Cleary University is falling in line with Michigan's public colleges and universities and increasing tuition.
According to a press release, Cleary is increasing tuition by just 3.51 percent while graduate tuition will rise by 4.71 percent. The press release makes a point of telling you that the average tuition for state universities rose 11.3 percent, but if failed to mention that Cleary is a private school that does not receive public funding.
According to a recent article in the subscription only Gongwer, since 2001 the state has reduced higher education spending dollars to universities more than any other state in the country, a drop of nearly 20 percent in the past six years. With the new budget expected to have a shortfall of $1.8 billon, university governing boards know they will see more cuts in funding, but they have no idea how much. It was with that uncertainty that they had to draft their budgets, and that has led to the increase in tuition.
Cleary is a great alternative for working adults, but you have to wonder how this business school can pay hatemonger and racist Ann Coulter $30,000 plus expenses to speak for just some 90 minutes at their Economic Club Speakers Luncheon Series and still raise tuition. It seems to me if it can throw that kind of change around to sully the reputation of Livingston County, perhaps they can hold the line on tuition. I am not aware of any cuts in funding to Cleary. It seems like a huge waste of money when you have to hike tuition.
Recently a question also occurred to me that I think I know the answer to, but I have not actually heard it answered. With one of their two main campuses located in Ann Arbor, why choose to have Coulter speak in Livingston County that already has a reputation as a community that welcomes racists of all ilks? |
