Are we?
Watch Senator Mark Schauer deliver the news on tuition hikes to his fellow colleagues on the Senate floor today.
Or, read the transcript here.
Thanks to the Senate Dems for providing this service. They are really on top of things.
Welcome back from vacation, colleagues. I know many of you considered this a "working" two week vacation, but for any of you who missed the news of the day, I'd like to briefly recap with a "While You Were Out" edition of Michigan happenings.
While you were out, Michigan State University right down the street here, was forced to increase tuition by 9.6% or about $800 a year. Let's call these what they are, folks, tax increases on students and their families.
Oakland University up by 13.9%, Central Michigan University up 21% over 4 years, Grand Valley State University up 9.9%, Eastern Michigan University up 9.5%, Lake Superior State University up 9.3%.
These university boards were forced to do this in large part because we had not given them any idea what amount of state resources we would provide. As Michael Boulous, executive director of the President's Council, State Universities of Michigan said, "The State of Michigan is balancing their books on the backs of the students and parents. It's very clear what they've done. Now the question is whether they'll continue to do it in 2008."
Will we?
If the Republicans have their way you will.
Senator Schauer has been one of the few Democrats who has been ready to meet this budget crisis head on all year- he stands up and tells it like it is, calmly, rationally, succinctly. He has no fear.
And for that, he gets huge rounds of applause.
Keep up the good work, Senator. I wish they were all like you.