not see how spending $2,400 dollars to take a Shakespeare class could be considered a wise investment if the student intends to work in astrophysics.

[eceresa]

06:38 AM on 01/13/2012

If you want a trade school, go to a trade school. Don't demand that universities become trade schools.

Education is not just job training.

[random100]

12:18 AM on 01/13/2012

Here is my idea, a two year on line federal college free. No teacher just videos and course work. You would pay a small fee to take a test because that would require you to be in a physical location with people to monitor the test. The school would be difficult, say U of Michigan standards. Every public school would have to accept the credits toward a 4 year degree. This would allow students to pay for two years of school and recieve a four year degree.It would cost next to nothing to run as it would just be a web site.

[HaeJee]

10:46 AM on 01/13/2012

It is equally important to a students education to learn to work with others, communicate, and learn social skills.

[random100]

02:05 PM on 01/13/2012

This is not for everyone and it wouldn't stop people from going to a regular University. Also thos eopportunities would be available to those who continue with school after two years. Some students would be able to finish the two years faster if they wanted.

[corwin]

10:30 PM on 01/14/2012

And takng easy classes is the path to that?

[Pam Herman]

09:45 PM on 01/14/2012

I could see an incorporation of your idea within the framework of traditional education. I would still like the online student to have access to professors and tutors because college-level coursework can be difficult to understand without help. Face-to-face contact and discussion is sometimes necessary.

[random100]

01:41 PM on 01/15/2012

This is not meant to be a solution for everyone. I think it would work best for more talented and older students. The idea of having access to live professors would prohibit it from being virtually free for both student and government. If it was only a web site you would only need a computer to take the classes. There could be a system that had graduate students receiving credit for on line tutorials as well as opportunity for people to pay for private tutors. Thanks for giving this concept some thought as I believe it is a way to really help with some of the economic problems as well as educational problems in this country. I do think this solution is more about saving money than about improving education. However with education becoming a more and more difficult option for people due to expense the problems are one and the same. If you look at the results a person could get a 4 year degree with half the expense and they can do it at their own pace without giving up working.

[StudentLoanList]

12:02 AM on 01/13/2012

Sounds like someone is trying to help students afford college. If the money is a grant than I would imagine the funds would go directly to the school and be used on tuition and expenses. I wonder if this would exempt students from being able to get student loans to use on housing or other expenses ? www.studentloanlist.com

[J R M]

10:51 PM on 01/12/2012

When my father went to the University of Kansas in the 40's, tuition was free. But you had to keep your grades up, or they threw you out of the university. Overall, a good investment.

In general, I would have most students (excepting those in highly specialized areas that require specialization in the freshman and sophomore years) take their first 2 years of schooling at community colleges, transferring to the larger institutions for their junior and senior years of education.

[PuertoRicanprincess]

10:17 PM on 01/12/2012

like all of them are gonna "study" they're gonna be partying like the rest of the students that are in college wasting their parents money, I wish i could go to college and actually study, I wanna be an architect but I CAN'T AFFORD IT. hmmm

[jeyseptember]

03:15 PM on 01/13/2012

You think everyone in college is one of "those people"?

[PuertoRicanprincess]

04:05 PM on 01/13/2012

not everyone, but most, it's the truth

[sleeperd]

08:24 PM on 01/12/2012

"Democrats in the senate...plan to give...$9,500 grants.." Isn't that wonderful of those democrats??
They're going to be reaching into their own pockets for thier own money and "give" it to HS grads so they can go to college "for free"!??
What's that, you say?? They're NOT going to be using their own money..!?? Well, then where will the get it from?? What's that you say..?? They're going to confiscate it from the working families of Michigan so they can "give" it to college students..so they don't have to work??
That's kind of like getting it fromn the Obama stash, isn't it??
Infreakincredible!!

[random100]

12:11 AM on 01/13/2012

Yes incredible they will help students go to college like all other developed countries in the world. Just like they did when I was in college. Go Blue.

[seal62]

12:20 AM on 01/13/2012

I got 2 kids left to go ...it sounds great ...Go Green .

[Lauren Lamourine]

12:51 AM on 01/13/2012

Remember, those college students will be paying for your Social Security. What was last year's unemployement for people with Bachelor degrees? 4.1% That's less than half the unemployement of those with only high school diplomas. For some fields, the rate is so low, it is listed at less than 1%.
We don't need to create jobs as much as we need to create people who can actually work them.

[Rich Moraghan]

06:17 PM on 01/12/2012

"...So it may be a while before college grants make their way into the hands of Michigan's knowledge-hungry youth."

Pffft. he'll just blow it on candybars and pop anyways!

[dbrett480]

05:43 PM on 01/12/2012

This could work well if the students spend the money wisely. That means by starting off at a more affordable community college.

[atheis4]

08:29 PM on 01/12/2012

A community college is not inherently wiser. There are different kinds of colleges for different kinds of students. An investment in a Liberal Arts education is just as wise, if not wiser, for some students.

[dbrett480]

08:34 PM on 01/12/2012

All colleges require general education. A community college fulfills that requirement for a fraction of the cost, no matter what ones future degree goals are.