EMU’s Board of Regents announced a 3.65 percent increase Monday, and the other two universities’ were determined last week at their respective board meetings. U-M raised tuition 6.7 percent while MSU raised tuition 6.9 percent.

Each undergraduate resident will pay $306 more at EMU, $797 more at U-M and $788 more each year at MSU.

CMUwill determine its own tuition increase at the July 14 board of trustees meeting.

The Wayne State University Board of Governors will meet Wednesday to determine its tuition rate, but university officials have already stated a 7.1 percent increase is necessary to balance the school’s budget.

Thus far, all of the state universities to have set rates have avoided a tuition restraint penalty which would result in a further loss in state funding. If schools exceed the 7.1 percent tuition increase, they will see additional losses in state funding beyond the 15 percent they will already lose in the state’s budget.

Saginaw Valley State, Oakland and Western Michigan universities have also set their tuition rates.

With a 15-percent cut, CMU is set to receive $68 million in state appropriations next year.

University President George Ross has said to expect to see a “modest” tuition increase. Tuition rates were already raised 2.5 percent for master’s and doctoral tuition, and a 3 percent increase to ProfEd tuition.

Barrie Wilkes, associate vice president of Financial Services and Reporting and university controller, previously said the final decision on tuition will be made at the July board meeting.

He said the board is shown a comparison of how other schools handled their tuition increases, but the board ultimately makes the decision independently.

“There’s a comparison provided, but that is not key to developing the university’s budget,” Wilkes said.

The university has a lot to consider as it finalizes its budget in time for the start of its new fiscal year, which begins July 1.

At the same time, each of the university’s 15 peers are doing the same, also coming out with proposed tuition increases. CMU’s budget and tuition rates will be set at the July 14 board of trustees meeting.

Most have walked a tightrope in approaching the 7.1 percent threshold between them and further cuts from the state budget; only Eastern Michigan University has increased by substantially less with 3.65 percent so far and Western Michigan University instituted the next lowest increase with 6.66 percent; Wayne State University has already said it requires a 7.1 increase to balance its budget.

This time of soaring rates presents a grand opportunity for CMU to buck the trend. This university could position itself well by avoiding a large tuition increase, or any at all.

University President George Ross has already said the tuition increase will be low, after noting a similarly modest 2.065 percent increase for the 2010-11 school year.

The university would be seen very positively, especially in contrast to many of its peers, if the tuition increase was moderate to nonexistent.

CMU has repeatedly said, while it considers other universities’ rates as part of its decision making, the call is ultimately made independently. CMU should continue this trend and absolutely not use other universities’ increases to excuse a similarly high tuition bump.

Tuition has increased more than 200 percent since 2000-01, soaring from $108.15 per credit hour to $346 per credit hour 2010-11.

In that time, administrative pay has also seen increases and the university possesses unrestricted net assets equivalent to 82.18 percent of its budget; more than any of the other 15 public universities, as reported by the Detroit Free Press.

Officials have said it is difficult to adjust where those assets are allocated. However, for the benefit of students and their families, the university should wherever possible reconsider where that money goes; if any of it can be used to lessen the impact felt by students and their families, then it absolutely should be.

Shawn Ostwald, a Mount Pleasant resident and 1996 alumna of Oasis, 3350 S. Isabella Road, was upset when she learned of the recent proposal.

“This school has saved thousands of children and it has made such an impact on our community,” she said. “It would be a real shame to see it go.”

When she heard about the possible closing of her alma mater, she decided to make a statement of her own. Shawn, along with about 60 other Oasis graduates, parents and teachers, will protest at MPCS’ Central Office at 720 Kinney St. to show the district how important they think the school is to the Mount Pleasant community.

No official decision has been made yet on which of the proposals will pass. Interim District Superintendent Tammy Holder said she recognizes the importance of Oasis, which is why she is asking for input from the community before making any decisions.

“All Michigan schools are facing some tough choices when it comes to allocating funds,” she said. “Budgets for education are being cut at the state level. We just want to do what is best for all of our students.”

There will be another board meeting Thursday to further discuss the budget. Former Oasis teacher and counselor Laura Gourlay plans to be there.

Gourlay, who spent 25 years at Oasis, said she understands the difficult task the Board of Education faces in cutting spending.

“It’s not the district’s fault,” she said. “Budget cuts are happening everywhere. They are trying to make the decision they feel can benefit the most people.”

According to the district’s website, there is just over $1 million in possible budget reductions. Other proposals include slashing budgets in transportation, athletics and substitute teachers.

People rallied at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing Wednesday to protest Snyder’s budget proposal and House Bill 4214, a bill granting increased powers to the position of emergency managers.

“I think this is an abuse of the executive branch,” said Clarkston senior Michael Birach. “No government entity should have this much power.”

Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, said they did not start the fight going on in Lansing, but they did not plan on losing.

Whitmer announced a proposed constitutional amendment to protect collective bargaining.

Mayor of Lansing, Virgil Bernero speaks to a crowd of more than 1,000 protestors in front of the State Capitol building in Lansing, at the close of the protest against Gov. Rick Snyder's budget plan, Wednesday evening. Bernero spoke about his love for the people of Michigan and his availability to them. "I'll always be with you," said Bernero. (Perry Fish/Staff Photographer)

“How can you criticize a teacher who makes $40,000 a year,” Whitmer said, “when you have … millionaires in your cabinet?”

The controversial bill signed by Snyder gives him and state financial authorities the right to appoint financial managers to local governments in a state of emergency. The emergency manager would have the power to eliminate contracts, end bargaining agreements and dissolve local governments.

The union-sponsored rally also provided a forum for some to protest what they feared was an attack on the middle class and its democratic rights.

“This isn’t about unions — it’s about all of us,” said Temperance resident Jan Smith.”When you take away people’s voices, that’s not democracy.”

Her biggest concern was the effect the cuts to education spending could have on her grandchildren.

The next generation’s fate was also on the mind of Livonia resident Derek Pennington, a member of an electrician’s union.

“My daughter is going for her teaching degree at CMU and I’m worried for her,” he said. “The most important thing our government can do is invest in education.”

As protesters moved inside the Capitol, signs were prohibited but thousands continued chanting “Who’s house? Our house!”

“So far things have gone smoothly and peacefully,” said Sgt. Jeff Hoeld of the Michigan State Police. “They reserved the space through 5:30 tonight. After that they have to leave.”

Toward the end of the rally five people were arrested for refusing to leave the building after it closed. In total, 10 were arrested for trespassing and one for resisting and obstructing an officer.

Yet, I have done little research into the matter until the recent budget proposal by Michigan’s recently elected governor, Rick Snyder. The budget has created an immense degree of controversy, especially concerning a topic close to home: university funding.

I did some thinking on the matter and wanted to explore the possible funding of Central Michigan University under an “equal funding” scenario — per-student funding.

Though my scientific method is basic, as this is a letter and not a research project, my intention is to illustrate a philosophy, not the merits of a specific argument. Further, I have done my best to minimize calculation errors and apologize if any exist, there were many numbers to work with but I did audit myself. My information, unless otherwise noted, came from www.collegedata.com.

In essence, I have researched the total number of students attending Michigan’s fifteen public universities: 298,220. I then found the budget that governor Rick Snyder has proposed for the fifteen universities, including the tuition incentive grants of $1,207,234,700. I then took this total and divided it by 298,220 to find the “per student funding” that should exist, which is $4,048.13. Under the current funding system, CMU would receive only $2,499.78 per student.

Then, I thought it would be interesting to see what CMU would get under the current budget with my plan in mind. Under the budget proposal, CMU will get $68,108,900 for the fiscal year 2012. With 27,246 students at CMU, we should be funded $110,295,349.98 at a $4,048.13 per student rate.

According to Central Michigan Life, $80,132,000 is the funding CMU received in the fiscal year 2011. We would experience not a 23.3 percent cut as indicated in a Central Michigan Life story, but an increase! Some schools, as a result, would lose funding, but I encourage you to explore how many schools would lose funding and how unequal the funding is.

I bring this up because it is something to think about as well as the following: Are not all students of equal value and deserve equal opportunity? Are we funding buildings or students?

Is this something that CMU faculty, administrators and students could agree on to pursue together, perhaps something that we all have in common and where literally everyone wins? This could unite us as a university.

Justin Robillard

Whitehall senior

The governor proposed the elimination of state revenue sharing in cities, villages and townships. County revenue sharing could take a 34-percent cut.

Administrator Tim Dolehanty said Isabella County doesn’t have a clear picture yet.

“We know to expect some sort of local government funding restructuring,” he said. “Cutting a third of revenue sharing could be quite significant for us.”

John Barker, Union Township supervisor, is more concerned with incoming census figures.

The township is the third-fastest-growing municipality in the state, Barker said.

“We are anticipating 11,000 people when the results come back, and in 2000 we had about 7,000,” he said. “The impact of additional numbers could dramatically affect our revenue sharing.”

Unlike Isabella County and Mount Pleasant, Union Township receives constitutional revenue sharing. This type of revenue sharing is expected to increase by 4 percent.

“It’s not a huge amount, but it beats being cut,” Barker said.

The elimination of statutory revenue sharing could possibly have a large impact on Mount Pleasant.

The city was expecting a loss, but not a major one that would affect the 2012 budget, said City Manager Kathie Grinzinger.

“In the very worst case, due to the city’s fiscal year being different than the state’s, we could lose $400,000 in 2011 because of these cuts,” she said.

Communities can compete to get back some of the money lost if they meet “best practice standards.”

Union Township is well-positioned if the government comes up with any standards for applying best practice because of the mending, working and collaborating it continues with the city, county and Central Michigan University, Barker said.

The township’s contract with the Mount Pleasant Fire Department brings the best services for the best cost to its citizens, along with the waste water agreement it has reached, he said.

“But we won’t know until next month what the criteria for allocating resources is,” Barker said. “We don’t know yet until we see the final standards if we’re considered to be doing a good job of managing a local community.”

With uncertainty in cuts ahead, Grinzinger has chosen to remain calm.

“It’s important to not under- or overreact so we can begin to plan,” she said. “Then we just have to let the process play out.”

The recent decision to strike student status from qualifications could vaporize benefits for up to 15,000 of the 25,923 college students covered in April.

That the program, which is undeniably abused by many of its college-aged users, would be one of many to feel the shears on the path to a balanced state budget was not unexpected.

It is difficult to justify snatching taxpayer dollars to pay for fresh crab leg dinners for college students perfectly capable of feeding themselves from their own or their parents’ funds.

However, the breadth, severity and immediacy of the cuts were a surprise.

It is heartening to see Gov. Rick Snyder willing to take serious action to bring the budget in line with reality, but changes to a program that provides a staple to 3,433 students in Isabella County alone should not be rushed.

While abuse was likely rampant, many students who take a full course load simply do not have the time to also work enough hours to pay for groceries. That is assuming they can find jobs at all when the labor market is flooded with unemployed workers with much more open schedules.

When parents cannot fill the gap because of their own economic concerns, something must be done.

Student loans and unemployment insurance can ease the transition, but there will at best be more debt or another battery of forms for students to overcome.

Greater stringency in the Food Assistance Program is not only needed, but long overdue. Unfortunately, the sweeping cuts coming to students’ wallets in April are more akin to severing the arm to cure the infected pinky than the balanced spending reform Michigan needs.

Limiting food assistance only to employed students reiterates that this is, in fact, aid and not an allowance, but raising the bar to working 20 hours a week may be unfair. There are a number of students with on-campus jobs who work less than 20 hours, but still depend on food assistance to help support themselves.

If a student was approved for food assistance through this year and worked 19 hours, that student loses all their food assistance April 1, no questions. A more gradual approach, like allowing newly ineligible students to continue through their previously approved date, may be less problematic for those affected.

The program was excessive and overly generous, and needed to be reformed. While this sends a strong message on the part of the state government, a little further consideration could have made the change easier for those governed.

The balanced budget was greatly aided by $1.6 billion of federal aid money, which will not be available next year, and an estimated $660 million in retirement incentives offered to state employees and teachers.

“The good news is we were able to complete the budget, and everyone’s grateful because they know where they stand,” said state Rep. Bill Caul, R-Mount Pleasant. “Unlike the other budgets that have gone past the September 30 deadline, we got this one done on time.”

Public school funding will return to a minimum $154 per pupil — $23 more than the previous fiscal year. The school aid budget was completed this summer. Caul said he was grateful districts could know their operating budgets before the school year began.

Higher education is receiving a 2.8 percent cut in funding. State police and prisons also will receive less money but the state will not be laying off troopers, only using the money they will retain more efficiently and realistically, Caul said.

“I am not pleased with it, but Michigan is struggling to provide the resources we’ve provided in the past,” he said.

Other parts of the budget will allow the Department of Human Services to add 684 child welfare workers and retain some scholarship money for higher education.

Caul said the budget was easier to accomplish this year because of the federal stimulus money.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm is pleased with the outcome of the budget in difficult economic times and was expected to sign the legislation Thursday, said spokeswoman Katie Carey.

“She will sign the legislation Thursday afternoon,” Carey said.

The budget must be in place today for government services to continue.

Bernie Porn, founding principal and president of EPIC/MRA, a Lansing-based polling group, said voters will be disheartened by cuts, but happy there were not any tax increases. In addition, while balancing the budget is important to them, the economy and jobs are far more important.

Many legislatures main motivation was to get the budget finalized on time without a tax increase, Porn said.

“Voters are not as concerned about those issues (balancing the budget, education) as they are about the economy,” she said.

But Central Michigan University is still preparing for the worst.

State Rep. Bill Caul, R-Mount Pleasant, said the legislature is using about $1 billion of federal money to patch up the $1.5-billion state deficit. He doesn’t anticipate any cuts from the public university fund base, he said, though there are many pieces to the financial puzzle.

“It looks like we’ll be able to make the target (amounts) without any major cuts in higher education,” he said.

In a recent interview with Central Michigan Life, University President George Ross said CMU cut $5.2 million from its operating budget in May to prepare for at least a 3-percent cut in state-allocated funds for this academic year, which began July 1.

CMU officials have estimated receiving $80,064,200 in state-appropriated funds, according to the 2010-11 operating budget.

“We’ve been in flux over the budget so far and so we went with what the governor’s proposed amount was last year and this year,” said Carol Haas, director of financial planning and budgets.

Plans

Haas said CMU will first tap into a reserve account Ross allocated in case the university does receive less than the $80-million estimate before cutting from departments.

“We have a plan in place as afar as everyone has some reduction plans that they can fall back on and there’s also other reviews going on at this time,” she said.

Ross said his administration and the board of trustees were very public about the possibility of program cuts back in May.

“At this point, while we don’t know what the final state budget reductions will be,” he said, “we expect one and we continue to plan.”

Administrators are preparing for up to a 20-percent reduction in state appropriations for the 2011-12 budget, Ross said. A 20-percent reduction in state funding would mean a $16-million loss for CMU.

If the university receives less than expected, Haas said the higher-than-expected enrollment numbers for this year will help buffer the financial sting.

“The increased enrollment will definitely help because that’s increased revenue we weren’t planning on having,” she said.

Haas said departments campus-wide have been frugal and are watching their expenditures in preparation of looming budget cuts.

According to goals adopted by the president and board of trustees May 24, there will be a complete review of all administrative areas and service centers in January 2011 to determine efficiencies, cost savings and cost cutting measures.

The results of the review will determine which areas will receive enhanced funds and which areas will be consolidated or even eliminated where necessary.

Ross said administrators will receive more specific details as CMU delves deeper into the process of evaluating programs.

Provost Gary Shapiro said the administration will stick to the timeline laid out in the university goals.

“We are preparing to bring (the discussion) to the campus community” Shapiro said, “but we are not ready to do so as of yet.”

The meeting, which took place in the Bovee University Center’s Lake St. Clair Room, continued a series of forums that Wilbur has hosted with various student groups around campus.

“We were very pleased to have Interim President Wilbur come to our meeting and speak with us,” said Hart junior Bryant Greiner, president of Campus Conservatives.

Wilbur announced that University President-designate George Ross will continue as president of Alcorn State University until Feb. 5 and she will serve as co-chair of a transition team that Ross will put in place to reaccumulate himself to Central Michigan University.

Wilbur said the transition team will consist of faculty students, administrators and community leaders.

“We want as many people part of that process as possible,” she said.

Wilbur announced she will attend Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s State of the State address on Wednesday in Lansing. She expects Granholm will release her budget recommendations on Feb. 11, then the legislature will begin hearings on the process.

Ross will testify on CMU’s behalf before the state senate on March 8 at Ferris State University and CMU will host State House of Representatives hearings around the dates of April 16 to 19.

The university received $80,064,200, or 26 percent of its 2009 to 2010 operating budget from state appropriations. The university’s operating budget for 2009 to 2010 is $307,985,819.

Wilbur plans to have students testify at the hearings held at CMU.

“Our strongest advocates are our students,” she said.

Wilbur said she has a pretty strong impression that Granholm will not issue executive order cuts, or budget “callbacks” from the university.

She said the university may be receiving more one-time funding from the federal government and feels those dollars should be focused on financial aid funding.

“We need to make some changes to financial aid,” she said. “We should shift merit (based) financial dollars to need (based) financial aid dollars.”