Felonious snowball throwing, defrosting the Michigan Promise scholarship and more
It's a cold day for higher education.
• In Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University cancelled classes today due to the winter storm that dumped 9.5 inches of snow on Tuesday.
• At the University of Michigan, Russian coaches and two pairs of Olympic-bound ice dancers are helping to put the city on the map for the sport, the Michigan Daily reports.
Winter weather has hit college campuses. Students at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. created this gigantic snowball Feb. 5.
AP Photo John Terhune
• In Virginia, police leveled felony charges - for snowball throwing - against two college students they say pelted a city plow and an undercover police car during last weekend's blizzard, The Smoking Gun reports. Two students face up to five years in prison if convicted of throwing missiles at occupied vehicles.
• Thursday in Lansing, Gov. Jennifer Granholm will announce her budget proposal for the next fiscal year via State Budget Director Bob Emerson. University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University officials are wondering whether Granholm will try to put the freeze on higher education funding, and how, exactly, she might go about restoring the slashed Michigan Promise scholarship program, which she pledged to do at her State of the State address.
Meanwhile, Capitol insiders wondered the same thing and said more financial aid programs in the next budget cycle could go.
"We've been trying to find revenue to replace it (Michigan Promise), and we haven't been able to really get any agreement from the Senate on raising any additional revenue at this point," said Joan Bauer, D-Lansing, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee and chairs the Higher Education Appropriations Committee.
What's left of state financial aid programs - about $81 million in tuition grants and incentives and Michigan Competitive scholarships - is the "only place left to do any cutting," Bauer said.
Juliana Keeping covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528. Follow Juliana Keeping on Twitter
Comments
skigrl
Thu, Feb 11, 2010 : 7:45 a.m.
Please remember that the Michigan Promise Scholarship money was supposed to come from tobacco lawsuit money, not out of the pockets of the people from Michigan.
julswl
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 2:03 p.m.
A Promise is a Promise, and unforgivable that this generation is getting yet another huge hit to their pocketbooks, worthiness and investment in their future. SHAME ON THE MICHIGAN PROMISE. These were our highest achieving scholars who were lied to!!!
Duane Collicott
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 1:25 p.m.
lynndee is correct.
lynndee
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 12:47 p.m.
I believe it should read "try to revive", not "try and revive".
Juliana Keeping
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 11:54 a.m.
We fixed it RC.
Richard C
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 11:50 a.m.
"try revive"? Any proof-reading at AnnArbor.com?