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Gov. earns praise for university funding in first term
By AMY MINDELL
When James Blanchard was elected
Governor in 1982, Michigan was in
dire financial trouble. The University
- and other state-funded institutions
- struggled to operate on shrinking
allocations.
But four years later, state funding
for education has increased and
University officials attribute much of
the rise to Blanchard.
BLANCHARD will continue to
make funding the state's colleges and
universities a priority if he is elected
to a second term this fall, according to
state's budget director Robert Naf-
taly.
The Governor has stressed
education because he sees it as linked
to economic development, which the
state has desperately needed since the
recession of the 1970s, and the decline
of the automotive industry.
Funding higher education will help
the state develop new industries
through high-tech research and
training, he has said.
STATE LEGISLATORS, at the
Governor's recommendation, last
year created the "Research Ex-
cellence and Economic Development
Fund" for the state's four research
universities - the University of
Michigan, Michigan State University,
Wayne State University, and
Michigan Tecnological University.
The University received $9.9 million
from the fund last year, mainly for a
high-tech laboratory for the College of
Engineering. The Governor recom-
mended another $9.9 million for the
coming year.
Blanchard has also directed the
state's colleges and universities to
freeze in-state undergraduate tuition
for the past two years. During the
recession of the 1970s and early 80s,
tuition rates skyrocketed - often.
rising over 10 percent from year-to-
year. The University charges one of
the most expensive tuition rates of
public universities nationwide.
BLANCHARD HAS been concerned
with making universities more ac-
cessable. He proposed a plan for
Michigan residents this year that
would allow parents to invest money
with the state to be used for their
child's future tuition. Tuition would
then be frozen.
But even though Blanchard has
prioritized education, state
allocations remain far less than
University administrators say they
need to maintain quality, make im-
provements, raise faculty salaries,
and keep tuition low.
The University was affected by the
state's recession because state fun-
ding dropped dramatically. This for-
ced Michigan to find new sources of
funding, including internal
reallocations.
ALTHOUGH administrators insist
the University's reputation was not
harmed by the funding cuts, internal
reallocations in the early 1980s
reduced some departments to
minimal standards.
"I think (Blanchard) established
higher education as a priority in the
state. I have to give him credit
because he seems to be looking
toward the long term," said Univer-
sity vice president for academic af-
fairs James Duderstadt, whose office
calculates the University's budget
each summer.
"But the difficulty is trying to over-
come the deep cuts. There is a lot of
ground to be made up," Duderstadt
said.
UNIVERSITY officials realize that
with other areas lobbying for state
support, the state still cannot fully higher education spending as a
meet their needs. Though the Gover- priority, there just isn't enough
nor s recommended $12 million in- money for every program.
crease for the University was one of the "One problem is that no matter how
few proposed increases in this year's much he puts in the higher education
budget, the University still won't budget, university and college officials
receive the $35 million increase it will say it is not enough," Molin said.
requested. THE STATE'S colleges and univer-
Keith Molin, assistant to the vice sities still need to make improvemen-
president for government relations, ts and increases, with the limited
said that while Blanchard regards amount of funds available.
But the state's budget remains
tight. Blanchard is still battling the
effects of the $750 million deficit he
inherited when he took office.
Although Blanchard recently claimed
that the state is solvent, this year's
budget provides few funding in-
creases.
Ex-student aims for record
(ContinuedfromPagei) Krause's sense of adventure.
company, and Michigan Windsurfing, "I felt Krause was energetic and his
based in Keego Harbor. sense of adventure reminded me of
"When Doug came to see us, we told my own adventurous nature so it
him we would help with all our effort made me relate to him even better,"
if it would promote the sport futher," Coulter said. "Besides, we went to
said Jim Coulter, owner of Michigan high school together."
Windsurfing. KRAUSE SAID his thirst for adven-
THE COMPANY is supplying ture began when he was young.
Krause with wool-lined drysuits, sails, "In Wisconsin, when I was 8 years
masts, and other equipment old, me and my friends took a rowboat
necessary for the trip. up a tiny creek. It was a big deal for a
Coulter, too, was caught up with See GRADUATE, Page 12
Liberal arts majors find
improved job prospects
(Continued from Page 3)
more profitable. ployment outlook looks promising for
Steinbach said, however, that she is liberal arts graduates, she stresses
not sorry she is graduating with a they should try to collect a vast num-
liberal arts degree. With the degree, ber of skills. In addition to their
she feels, comes the assurance of a academic background, she said, this
practical education that employers should help them in their job search.
may find attractive. "Get under you belt marketable
"A lot of companies do look at skills," Taylor said. "The reality is
English, the more general degrees. that we ahve moved into the computer
They can mold them to fit the com- era. It behooves a student to learn
pany. They can train me how Ihave to basic computer skills. They're going
be trained," she said. to need that kind of skill. They're
Taylor agrees. While the em- goingtouseit."
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