Governor calls for bipartisan rally around higher-ed funding
Cameron Hunt came to hear Gov. Jennifer Granholm speak Thursday because he wanted to hear why his parents were losing $12,000 toward their children’s education.
“Next fall, my parents will have three kids going to college,” the Fraser sophomore said. “I’m still not sure if my mom even realizes the money is gone.”
Hunt was happy with Granholm’s message calling on everyone to unify around the Michigan Promise Scholarship no matter what political party or background they represent.
“This is not a partisan issue,” Granholm told about 100 students crowded into the Charles V. Park Library. “This is an issue about what makes sense for Michigan’s future. There are Democrats and Republicans that want to see this scholarship restored.”
Granholm spoke for approximately 11 minutes amid several speakers, including interim University President Kathy Wilbur, Student Government Association Vice President Brittany Mouzourakis and College Democrats President Brad O’Donnell.
‘This is doable’
The Michigan Promise, a state-sponsored scholarship that provided $4,000 to students attending at least a two-year institution, was cut from the state budget this year. To reinstate it, Granholm wants to slow a credit increase for the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit.
“No one is asking for a general tax increase — no one is asking for significant sacrifice,” she said.
The state Senate signaled it supports the revenue, Granholm said, although it has not linked it to the Promise Scholarship.
Granholm pledged to continue fighting to restore funding for the Michigan Promise.
She said the scholarship corroborates with her goal of doubling the number of college graduates in Michigan and encourages students to contact their senators and representatives.
“We cannot allow the naysayers to say it can’t be done. This is doable,” she said.
Wilbur said CMU is aligned with Granholm in doubling Michigan’s college graduates.
“We are determined to do that,” she said. “We work at it every day.”
Student Government Association President and Mount Pleasant senior Jason Nichol thought Granholm’s message was outstanding. As a former Promise recipient, he lost $2,000.
“It is such a rare occurrence to have a governor who is so committed to the students’ interest,” he said.
Mixed reaction
Lake City sophomore Craig Johnson said he plans on contacting his state representatives after hearing Granholm’s speech.
“She is sincere and a real advocate for students and the Promise Scholarship,” he said.
But not all students supported Granholm’s visit.
Before the event, several students, mostly from CMU's Campus Conservatives, protested her visit, which they called a "partisan rally," outside both entrances of Charles V. Park Library.
Warren freshman Ben Lazarus, founder of nobrokenpromise.com, said Granholm’s appearance at CMU was an act and staged to make it seem that students are united in a tax increase.
“That’s not the case,” he said. “There’s excess pork in the budget that can be cut, like the state police headquarters, that would keep Michigan residents and students away from a tax increase.”
He said students are upset and that she vetoed the budget without the Michigan Promise.
“It’s just one broken promise after another with her. Students are no longer her priority,” he said.
