1. 

   Jeffrey Poling

   January 10, 2012 at 11:40 am

   My wife and I love the beauty of Michigan’s college campuses. In our particular case, we have a special affection for U of M in Ann Arbor, my Alma Mater. Every time we visit the campus, there are cranes in the air. The building and expansion of the Medical Campus, the Atheletic Campus, North Campus and Central Campus with the new and incredible North Quad and Business School is breath taking.
   But while I am in awe of the beauty and proud of my University, I cringe at the cost which must be astronomical just in maintainenance alone. How much does it cost to clean, repair, supply, staff, heat and cool these buildings? How much of this cost burden can be absorbed through tuition by students and their families, state taxes, and alumni contributions?
   Our economies are fragile. I worked at Chrysler in the mid 70′s when half the restrooms were padlocked to save money just before they shut the entire corporation down. I don’t want to see that happen to Michigan.

   Reply
2. 

   T. W. Donnelly

   January 10, 2012 at 11:58 am

   What would be so wrong for a student to take basic core classes at a community college to save cash? English composition is structurally the same class,whether it is taught at a university or community college.But those who attend a university are also paying for the “atmospherics”, the ivy on the big buildings, the football rallies, the “name recognition” that bestows a certain grandeur.
   Boil it down, going to college is sitting in a seat in a class with a professor sharing the good news of the subject. Ultimately, what one does with that learning is up to the student consumer. So there must be some allure for the student to pine for a berth on the university train: the prestige of the institution. That ultimately is for what the student pays in choosing a university setting. We all need to examine what student are really underwritng with their tuition dollars.

   Reply
3. 

   bob

   January 10, 2012 at 12:24 pm

   Don’t worry Jeffrey, UM has a $6.7 billion dollar endowment sitting in the bank, the largest college endowment in the state and one of the largest nationwide.

   Their football revenue is the 4th largest in the nation at $63 million/year with a profit of almost $49 million. This is before they count the tuition dollars that roll in ever semester. UM is one of the most financially secure universities in the nation.

   Reply
4. 

   tom

   January 10, 2012 at 1:20 pm

   this is interesting information, but can you elaborate on the composition of the peer groups and the rankings within them?

   Reply
   • 

     Ron French

     January 10, 2012 at 1:38 pm

     Because of time constraints, we weren’t able to post public versions of the complete peer groups. If you have a specific group/school you’re interested in, I’ll be happy to respond here or by email, at rfrench@bridgemi.com

     Reply
5. 

   Elijah Brumback

   January 10, 2012 at 1:52 pm

   Ron, where does this information come from? Could you tell me how its calculated and why it makes sense? I’m trying to understand what this really means? Is this just a cost comparison? Also if michigan students went out-of-state they would be paying out-of-state tuition, which is assuredly more expensive.

   Reply
   • 

     Ron French

     January 10, 2012 at 2:09 pm

     Hello Elijah, our data comes from IPEDS, an online source of higher education data. One piece of information IPEDS tracks is average net cost for students receiving any amount of grants or scholarships. This is the best measure of the real cost of universities, rather than the sticker tuition price.
     On your second question, of course if Michigan students attended a North Carolina public school, they would pay out-of-state tuition rates, which may well be more than the in-state rates in Michigan. The point is not that it’s cheaper for Michigan students to leave the state to attend college; the point is that Michigan families have to pay MORE for the privilege of attending a state school that residents of other states pay to attend their state schools. Is that good policy? what are the ramifications for Michigan families, students, and the state economy? Here’s an example: Say Michigan taxes beer at a higher rate than North Carolina, so that Michigan residents pay $3 more per six-pack than residents in N.C.; No one’s going to drive to NC to buy beer, but once Michigan residents know they’re paying more, do they feel they’re being cheated and demand a change? This story raises the questions about policies that make attending college in Michigan more expensive than in other states

     Reply
6. 

   John Q. Public

   January 11, 2012 at 2:37 am

   Michigan could both get more graduates to stay in Michigan, and fund successful higher education, by offering a tax credit to individuals who graduate from a Michigan college or univeristy and file a resident state tax return.

   How about $250 per year for an associate’s degree or apprentice-level tradesman, $500 for a bachelor’s degree or journeyman’s card, and $1,000 for a post-graduate degree or master craftsman? No certification, no tax credit. Good until age 65.

   You’ll get more by subsidizing individuals rather than institutions, whose leaders keep the benefits for distribution among themselves.

   Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply