Last week, Baker College distributed a letter to the recipients of the Michigan Tuition Grant. This letter was included in a financial aid packet and stated the following:

Important Information Regarding Your Michigan Tuition Grant (MTG) or Michigan Competitive Scholarship (MCS)

The projected State Award included in your financial aid package is an estimate based on the 2005-06 Michigan Tuition Grant and Competitive Scholarship funding and award level. This award level is contingent on the Legislature continuing the funding for these programs in the State’s 2006-07 Budget as it deals with the State’s current budget problems.

While Governor Granholm has attempted again to eliminate the Tuition Grant progam in her budget recommendations to the Legislature, the Legislature has preserved the Tuition Grant program and funding for 40 years, including the last three years when the Governor proposed that the Tuition Grants be eliminated. The Legislature is expected to continue the program and its funding.

The Governor wants to merge the MTG with other programs, which would make the grant funds more competitive, and eliminate the requirement that the recipient be enrolled at an independent institution, such as Baker College. Baker College currently receives 1/3 of all Michigan Tuition Grant funds. A change in the grant would probably result in less money for Baker College.

update: links of interest:

College in a stir: It’s first in grants, worst in defaults

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