State funding for Michigan’s 15 public universities will increase by 2 percent under a fiscal year 2019 budget the state Legislature approved Tuesday.
The increase will bring total operating funds for state universities to more than $1.5 billion in fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. The budget now goes to Gov. Rick Snyder to sign.
The spending plan allocates $320.8 million, up 2 percent, for the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus. UM-Dearborn will receive $26.1 million, up 2.6 percent, and UM-Flint will receive $23.6 million, up 2.3 percent.
The budget also outlines new requirements for universities in the wake of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal at Michigan State University. They include requiring that a summary of all Title IX reports against employees be shared with a university’s governing board, and that universities institute an in-person sexual assault prevention course for all freshmen and incoming transfer students.
Universities face a 10 percent funding cut for not complying.
The full appropriations are also contingent on in-state undergraduate tuition increases of no more than 3.8 percent.
Legislators included a $6 million increase in funding for the Michigan Competitive Scholarship, a grant awarded to students with a qualifying ACT or SAT score and demonstrated financial aid. The Tuition Incentive Program, a financial aid program targeted toward low-income students, also received an additional $6 million.
The Board of Regents will consider tuition as part of the provost’s budget recommendation at its June 21 meeting in Ann Arbor.
