Despite decrease in unemployment, budget cuts continue
Eden Stiffman
Posted: 11.02.2009 / 1:21 PM PST
Governor Jennifer Granholm signed a schools budget that contained included a reduction of $165 per student and slashed $51 million in extra funds for 39 districts. Soon after, Granholm ordered another $127-per-student cut because of falling revenue.
“The cuts would have been even worse if the state didn’t have $450 million in federal stimulus money to draw on, saving schools from another $280-per-student decrease. The budget hole will be worse next year, when the state will have less federal stimulus money,” the Associated Press reports.
At the University level, state appropriations dropped about .4 percent from last year’s funding.
On the campus of Michigan State University, plans are in place which would eliminate 600 jobs over the next two years. MSU is also considering closing two departments and as many as 30 academic programs in its latest round of budget cuts.
Though the rate of unemployment has gone down, the economy of Michigan is an important talking point for students who are about to graduate and have to weigh the pros and cons of staying in state. New York Times columnist Bob Herbert discusses the growing rate of unpaid interns versus paid employees and how even a top-notch education does not not change harsh reality of today’s job market. The decrease in unemployment is not necessarily felt by students or members of the educated community. The unemployed are finding lower-paying job and the atmosphere for students and young professions is becoming more cut-throat than ever.
