Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Higher Education Scholarship Capital topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Appropriations committee advances university package that shifts funds to campus investment and expands Michigan Achievement Scholarship
Summary
House Bill 45 80 H‑1 was adopted; the proposal shifts large one‑time general fund deposits into the School Aid Fund to expand the Michigan Achievement Scholarship (MAS), creates campus investment funds tied to tuition restraints, and imposes multiple boilerplate restrictions.
The Michigan House Appropriations Committee adopted the H‑1 substitute to House Bill 45 80, a higher‑education package that reallocates funding and revises scholarships and campus investments. Gary Zaylik and committee chair Representative Markkanen presented the House proposal, which the fiscal summary describes as a mix of reduced direct general fund operations for universities alongside large one‑time School Aid Fund deposits for scholarships and campus investments.
House Fiscal described a proposed gross appropriation structure in which ongoing general fund operations are reduced and $1.1 billion in one‑time School Aid Fund deposits would fund the post‑secondary scholarship fund, with additional one‑time deposits for private institutions. The Michigan Achievement Scholarship (MAS) would be restructured to award up to $5,500 for resident students enrolled at four‑year public or private institutions and up to $2,750 for residents at community or tribal colleges; eligibility would be broadened (removing income and graduation‑year limits) and award years adjusted. Fiscal staff said direct appropriations to universities would be roughly $855.7 million gross but that MAS and campus investment fund estimates mean total estimated FY26 allocations could approximate current funding levels when MAS payments are included.
The bill ties campus investment fund eligibility and distribution to resident FYE counts and adds restrictions that would scale back allocations based on institutional endowment size; it also conditions receipt of campus funds on tuition and fee restraint (3% or a dollar floor). House boilerplate contains restrictions on DEI spending, institutional salary increases, and rules about common areas and public ceremonies organized by race or ***, and limits related to male/female sports participation language. Committee members raised questions about the MAS estimate methodology, the 15‑credit definition of full‑time used for MAS estimates, and how the campus investment fund allocation would interact with tuition caps and institutional endowment adjustments. The H‑1 substitute was adopted and reported with recommendation.
