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Dear Friend of EMU:
On October 30, the Michigan Legislature adopted the
2007-08 fiscal year higher education budget. As I'm sure
you are aware, this has been a difficult fiscal environment
in which to advocate for spending increases of any
kind in Lansing. However, thanks to your unwavering
support, Michigan's 15 public universities will receive
an increase in state funding for only the second time
in eight years!
The 1 percent across-the-board increase amounts to an
extra $755,800 in state support for EMU programming.
In addition, EMU is being reimbursed for $62,900 in costs
related to the Indian Tuition Waiver program, resulting
in an adjusted increase from last year of $818,700, or
1.1 percent.
While this increase may appear modest, it is important
to recognize that our increase comes at a time when the
state is slashing nearly $500 million from the 2007-08
state budget. The Department of Health & Human Services,
for example, is receiving $80 million in programming
cuts. The Department of Community Health is looking at
another $53 million in reductions.
HB 4350, the higher education budget bill, also makes
official the one-time supplemental payment to reimburse
all 15 universities for payments that were "delayed" last
year to help the state avoid financial insolvency. This
supplemental payment amounts to an additional $7.1 million
that has been rightfully returned to EMU's institutional
reserve.
With the higher education budget process complete, our
focus will now return to the state capital outlay process.
Our University community, through our legislative outreach
efforts, has worked tirelessly to educate state lawmakers
as to the vital need to renovate Pray-Harrold. While
this remains an extremely challenging political environment
in which to secure capital funding, we remain confident
that our continued efforts will eventually be rewarded.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your
support throughout this year's state fiscal budget process
and say how important it is that we continue to work
together to deliver necessary resources to Eastern Michigan
University.
Sincerely,
Freman Hendrix
Chief Government Relations Officer
Eastern Michigan University
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