LANSING, Mich. – Britany Affolter-Caine, executive director of Michigan’s University Research Corridor — an alliance of Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University —released the following statement today applauding the FY 2024 executive budget recommendations announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this morning.
“The University Research Corridor applauds Gov. Whitmer’s recommendations to increase investment in Michigan’s colleges and universities, which includes a 4% across-the-board increase in operational funding for the state’s 15 public universities as well as $141 million to improve existing facilities, infrastructure and technology. The recommendations also include significant investment in students and potential students to fund the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, student wellness initiatives and college affordability grants for students close to completing a credential or degree.
This money builds on last year’s bipartisan investment in higher education — the largest in more than two decades — and highlights the important role Michigan’s research universities play in talent creation and economic development. It will help our universities develop more of the high-demand graduates that our businesses and industries need to thrive and the innovation they need to compete.
We also applaud Gov. Whitmer for presenting a budget that focuses on the benefits of research in critical areas, such as clean water and infrastructure, which will support a stronger Michigan and healthier communities.”
The 2022 URC Economic Impact Report showed that for every dollar that the state has invested in URC institutions, the URC has put back $22 into the state economy. The three URC universities conduct $2.64 billion in research and development, much in areas of critical importance to Michigan residents and key industries.
The three URC institutions enroll 155,000 students, grant nearly 13,000 degrees in high-tech areas annually, as well as nearly 13,500 degrees in high-demand areas such as business, computer science and engineering, and more than 2,500 medical degrees. And URC alumni account for nearly $1 out of every $5 in earnings and income statewide — $48.3 billion in fiscal year 2021.
About Michigan’s University Research Corridor
Michigan’s University Research Corridor (URC) is an alliance of Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University and the leading engine for innovation in Michigan and the Great Lakes region. The URC is focused on increasing economic prosperity and connecting Michigan to the world.
