metro >> politics
Making College Affordable
Two Jewish candidates run for board
posts to rein in rising costs.
Harry Kirsbaum
Contributing Writer
OCTOBER
C
the major reason two Jewish
candidates, Jeff Sakwa and
Mark Bernstein, are vying for seats
on the controlling boards of Michigan
State University and the University of
Michigan, respectively, in the Nov. 6
election.
Jeff Sakwa of West Bloomfield is
running as a Republican for one of two
open seats as a Michigan State Trustee.
Mark Bernstein of Ann Arbor is
running as a Democrat for one of two
open seats as a U-M Regent.
"I cannot sit idly by watching tuition
costs rising faster than medical costs
and our families or children going into
debt to earn a degree that does not
result in a job," said Sakwa, president
of Noble Realty, a commercial real
estate firm. "Budgeting and focus is
essential during these critical times. I
have always demonstrated my leader-
ship by being involved in my commu-
nity and our schools with the bottom
line always being what is best for the
students.
"It is incumbent upon the Board
of Trustees to work together with the
university to keep MSU a great leader
in delivering a quality education, but
in a fiscally responsible way through
innovation, current technology and
streamlining administrative costs:'
said Sakwa, a member of Temple Shir
Shalom and former vice president of
its board of trustees.
"As trustee, I will help lead Michigan
State toward a future where it contin-
ues to compete on the global stage,
where it has the best, most advanced
facilities, recruits the finest profes-
sors and researchers, and provides an
exceptional educational experience for
students in Michigan."
Bernstein, attorney and chief execu-
tive officer of the Sam Bernstein Law
Firm, said the cost of college is, "out of
control."
"College opens many doors, but the
doors to college are closing for work-
ing families," he said. "Skyrocketing
tuition is pushing college out of reach,
while crushing student debt burdens
families and slows our economic
recovery. I'll fight to protect the prom-
ise of public universities. We can do
better:'
Bernstein is a member of Beth Israel
Synagogue in Ann Arbor. He proposes
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October 11 = 2012
orralling university budgets is
Jeff Sakwa
Mark Bernstein
several specific ideas to make college
more affordable, including Go Blue
Bonds, in which, "U-M shares the
benefit of its low cost of borrowing,
currently 2.3 percent, with students by
raising money in the capital markets
to fund the issuance of low-interest
student loans." He said the university
should also "commit to never increase
the net tuition paid by low- and middle-
income Michigan resident students:'
The eight members of each univer-
sity board are elected on a rotating
basis, two at a time every two years,
according to Michigan's constitution.
According to the constitution, the
MSU Board of Trustees, the U-M
Board of Regents and the Wayne State
University Board of Governors, "shall
have general supervision of its institu-
tion and the control and direction of
all expenditures from the institution's
funds. Each board shall, as often as
necessary, elect a president of the insti-
tution under its supervision."
Ten candidates are running for the
U-M Board of Regents; eight candi-
dates are running for the MSU Board
of Trustees.
None of the eight candidates run-
ning for two open spots on the Wayne
State University Board of Governors is
Jewish.