College leaders urge lawmakers to protect Achievement Scholarship and restore tuition grant for adult, incarcerated learners

Presidents and students from Michigan’s independent colleges pressed the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education and Community Colleges to preserve and expand state financial aid so it reaches adult, transfer, part‑time and incarcerated learners.

Jackie Spicer, president of Baker College, told the panel the college serves six campuses across Michigan and — citing a third‑party analysis — “collectively, we contribute more than 3,000,000,000 annually to Michigan’s economy and support 33,000 jobs.” Spicer said more than 400 Baker students benefited from the Michigan Achievement Scholarship in the 2025–26 academic year, receiving nearly $2,000,000 in aid; she warned that the sunset of the Michigan Tuition Grant has created a gap for adult and part‑time learners who no longer qualify for state support. “Unlike its predecessor, the achievement scholarship limits eligibility to students enrolling within 15 months of high school graduation and attending full time,” Spicer said, and she urged “a targeted reinstatement or program expansion that broadens access to include adults,…