AFT Michigan Higher Education: A Michigan Platform

Opportunity and Access

The Issue

All Michigan citizens have a right to a high, quality education that carries them as far as their ambitions, talents, and hard work will permit. Access to post-secondary education is a central part of this right.

Public higher education should be affordable to everyone. No Michigan citizen should be forced to give up on college for financial reasons or take on an unmanageable debt to attend a public community college or university in Michigan. As a recent Senate Fiscal Agency report demonstrated, when the state provided more money to fund community colleges, tuition remained stable and enrollment increased. Additionally, Michigan's public universities received no funding increase in last year's budget, in contrast to a 6% average nationwide increase. This year's increase was 3% -- only half of the national average. We can and should do better than that.

Michigan students should have a broad variety of choices for educational advancement after high school and throughout their lives. From technical education to an associate or bachelor's degree, as well as graduate study and lifelong learning.

Action Steps

• Tuition: Provide adequate state funding that does not result in spiraling tuition increases;
  
  Funding: Necessary funding requires the state adopt a revenue structure that is fair, stable and adequate. The K-16 Coalition funding ballot initiative should be supported. (http://michigank16.org)
  
  
• Up Out of Poverty: Citizens on public assistance should be able to utilize the maximum federal allowance to gain access to higher education and training, thus enabling their permanent transition into the workforce. It is important that both transportation and childcare needs be met while these students work to improve their lives for the benefit of themselves and their children.
  
  
• Michigan Merit Awards: Michigan Merit Awards should be income sensitive so that these valuable state monies continue to reward achievement and also expand higher education opportunities to those who might otherwise not have it. It is also important to structure these awards to create incentives for students to complete their post-graduate education.
  
  
• Expansion of Access: Universities that currently grant applied baccalaureate programs should develop partnerships with community colleges to enhance access. Additionally, Michigan's higher education institutions should create a website containing course articulation and transfer information for all Michigan institutions. Policy makers and institutions must work to increase credential and degree completion by adult residents who have already completed some post-secondary education. Finally, to meet the needs of students and the state's economy, Michigan should develop a connected data system that tracks K-12, Higher Education and adult job training and re-employment program students.

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