I’ve been observing Michigan public policy discussions for nearly 50 years. It’s amazing that, so often, it’s as though people with differing views live in two different universes. Take Michigan universities. Analysis presented last week in Bridge showed costs at Michigan public universities are higher than the average at comparable schools around the country and […]
universities
Posted inPhil's Column
It's time to invest in Michigan Inc.
The dwindling Lansing press corps experienced a brief tremble of excitement last week when Gov. Rick Snyder indicated he might not run for re-election if he completes his agenda in four years. “Report: Snyder may not seek re-election if agenda complete,” headlined the Detroit News, quoting the Michigan Information and Research Service, (MIRS) a capital-based […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Why is affirmative action divisive?
Later this year, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals will revisit Proposal 2, which, as of now, bans affirmative action as a point of entry into colleges and universities. What that means is race and gender are no longer points of consideration in the admission process. We all know that being accepted into a […]
Posted inPhil's Column
Important news about your 'life'
When I was running my newspaper company back in the go-go 1980s and ’90s, finding and hiring good talent was tough — especially at the wages we could afford. Michigan’s economy was on a roll. The auto companies were hiring everybody in sight. Employers were fighting to recruit talented people, and the newspaper business was […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Jobs of the future: Where they'll be in Michigan
Jim Danielski tells horror stories, but not the kind shared with toasted marshmallows around a campfire. Danielski’s horror stories are the kind that should keep Gov. Rick Snyder awake at night. At his career counseling center in Plymouth, Danielski sees a steady stream of people who aren’t ready for Michigan’s new economy. Some have no […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Snyder’s claim fans college readiness debate
Gov. Rick Snyder has made a blunt claim about Michigan’s schools in 2011: Few of their graduates are actually ready for college work. This spring, Snyder said only 16 percent of the state’s 2010 high school graduates were college ready and that 238 schools had zero — 0 — college-ready students based on ACT benchmarks. […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Deep inside the Lost Decade: Decline, transformation and resilience in Michigan's regions
Ann Arbor on the east side and Grand Rapids on the west are widely regarded as the most prosperous and desirable metropolitan areas in Michigan. But Kalamazoo-Portage and Battle Creek in Southwest Michigan surprisingly outpaced Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and all other metro areas in the state in economic growth over the past decade. An […]