State universities and advocates for increased aid to higher education Wednesday hailed Gov. Rick Snyder's budget that proposed the largest state funding increase in 14 years. Snyder wants to use part of the state's $971 million three-year surplus to finance a 6.1 percent or additional $80.3 million for Michigan's 15 public universities, though the money would be tied to several performance measures and a 3.2 percent cap on tuition increases. Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson said he is thrilled to see Snyder recommend that Pell Grants be included as part of the performance measures, a benchmark that would benefit the state's only urban university. "It's very important for the state that low- and middle-income students have an opportunity to earn higher wages," Wilson said. "Income disparity is a national issue right now. In order for the state to have maximum economic development, we've got to close the gap and get low- and middle-income students through the pipeline and in the job market."

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140205/POLITICS02/302050089#ixzz2sTp0WrnN
http://www.freep.com/article/20140205/NEWS06/302050140/rick-snyder-budget-universities-education