Michigan community colleges urge lawmakers to sustain scholarships, boost operations and fund capital projects

Brandy Johnson, president of the Michigan Community College Association, told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education and Community Colleges that community colleges across Michigan rely on a mix of state, local and tuition funding and urged the legislature to sustain recent scholarship programs and increase operations and capital investment.

Johnson said community colleges serve more than 283,000 students statewide and that only about 23% of college revenue currently comes from state appropriations. She described the community college guarantee — a component of the Michigan Achievement Scholarship launched in fall 2024 — as a "last dollar" program that covers tuition and fees for eligible recent high school graduates who enroll full time and complete the FAFSA. "The community college guarantee, on average is saving students 2,134 dollars per…