This morning, Michigan Radio reported that as part of efforts to balance the state budget, the brain trust that is our state legislature is proposing to cut $210 million in financial aid currently available to college students in Michigan. The merit-based Michigan Promise award, which offers students as much as $4,000, faces total elimination. 96,000 students are expecting this award for the coming academic year.
God knows our budget problems are dire, but this cut is particularly short sighted. What incentive does this give future tech savvy, "creative class" knowledge workers to stay in Michigan after they graduate? Scientists, programmers, engineers, entepreneurs, green architects and builders, educators, and new media professionals (for starters) will be essential to transforming the state's economy, but this proposal tells them they're a liability. The message it sends is "Go share your gifts somewhere else."
They will. Keep it up people--we may yet become Haiti-of-the-lakes.
The governor opposes this, so hopefully she and some like-minded legislators may be able to prevent it. Governor Granholm has been a disappointment in many ways, but I will say that during the current budget crisis, she's been right more often than wrong.
If you're in Michigan...send an email to your state senator telling them this is bull#@*^.
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