After years of controversial cuts to higher education, Michigan has begun reinvesting in its colleges and universities. Last month, Governor Rick Snyder proposed a 6.1 percent spending hike for Michigan’s 15 state-funded colleges and universities. Higher education officials applauded the move, which would be contingent on universities limiting tuition increases.Michigan received a reminder last week of how much farther it needs to go to catch up with other states, in terms of state per-pupil spending. A nationwide report from the Chronicle of Higher Education shows Michigan in 40th place in that category.
Doug Rothwell is CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan, a non-profit group comprised of the chairpersons and top executives of dozens of the state’s top job providers and universities.
Rothwell says main problem we face is that we're making it more difficult for young people to get an education at the very time there's more demand than ever before.