higher ed finance

In OPtimizing EDucation, by Mia Murphy March 22, 2024

Michigan’s public universities have learned to do more with less for many years now. While recent state budgets have been a well appreciated re-investment, institutions responded to years of cuts or stagnation by holding the line on affordability for students and families. This…

In OPtimizing EDucation, by Dan Hurley July 14, 2023

The recently passed Fiscal Year 2024 higher education budget reflected a second consecutive spending framework that signals a notable reinvestment in the state’s public postsecondary institutions and the students they serve. It is the most substantive higher education budget of…

In OPtimizing EDucation, by Mia Murphy May 20, 2022

At a recent debate among Republican candidates seeking to serve as Michigan’s next Governor, a number of them expressed their belief that the state’s public universities are swimming in dollars, particularly thanks to their endowments. Now and then we hear news stories about…

In OPtimizing EDucation, by Mia Murphy August 31, 2021

Back in May, the fine folks out at the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) put out a comprehensive report summarizing the available literature on state funding of higher education. They confirmed what we all suspected: cutting public higher education…

In OPtimizing EDucation, by Mia Murphy March 26, 2021

We’ve recently heard interest in Lansing, as limited as it is, of supporting public universities in Michigan through a voucher model. Such a model would theoretically set a flat rate amount of state funding that is paid to state universities on a per student basis. After all,…

In Accountability, by Mia Murphy December 2, 2019

This fall in the Michigan Legislature, the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Higher Education are holding informational hearings while they consider revisions to the state’s funding formula utilized for its 15 public universities. MASU is slated to testify on Dec.…

In Accountability, by Mia Murphy August 29, 2019

This is “college” in America: Credit: WIKIMEDIA  And so is this: Credit: HOLYOKE CCThis is also “college” in America: Credit: TRIPADVISOR  And this is also “college” in America: Credit: JIM THOMPSON/ALBURQUERQUE JOURNAL/ZUMA  And so is this: Credit:…

In Higher Ed Finance, by Mia Murphy March 8, 2019

We might have expected much of the general approach Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took to her first budget, announced this week, by her campaign platform. Certainly a number of proposals like pulling School Aid Fund out of the universities’ budget were expected based on her platform…

In Higher Ed Finance, by Mia Murphy January 19, 2018

One thing that’s always perplexed me is how drivers occasionally get hit by trains. Trains don’t veer off course. Trains don’t suddenly make a right turn in front of you on your way to the grocery store. Trains just lumber steadily down the track, unable to slow down or speed up…

In Higher Ed Finance, October 21, 2016

There are few states that would be described as being flush with cash. State officials (justifiably) want to know the return on the investment they’re making with public revenues. And for years, state universities have argued in turn that investment in public higher education…