State Rep. Greg Markkanen, chair of the House Higher Education and Community Colleges budget committee, on Wednesday announced his $2.4 billion budget plan for Michigan’s higher education system. The House Higher Education Budget proposal includes a $5,500 per year scholarship for all Michigan high school graduates if they choose to attend a Michigan public or private university.

“Money shouldn’t be a barrier for any Michigan high school graduate seeking a quality higher education in their home state,” said Markkanen, R-Hancock. “We want our talented high school graduates to bring their skills to our colleges and universities. We want them to fill our talent gaps in the workforce. Most of all, we want them laying down roots here – raising families, buying homes, and giving back to our communities.”

The House budget does not change the amount of funding for university operations – $1.68 billion – but finally corrects the imbalance of state funding poured into Michigan State University (MSU) and the University of Michigan (U-M). The proposal reduces funding to MSU by nearly $62 million and U-M by more than $239 million, instead opting to increase funding for the state’s 13 other universities.

“Michigan’s largest universities have been getting way more than their fair share for far too long,” Markkanen said. “Our plan sets things right by trimming the fat off MSU and U of M and distributing that funding amongst our 13 other remarkable universities.”

The House budget recommends universities receive funding on a per-pupil basis, receiving $5,500 for each full-time resident undergraduate student enrolled in 2024.

Markkanen noted that MSU receives additional appropriations for the MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension, and U-M receives nearly a half billion dollars annually from endowment distributions.

The budget would also establish the Campus Investment Fund, which would allocate funding for various infrastructure projects and improvements based on the number of full-time resident students. The amount of Campus Investment Funds a university can receive would be capped based on the size of a school’s endowment.

The House proposal would also eliminate DEI policies in Michigan universities. If a school is found to have a DEI policy in place, state funding would be withheld until the university becomes compliant with state requirements. The plan also includes requirements keeping men out of women’s sports, putting Michigan in line with Supreme Court decisions banning discrimination in admissions, legal status verification for every student, banning graduations based on race or sex, and a 10% spending cap on university administration.

“President Trump is doing important work at the federal level, and I want to make sure Michigan expands upon those efforts,” Markkanen said. “We’re putting an end to the race-based policies that have hurt our students for years. We’re ensuring every person who attends a higher education institution in Michigan is a legal resident of our country. We’re also limiting the amount that can be spent on overpaid and often ineffective university administration.”

Markkanen also announced his $450 million community college budget plan on Wednesday. The budget, which marks a 1% decrease in spending from last year, expands the Michigan Achievement Scholarship to provide free, universal community college. The proposal includes a $2,750 per year scholarship for a student who graduates from a Michigan high school and attends a Michigan community college full-time. The plan also eliminates DEI policies, withholding funding until colleges comply, and other similar requirements to the higher education plan.

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