Michigan Falls in National Rankings for Educational Attainment Despite the Rise in Secondary Education Graduates [MASU] featuring an extended interview with MASU CEO Dan Hurley

WJR (Feb. 11)

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MASU is pleased to announce our search for our Reverse Transfer Project Coordinator. The posting is available through Feb. 18 for best consideration.

This part-time, remote or hybrid contractor position will be responsible for overseeing the deployment of the National Student Clearinghouse’s Reverse Transfer service among participating Michigan public universities. This is a nonrenewable college success grant-funded project funded by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). The project will enable the state’s public universities to more efficiently exchange course and grade data involving students who transfer from a community college to a university. This data will allow students to receive an associate degree from the community college once credit requirements are met, a process known as reverse transfer, allowing interested students to transfer to a public university when they’re ready and still get their earned associate degree.

Job duties, more details, compensation, and timelines are available in the job posting.

College Access & Affordability

Eastern Michigan University expands loan repayment program, includes more majors

Eastern Echo (Feb. 6)

Should Kalamazoo look to Battle Creek to boost economic growth? [WMU]

MLive (Feb. 8)

Educational Attainment

Michigan residents with degrees, skills certificates rises, but state ranking falls [MASU]

Bridge (Feb. 6)

Facilities Planning & Campus Improvement

Student union space, on-campus restaurant space in the works for NMU's Harden Hall

My UP Now (Feb. 6)

EMU holding meetings to talk about parking

WEMU FM (Feb. 10)

University Apartments open to undergraduate students [CMU]

Central Michigan Life (Feb. 10)

MSU to break ground on permanent Feb. 13 memorial in spring

Lansing State Journal (Feb. 12)

Inside the University of Michigan’s faculty, staff and students push to halt Los Alamos project

MLive (Feb. 11)

WMU Trustees approve first phase of Asylum Lake Preserve land transfer

WMUK FM (Feb. 12)

WMU takes step toward transferring management of Asylum Lake Preserve to Kalamazoo County

WWMT TV (Feb. 12)

WMU’s under-construction dorm gets new name: Valley Oaks

WOOD TV (Feb. 12)

WMU renames new $110M dorm that’s under construction

MLive (Feb. 12)

Federal Policy

Before Trump ban, universities were slowly making faculties more diverse [UM]

The Detroit News (Feb. 5)

Higher Education Finance — State Capital Outlay

GVSU approves $139M bond to cover new technology hub plans

MLive (Feb. 6)

See details of GVSU’s $166M project to build Blue Dot technology hub

MLive (Feb. 6)

GVSU set to borrow $139M for riverfront tech center, upgrades downtown

Crain’s Grand Rapids Business (Feb. 11)

GVSU building $166 million tech hub in Grand Rapids

WOOD TV (Feb. 12)

Higher Education Finance — Other State Support

State expands program to support social work students in Michigan

WCMU FM (Feb. 6)

Higher Education Finance — State Operating Support

Preview of Whitmer's final budget focuses on savings for seniors, families, working class

WWMT TV (Feb. 10)

Whitmer's education budget shifts record $1.7B from school aid fund [MASU]

The Detroit News (Feb. 11)

Gretchen Whitmer pitches $88B budget. What it means for Michiganders, schools

Bridge (Feb. 11)

What's in Whitmer's budget? Sin taxes — and lots of them [MASU]

Crain’s Detroit Business (Feb. 12)

Here’s what you need to know about Whitmer’s proposed budget

WNEM TV (Feb. 12)

Higher Education in the 2026 Elections

Attorney for charged student protesters seeks seat on U-M Board of Regents

Michigan Public Radio (Feb. 12)

Institutional Leadership

EMU President Smith praised at his likely final Board of Regents meeting

WEMU FM (Feb. 13)

Philanthropic Support

MSU nears halfway mark in $4B campaign, OKs teardown of IM West

Crain’s Detroit Business (Feb. 6)

LSSU receives $3 million to boost Great Lakes research

Soo Leader (Feb. 12)

Recognitions & Awards

MSU associate dean for public health makes TIME100 list a second time

WILX TV (Feb. 11)

Strategic Planning

CMU hosts first Go Grants symposium, showcasing innovative projects

WSMH TV (Feb. 10)

Tuition

Michigan public university tuition tops $17K on avg.; financial aid can save 47% [MASU]

Bridge (Feb. 9)

Workforce Alignment

Gen Z doubts college value, Northern Michigan schools emphasize job skills [FSU]

WWTV TV (Feb. 12)

Michigan’s School Aid/General Fund Budget “Swap” is a Two-way Street, Despite What Some May Think

Citizens Research Council of Michigan (February 2026)

Excerpt: “Equally important is the flow of dollars out of the General Fund to “hold harmless” the SAF and public schools from the potential revenue losses arising from various state tax policy changes. The number and size of “hold harmless” provisions have grown over time. Collectively, they are estimated to reach $900 million for the FY2027 budget year, or about 70 percent of the total $1.3 billion SAF appropriation for higher education purposes.”

Grapevine Fiscal Year 2026

SHEEO (February 2026)

Michigan ranks 42^nd in the nation for higher education per capita, spending only $279 per capita compared to the national average of $390. Selected other states ranking above Michigan: Alabama (#10, $492), Illinois (#11, $486), Georgia (#12, $469), Minnesota (#27, 343), West Virginia (#32, $338), and Indiana (#41, $282).

Tracking Postsecondary-to-Workforce Outcomes: An Overview of State Data Systems [PDF]

MHEC (February 2026)