[stinkytofu10]

Originally Posted by Retroit

MSU opened a campus in Dubai recently. Maybe they can close that.

It was a big flop and they closed it last year.

I've heard rumblings about UM's long term plan of possibly becomming private. They have a gigantic endowement and, frankly, the fact they have a relatively small percentage of their students from Michigan makes some Michigan tax payers wonder why they throw tax money to fund out-of-state students.

Lastly, I wonder if they'd consider shutting down one of the UP schools - Lake Superior State, Northern Michigan, or Michigan Tech? All three schools necessary? Perhaps shutter Ferris State as well?

[michigan83]

Lastly, I wonder if they'd consider shutting down one of the UP schools - Lake Superior State, Northern Michigan, or Michigan Tech? All three schools necessary? Perhaps shutter Ferris State as well?

Man... I wouldn't want to touch that issue with a 10 mile-long pole. Those schools are in small towns that would be absolutely crushed if the college shut down. I am cringing at the thought! I don't think we have to worry about something like that happening.

[danielj72]

Originally Posted by michigan83

Man... I wouldn't want to touch that issue with a 10 mile-long pole. Those schools are in small towns that would be absolutely crushed if the college shut down. I am cringing at the thought! I don't think we have to worry about something like that happening.

Yes you are correct, all three UP schools have a massive economic impact in the towns they are in. Add to that list Ferris State, Central Mi, Grand Valley state and Saginaw valley state. Those schools all also dominate thier surroundings economically. Shut down any Michigan university and you will cause a great deal of problems. I understand that if we dont have the money that it may have to be done, however shutting down a university should be a very very last resort.

[stinkytofu10]

Yeah, I'm not saying I'm endorsing that plan at all...trust me...but I'm just trying to figure out what schools would theoretically be discussed in this plan.

[ForStarters]

Originally Posted by michigan83

Man... I wouldn't want to touch that issue with a 10 mile-long pole. Those schools are in small towns that would be absolutely crushed if the college shut down. I am cringing at the thought! I don't think we have to worry about something like that happening.

That's true of all the state schools, though. Ypsilanti would be crushed without Eastern. Same goes for Mt. Pleasant without CMU and Kalamazoo without Western. Think about what would happen to Flint and Saginaw if you shuttered UofM Flint and Saginaw Valley State University.

The two campuses that might be able to be shut down without COMPLETELY crippling their surrounding communities would be UofM Dearborn and Oakland University in Rochester. Both of those cities would survive without the college campus and are commuter schools so real estate owners in the area wouldn't take a total bath.

[goodfella24]

you guys are just full of wonderful political figures out there arent you.

[Sparrow_temp]

Get rid of the Headstart programs -- they're really just free day-care centers anyway. That should free up enough money for the universities. Get rid of the breakfast programs too -- complete waste of money.

Stop creating computer infrastructures for all students in elementary/middle schools -- that's a huge savings.

Stop all funding for UofM -- it doesn't need state funding.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by stinkytofu10

It was a big flop and they closed it last year.

I've heard rumblings about UM's long term plan of possibly becomming private. They have a gigantic endowement and, frankly, the fact they have a relatively small percentage of their students from Michigan makes some Michigan tax payers wonder why they throw tax money to fund out-of-state students.

Lastly, I wonder if they'd consider shutting down one of the UP schools - Lake Superior State, Northern Michigan, or Michigan Tech? All three schools necessary? Perhaps shutter Ferris State as well?

And many of those students don't stick around after graduation. They go back to the State or country that they came from, particularly back to the East Coast. Whereas GVSU, for instance, 90% of grads stay in Michigan after they graduate (and find employment).

The article says that these 1 or 2 universities wouldn't close, but might be absorbed as a satellite campus of another university. Or become a community college.

I wonder what they would use as a determining factor? Graduation rates? Growth? How the schools handle the money they're given? Tuition rate increases over the last 10 years?

I look at schools like Lake Superior State and wonder if it needs to be its own entity.

[Coldjensens]

Something just occurred ot me about scholarships. They should offer state scholarships only with conditions. If you stay in Michigan for at least 5 years after graduation, it is simply a scholarship. If you leave Michigan, you have to pay it back. Bacisally we woudl be paying exemplary students to stay in Michigan. Might be a solution to the propbelm of all of them leaving upon graduation so we are paying for the educations of people who go off and benefit some other state.

[MI-Roger]

Declining population state wide combined with an aging population translates into far fewer college age students. Simultaneously there is a strong movement for students to earn their first four sememters worth of credit hours at Community Colleges as a cost savings. Why support all these 4-year universities which aren't needed?

I have felt for a long time that Michigan as far too many state supported colleges and universities. Built at a time of high employment with high wages so every worker's children could attend college - whether they were academically qualiifed or not.