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Gov. Granholm’s visit provides the perfect opportunity for students to speak up

By on November 18, 2009 2:00 am in Editorial / 6 comments

 
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Gov. Jennifer Granholm is coming to Central Michigan University Thursday to talk about the Michigan Promise Scholarship. She will speak at an open event 9:15 a.m. Thursday at the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium.

Students are encouraged to attend the event and voice their opinions to the governor regarding the Promise.

The Michigan Promise Scholarship was cut from the state budget before the beginning of this semester, leaving many students without their $4,000 scholarship for passing the Michigan Merit Exam. The scholarship had to be cut from the state budget in order to keep the state running. Many students were depending on the scholarship to help pay for classes and living expenses. The cancellation has sparked fierce debate around campus without any direct action.

But meetings such as these could help change all that.

This is an opportune moment for students to get involved and tell Granholm directly how they feel about the cancellation of the Michigan Promise. Granholm has her hands full trying to balance the budget, boost the state economy and create jobs so people will stay in Michigan. Despite her busy schedule, Granholm is creating the time to come and talk to CMU. Students should try and show the governor the same courtesy.

An early 9:15 a.m. start time isn’t every student’s favorite time. Sleeping in and early classes will no doubt deter most students from showing up to the Park Library Auditorium.

But if students are truly as passionate about the Michigan Promise as they say they are, they’ll show up and listen to Granholm. Wake up and let her know that the scholarship is needed. Skip class and let your professor know ahead of time if need be and demand an explanation as to why students aren’t receiving the money they were expected to.

Speaking to the governor one-on-one in her office would be much more awkward than speaking to her on campus, where students are every day. The chance to speak to Granholm face to face in such a comfortable setting may not happen again for a long time.

The scholarship is more than just money for college students. It’s an incentive for young people to seek higher education in Michigan and make their home state better. It’s encouragement for high school students to do well on the Merit Exam, showing the state the strengths and weaknesses of our public school systems.

There’s been enough talk on campus about what Granholm should do with the Michigan Promise. Now it’s time to tell her directly. Don’t let the chance slip away.

 

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  • John

    I sure hope all of the students use this opportunity to let the Governor know how bad her liberal policies has screwed up Michigan and the country.

  • Driver

    So, John, you think the Republican love affair with tax cuts regardless of the cost to public services and education has nothing to do with the mess our state’s finances are in?

  • Mike

    Ya, your crazy John. Did you know that the Democrat controlled house passed a bill restoring the funding but is expected to be BLOCK BY THE REPUBLICAN controlled Senate. Sounds like a Republican problem and not a “liberal” problem. Take some political science classes…

  • John

    Driver, tax cuts are good, but when spending increases along with tax cuts that is when there are problems. Unfortunately, President Bush and other Republicans backed away from conservative principles and supported these policies. I don’t like liberal politics, but the Republicans haven’t done a good job either. They are all to blame. I may be conservative, but I am certainly not the kind of person that backs a political party no matter what. I support principles, not partisan politics.

    With regard to cutting public services, I would rather have less government services and lower taxes. We all do a great job of helping others in need when they need a hand up. There are services that should NEVER be cut (education, public safety, etc) but I believe that the private sector or individual citizens do an outstanding job when called upon.

    Spending more and more will not get us out of the mess we are in. At no point in history did more government spending pull a country out of a recession.

  • Greg B.

    I attended the brief Granholm “discussion” with Central students. Both parties have struggled to restore the Michigan Promise, and frankly, this fifteen minute canned sound byte was counterproductive. A variation on “the children are our future” was the cliché we were treated to, which felt as tired as the audience. The opportunity for students to speak up were limited to further canned speeches from college democrats, while only one student from the audience managed to have a question answered; he did this by boldly shooting up like a rocket to have his voice heard.

  • John

    Mike, which funding are you talking about? If you are referring to education funding being restored, Granholm cut it to begin with and now they want it back. They are playing a political game. I think both sides are out of touch and we all need to realize it and fix it when the next election comes around. Republican, Democrat, I don’t care, these politicians need to use common sense when it comes to the budget instead of trying to make the other side look bad and get re-elected. Don’t need any classes but thanks for the advice anyway.