Under the Michigan College Tuition Act proposed by State Rep. Fred Durhal Jr., D-Detroit, qualifying high school seniors would receive free college tuition at no cost to state taxpayers.

“Here in Michigan, there is a serious need for a college education to be more accessible to all residents,” Durhal said in a statement. “We need to make sure that anyone who wants to continue learning beyond high school can do so.”

To qualify for the funding, the student would have to have lived in Michigan the previous five years before graduating high school, have a 2.5 grade point average and be accepted into any of Michigan’s public or private vocational and technical schools, community colleges or universities, according to a press release.

The funds would only cover tuition and room and board. Books and meal plans would not be covered.

The student also must contribute one year of community service, including returning to their high school to mentor an “underachieving” senior.

Durhal plans to pay for the MCTA by holding three annual “super” lotteries, creating a check-box for contributions on income tax forms, corporate donations and endowments and contribution of 1 percent of all gross receipts from all Michigan casinos.

Tribe may not donate

The Saginaw-Chippewa Indian Tribe is hesitant at the moment to contribute anything to the state.

“We used to agree to donate 2 percent of Tribal revenue on a provision of a twice-a-year audit,” said Frank Cloutier, interim public relations director for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.

Cloutier said the Tribe stopped donating that money when the state violated the exclusivity agreement the Tribe had by not providing any resistance to the casinos in downtown Detroit.

“The state keeps on challenging the Indian tuition waiver, so donating our revenue to help out with statewide tuition is not something we’re very accommodating to right now,” he said.

The three Detroit casinos generated $1.36 billion in revenue in 2008, according to a Detroit News article and, if they agree to Durhal’s proposal, would contribute $13.6 million to the MCTA.

$13.6 million would cover more than 1,600 freshmen taking 24 credits for an academic year under the university’s current freshman tuition rates.

The MCTA calls for creation of a “lock box,” which would keep all funding for the MCTA separate from being able to be allocated to fill state budget gaps or used for any other project.

The “lock box” would require amending the Michigan constitution, which requires a ballot initiative before the voters.

Lottery Commission spokeswoman Abbey Brewer said the amendment would bypass a state law that sends all lottery revenue to the school-aid fund.

Current high school seniors who might qualify should not expect the funds to come anytime soon. The ballot initiative constitutional amendment vote will not happen until at least the November 2010 mid-term elections.

The program, called the Michigan College Access Network, will promote post-secondary education by supporting local programs that help people obtain information about higher education and how to obtain financial assistance. The governor expects the network up and running by the fall of 2010.

The governor feels that producing a well educated workforce is a must for improving the state’s economy.

“Michigan absolutely must produce the nation’s best-educated workforce to create jobs and diversify our economy,” Granholm said in a press release. “The Michigan College Access Network will mobilize the assets of every community in our state to give both our young people and adults the support and information they need to get a college education. We have to use every resource possible to help make higher education accessible and affordable for every Michigan citizen.”

The critical part of MCAN is creating a Web site about obtaining financial aid, which Diane Fleming, associate director of client services, said is crucial to increasing awareness about the financial aid process.

“The Web site will be a ‘one stop shop’ for students,” Fleming said. “Anything that makes the process of finding out how to apply for students and parents is an always an improvement.”

While the plan is targeted at all communities, the governor’s office feels that MCAN will most benefit lower income and prospective first-generation college students who need help transitioning to college.

“Students in lower socio-economically states tend to not know what’s available and prepare academically,” Fleming said.

Director of Admissions Betty Wagner said the network will enable students and parents to begin the college preparation process earlier.

“It will be useful to help parents plan for the cost of a college education in advance,” Wagner said. “Hopefully, the goal is to get more Michigan students on the path to education after high school. Whether it’s a four-year institution, two-year institution or technical schools.”

The governor also will introduce “Promise Zones,” public-private partnerships to provide college tuition for students in high poverty areas and establishing a $4,000 Michigan Promise scholarship that will be available to every Michigan high school student to help increase the number of college students.

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Melton, an Auburn Hills democrat, has introduced legislation aimed at targeting failing schools in Michigan. If the schools do not make the grade, they could face state takeover or increased competition from new charter schools.

“We need to demand more,” he said. “Who is not for more accountability in schools?”

The bill will target schools that are not making 35 percent Adequate Yearly Progress. AYP is the cornerstone of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. It measures year-to-year student achievement on the Michigan Education Assessment Program for elementary and middle schools, or the Michigan Merit Examination for high school, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

Melton’s legislation would include bringing in review teams to look at the schools. He is not ruling out any type of reforms, including extending school days and the school year.

In the case of a state takeover, state officials would replace existing school board members, Melton said.

Joe Pius, superintendent of Mount Pleasant Public Schools, said he is not worried about his district.

“The district is doing fine. Mount Pleasant schools doesn’t have a concern in this regard,” Pius said. “If this is just a policy to get more charter schools in Michigan, we do not support it.”

The alternative to a state takeover is putting a new charter school in the area to give parents another choice.

Scott Ray, director of external relations for the Center for Charter Schools, said the center and the university is ready to help out where needed.

“The Center for Charter Schools at Central Michigan University shares the House Education Committee’s desire to transform the public education system in our state,” Ray said. “CMU currently authorizes 58 charter public schools, educating some 30,000 Michigan children and the center is always ready to share its knowledge and experience with anyone who is seeking to improve public education in order to better serve students and families.”

Melton said the bill is not targeting any specific area but will look at areas with high dropout rates and poor academic results. Melton said he feels better academic results in urban areas could help keep people out of jail.

“We have a prison population of 50,000 and 70 percent of them are dropouts,” Melton said. “Schools are not living up to what they should be doing.”

Melton said these schools would not be traditional charter schools, as they would not count towards the state’s cap of 150 charter schools and would take students based on academic results. Students would have to reside within the school district where the school is placed.

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A small group of English language and literature professor Robert Fanning’s advanced poetry class gathered outside the Charles V. Park Library to participate in a marathon reading of Roethke’s poetry, all part of a series of events celebrating the 100th anniversary of Roethke’s birth.

Roethke, a Saginaw native and graduate of the University of Michigan, was a two-time winner of the National Book Award and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1954 for his book “The Walking.”

The small group took turns reading poetry, eating muffins, drinking coffee and giving out snaps as passersby occasionally partook in the proceedings.

Harbor Beach junior Steven Roggenbuck said he attended to celebrate Roethke’s contributions to literature.

“He’s got a lot variety, writes a lot of passive descriptions of nature, also a lot of goofy stuff,” he said. “His work with sound is very enjoyable.”

Other Roethke works include “Party at the Zoo,” “Praise to the End!,” “Sequence” and “Sometimes Metaphysica.” Roethke died of a heart attack in Bainbridge Island, Wash., at 55.

Fanning said there was a panel discussion Tuesday with English faculty, and Fanning hosted a poetry workshop Wednesday.

Fanning said the warm weather made for perfect conditions to read Roethke’s poetry outside.

“He’s a poet who delighted in language, natural imagery – perfect to read outside on a spring day,” he said.

Fanning described Roethke as a poet who pulled his poetry from the remembrances of his youth. Fanning said that is a tool he teaches his poetry students.

Even though Roethke eventually settled in the Northwest, Fanning takes pride in the Pulitzer Prize winner’s Michigan roots.

“The fact that he’s a Michigan poet is really inspiring,” Fanning said. “We like to celebrate our own.”

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In a letter obtained by Central Michigan Life sent to University President Michael Rao and Provost Julia Wallace, the Academic Senate Library Committee chairwoman and English, Language and Literature professor Anne Alton requested the university increase the budget for the library to keep up with the rising cost of inflation for academic journals.

“The library could use a commitment from CMU to keep up with the rising cost of serials and journals,” she said. “Our perception is there is a lack of support for the library from the university.”

Alton said the inflation for journals has raised prices between 7 and 10 percent, while the increases to the library acquisitions budget have only averaged 2.2 percent since 2001-02.

Alton thinks the library does not receive enough support from the university.

“Students need the library and teachers need the library to do he research that CMU wants,” she said.

Alton said the English department has been asked to identify the serials the department uses most and the ones they do not use as much because the library cannot afford to keep them all.

Dean of Libraries Thomas Moore said funding is not the sole issue.

“The issue is that the purchasing dollar is not worth what it was,” he said.

Both Alton and Moore hope to work closely with Wallace so the issue does not fall through the cracks during the transition from when Rao leaves the university on July 1 to when a new university president is named.

“Provost Wallace has been very attentive to the concerns of our library,” Moore said.

Moore said the library is looking for other ways to acquire funding for their budget, including private fundraising.

“We fundraise every day of the year,” he said. “Fundraising is what we do.”

Alton is asking the A-Senate to support the resolution, which she expects to get at the next A-Senate meeting on April 28.

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The opening of a new post office on campus may make that task easier.

Central Michigan University opened a new post office Wednesday in the Combined Services Building Room 105, located in the Central Mailroom.

The Combined Services Building is located next to the CMU Police Department on East Campus Drive.

The post office will remain in that location until the planned Bovee University Center renovation is complete in December 2010, according to Linda Slater, director of plant engineering and planning.

Central Mailroom Office Manager Linda Richter, who is running the post office, said it is a great addition to campus, especially for students.

“It came to my attention that what students would like to see is an on-campus postal service,” she said. “It gives students and faculty a chance to ship packages without having to leave campus.”

The impetus to open an on-campus post office came from student surveys, in which the university asked what students they would like to see in the UC renovations. An on-campus post office was a frequent response.

After seeing the support for a post office, the original goal of the university was to open another satellite post office, similar to the one located in the Student Book Exchange, 209 E. Bellows Road.

That request was denied by the city of Mount Pleasant, according Tom Trionfi, director of contracting and purchasing services.

The post office, which has been in the planning stages for the past four to six months, is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office offers most services of a normal post office, including shipping packages and selling stamps. The only service it does not provide is selling money orders.

Richter said that the staff processes the packages and letters dropped off and transports them to the Mount Pleasant Post Office, 813 N. Main St.

“The office will be more of a service, more of a convenience,” he said.

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But the Georgia senior receives in-state tuition because his father took classes at CMU’s satellite campus in Atlanta.

“I wanted to be a teacher and (CMU) has a great teaching program,” Waters said. “I wanted to be on my own, grow up a little more, the (Legacy tuition rate) has really helped me a lot.”

The Alumni Legacy Award is offered to out-of-state students who have had a parent or grandparent that graduated from CMU with either an undergraduate or post-graduate degree, according to Director of Admissions Betty Wagner.

The CMU Alumni Association values the award at over $50,000 over a four-year period.

However, the university does not grant special admission to legacy students, said Marcie Otteman, senior associate director of undergraduate admissions.

Currently, CMU charges $324 per credit hour for a Michigan resident enrolled in the fall 2008 semester, compared to $753 for a non-Michigan resident. According to the Registrar’s official enrollment reports for the fall 2008 semester, 1,136 of the university’s 20,246 undergraduate students are from outside of the state of Michigan. Registrar Karen Hutslar said her office does not keep track of how many students receive the award.

The award has been around for the past decade and Wagner estimates that roughly 200 students have taken advantage of it. She says that the program attracts students who normally would not consider attending CMU.

“Out of state tuition is very prohibitive,” Wagner said. “We look at this as a way to gain students who would not otherwise come to CMU.”

Wagner said the award was put in place when the university’s alumni base began to grow outside of Michigan, but the alumni still wanted their children to enjoy the same experiences in college that they had when they went to CMU.

“We have many alums who want to show off the campus and how it has changed since they graduated,” she said.

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“(General Motors) has $4.2 billion in exports to China,” said Zhigang Xing, deputy news editor of the China Daily. “And the CEO of Ford said the future of Ford is in China.”

The economy, U.S.-Chinese diplomatic relations and differences in journalistic censorship were among the topics discussed by Xing in the forum, “Global Obligations: The Role of the U.S. and China,” facilitated by journalism professor Jiafei Yin in the Maroon Room of the Bovee University Center.

Minnesota senior Todd Balazovic, who interned at the China Daily from January to August 2008, spoke with Xing and took questions on life and journalism in China.

Xing spoke mainly on the interdependence that now exists between the American and Chinese economies. Xing said that between 2000 and 2007, Michigan’s exports to China rose by 521 percent, compared to just 27 percent for the rest of the world.

“Everyone realizes the need to cooperate with each other,” he said.

Xing also said that China is the largest creditor of the United States, holding $739.6 billion in U.S. treasuries and in the U.S.’s second largest trade partner and is the third largest U.S. export market.

Human rights and living conditions are major problems in China, according to Xing. Sixteen of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in China and about 400,000 Chinese citizens die of pollution related diseases each year.

Balazovic said the hardest part of adapting to journalistic life in China was adapting to the culture.

“It was a real struggle finding sources,” he said.

Balazovic said that the censorship of the state-ran newspaper was an issue, but not much worse than the kind of censorship that occurs in American newsrooms.

“You find that a lot of the censorship occurs on the personal level,” he said. “The U.S. media is more of a corporate censorship, the largest difference is the transparency in the censorship.”

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Michael Hull is looking to change that.

Hull, an assistant director of admissions, is the head CMU’s new Greater Chicago Outreach center.

“We find a lot of students want to get away from the city to go to college,” he said. “Mount Pleasant is the perfect town for college.”

The university opened the center in the fall to assist recruiting in Illinois. The center is already seeing results, said Marcie Otteman, senior assistant director of undergraduate admissions and operations.

“We currently have 70 more applications this year from the Chicago area than last year for the entire year of 2008,” Otteman said, “We are still accepting applications for our freshman class at this time, so I expect that number will grow.”

Otteman said the Chicago area is an area where the number of high school graduates is expected to increase over the next decade.

The university already has a strong alumni base in the state of Illinois, Otteman said, so recruiting has been easier with name recognition in the area.

Hull has spent considerable time recruiting more minority students. He presented at the National Hispanic College Fair and has done college planning presentations for Chicago’s inner city youths.

He has also worked with Chicago youth programs that focus on creating first-generation college students.

Otteman said CMU name recognition usually only extends around Michigan and areas with Mid-American Conference schools. The university has a similar office in Detroit, which also covers the Toledo, Ohio area.

Although some may expect that selling Mount Pleasant might be hard in Chicago, Hull said many students want to get away from the big city.

Hull said the announcement of the new medical school has drawn a lot of interest from perspective students.

“The biggest field we get asked about is the health field,” he said. “Physical therapy, P.A. program and the new medical school is making CMU a great option.”

Business and teaching programs are other fields that tend to be popular, Hull said.

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Some say life moves slowly in small college towns like Mount Pleasant, but for University General Counsel Eileen Jennings, a planned five-year stay turned into a three-decade career.

In her role as general counsel, Jennings serves as the school’s chief legal officer and coordinates all university legal services.

Jennings has announced her plans to retire in July after 29 years at CMU.

Before coming to CMU, Jennings spent time as dean of students at a small college in Vermont, and said the lack of good legal advice available to universities is what sent her back to law school.

“I knew how hard it was to get any good legal advice from someone who understood anything about higher education,” she said. “I was frustrated with outside counsel who didn’t know anything about colleges or universities.”

Jennings’ original plan after law school was to provide legal service in an area where there were several small colleges and universities. After that fell through, she looked to former University President Harold Abel for assistance in finding work.

Jennings had worked with Abel two or three times before, and hoped he could find her work in Washington, D.C.

Abel then persuaded Jennings to come to Mount Pleasant to interview for the position of university counsel.

Balancing other work

Besides serving at CMU, Jennings also is a member of the NCAA Division I Committee of Infractions, which investigates alleged violations by member institutions. She is in her third year on the committee which meets every other month.

“It’s real interesting work,” she said. “But I will tell you, it’s a huge amount of work.”

Jennings says for every hearing, it takes on average between 10 to 20 hours of reading and preparation.

Plans for retirement

After retirement, Jennings plans to donate more of her time to the local causes she volunteers with, including the Rotary Club of Mount Pleasant.

Jennings is the Rotary chairwoman of District 6310 for all matching grants. In that role, Jennings oversees and approves all Rotary programs that require funding, whether the project is local or international.

Bill Parlberg, member of the Rotary Club of Frankenmuth said Jennings is a good fit for the position.

“She’s uniquely qualified,” Parlberg said. “She’s very detail orientated and she’s done a great job.”

Jennings also will become the district governor for district 6310, which encompasses overseeing 32 Rotary clubs and their 1,500 members.

Jennings plans to reside in Mount Pleasant after retirement.

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