Senators to discuss 'U' funding at League

The state Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Higher Education will hold a hearing tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. in the Michigan League to address the budget Gov. John Engler proposed this past Thursday.

University President Lee Bollinger, Charlie Nelms, chancellor of the University's Flint campus, and representatives from Central Michigan University and the University's Dearborn campus will state their cases for increased funding for higher education to the three members of the subcommittee - Sen. John Schwarz (R-Battle Creek), Sen. Don Koivisto (D-Ironwood) and Sen. Jon Cisky (R-Saginaw).

Schwarz, who chairs the subcommittee, conducts subcommittee hearings on the road to gather opinions from constituents across the state. After meeting at the University tomorrow, the subcommittee is scheduled to visit the campuses of Albion College, Michigan State University and Oakland University in the upcoming months.

Since last last week's announcement, a number of senators and representatives have expressed concerns about Engler's proposal to increase higher education funding by 1.5 percent, a full percentage point less than the expected inflation rate.

Schwarz said he and the other senators will attempt to boost higher education funding above the 2.5-percent inflation rate expected.

"The main issue is the fact that the executive budget has a 1.5-(percent) increase across the board for public state universities," Schwarz said. "That is probably inadequate. It will increase an upward pressure on tuition. We're looking to expand funding to bring the rate at or slightly above the general inflation rate."

Cynthia Wilbanks, associate vice president for government relations, said that every year the University looks forward to testifying before the subcommittee and giving its input on the legislation.

"We certainly see opportunity in working with the legislators to improve the funding by any way we can," Wilbanks said. "The discussions of the University's needs will be persuasive. It's a starting point."

Schwarz said the Senate almost always adopts the bill the Higher Education Subcommittee sends to the general appropriations committee. Last year, the final bill the Senate and House passed called for a 4.4-percent increase in higher education funding, but a similar increase may not be feasible for fiscal year 1999, Schwarz said.

As a result of the Michigan Supreme Court's ruling in Durant v. Michigan in 1997, the state of Michigan will pay $211 million over the next few years to 84 school districts that the court decided had illegally received unequal funding in the past. Even the current strength of Michigan's economy may not offset the Durant settlement, Schwarz said.

"State revenues are very good, but you have the Durant decision to pay for and the proposal for new prison construction," said Schwarz, who noted that funding for higher education and corrections comes from the state's $8.8 billion general fund.

Rep. Mary Schroer (D-Ann Arbor) said Engler's proposal to increase corrections funding by 5 percent will preclude substantial increases to higher education funding.

"It should probably be more by the time we're done," Schroer said. "The chances are, it will be a little more, but not a lot. The fight is in between education and prisons."

02-19-98