Hot Topics in Legislative Issues

Presented by the MACRAO Legislative Issues Committee with special guest:

David Lossing, M.P.A., Ed.S.Director of Government Relations

University of Michigan-Flint

November 6, 2014

“No one really cared to open the black box, look inside and see

how things worked.”

-Barmak Nassirian, Director of Federal Relations for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), Governing January 2014 issue.

MACRAO Legislative Issues Purpose Statement:

This committee is responsible for keeping the membership updated on legislative issues that impact higher education. This includes regular updates through the monthly electronic newsletter and sponsoring other events pertaining to legislative issues.

Legislative Issues Committee MembersChair: Iris Shen-VanBuren, Admissions Counselor @ Michigan State UniversityCo-Chair: Deedee Stakley, Transfer Services Center Director @ Ferris State UniversityMatt Bohlen, Admissions Counselor @ University of Michigan-FlintCathryn Claerhout, Director of Admissions @ Northwestern Michigan CollegeTheresa Jacques, Registrar @ Michigan Tech UniversityKaren Klumpp, Vice President of Enrollment Management @ Alma College-AlmaSteve Linden, Registrar @ Oakland Community CollegeSally Lindsley, Senior Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions @University of Michigan-Ann ArborDr. Nicole Rovig, University Registrar @ Michigan State UniversityRhonda VanderZwaag, Admissions Counselor @ Eastern Michigan University

Hot Topics NOT being covered

• Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA)

• Reverse Transfer: Gov. Snyder received his associates degree from Kellogg Community College (9-22-14)

Michigan - Election 2014 What Happened?

State of Michigan:Governor’s Race: Rick Snyder (I) or Mark SchauerAttorney General: Bill Schuette (I) or Mark TottenSecretary of State: Ruth Johnson (I) or Godfrey DillardMichigan House of Representatives: Current GOP: 59 Dems: 50 Ind: 1

2015 GOP: 63 Dems: 47Michigan State Senate: Current GOP: 26 Dems: 12

2015 GOP: 27 Dems: 11Michigan State Board of Education: Pamela Pugh (D) & Cassandra Ulbrich (D); Dems Lead 6-2University of Michigan Regents: Kathy White (D) & Mike Behm (D); Dems Lead 6-2Michigan State University Board of Trustees: Melanie Foster (R) & George Perles (D); Dems lead 5-3Wayne State University Board of Governors: Marilyn Kelly (D) & Dana Thompson (D); Dems Lead 6-2

Federal - Election 2014 What Happened?

State of Michigan:U.S. Senate seat: Gary Peters or Terri Lynn Land

Control of the U.S. Senate: GOP: 45 DEM: 53 – 2013/2014GOP: 52 DEM: 45 – 2015/2016

Still unknown: Alaska (D), Louisiana (D), Virginia (D)2016 US Senate elections: Dems have 9 seats up; GOP have 22 seats up

Contested U.S. House Seats:District #1: Rep. Dan Benishek (I) or Jerry CannonDistrict #6: Rep. Fred Upton (I) or Paul ClementsDistrict #7: Rep. Tim Walberg (I) or Pam ByrnesDistrict #8: Rep-Elect Mike Bishop or Eric Schertzing (open seat)District #11: Rep-Elect David Trott or Bobby McKenzie (open seat)

Control of the U.S. House: GOP: 234 DEM: 201 – 2013/2014GOP: 242 DEM: 174 - 2015/2016

Michigan Congressional Delegation: GOP: 9 DEM: 5 – no changeNew Members: John Moolenaar in the 4th; Debbie Dingell in the 12th; Brenda Lawerence in the 14th

• Pay-it-forward • Promise zones • Yellow Ribbon• Baccalaureates at CCs

• Elliot-Larsen• Foster Care Youth• Concurrent Enrollments

Pending Legislation

Pay-it-Forward

HB 5315: State Rep. David Knezek, Rep. Theresa Abed SB 784: Sen. Jim Ananich

Introduced February 12, 2014: House Michigan Competitiveness & Senate Appropriations committee

These bills would create and appropriate funding for a five-year pilot program to test a pay-it-forward tuition repayment program for university and community college students. The Smarter Michigan and Retaining Talent (SMART) Program will pay the tuition for participating students in exchange for those students' agreement to pay the state a certain percentage of their future income. The bill specifies the percentage of the participant's future income she or he will be obligated to pay and the length of the repayment plan.

Promise zones

HB 4575: State Rep. Jon Bumstead*Approved by State House 6/2013

SB 312 (P.A. 210 of 2013): Sen. Goeffrey Hansen*Vocational Education included

This bill seeks to increase number of governing bodies authorized to establish more promise zones. Promise zones provide scholarships to all students who both live within the zone's boundaries and graduate from a high school located within those

boundaries. All must also provide a scholarship that gives students a tuition (and mandatory fees) free path to at least an associate’s degree at one institution.

Yellow Ribbon for National Guard HB 5451 (P.A. 259 of 2013)Rep. Bruce Rendon

Creates a new act that provides tuition assistance program for Michigan National Guard members. Criteria under development.

Estimates that 20% of the 8,000 Army and Air guard active members may be eligible.

FY 2014-15 budget has $4.7 million available.

Baccalaureates at Two-Year CollegesHB 4148Rep. Mike Shirkey

Establish education programs and grant bachelor degrees in:

Nursing Information technology Ski area management Wastewater treatment technology

Manufacturing Technology Allied health information technology

Foster Care Youth HB 5444State Rep. Peter MacGregor

Would amend the Foster Care Trust Fund Act to establish a new Fostering Futures Trust Fund and create a new five-member board to administer the fund. The board would be charged with providing opportunities for individuals and organizations to make contributions to go toward providing scholarships for current and former foster care youth

Passed the State House on Sept 24, 2014 by 108-1. Referred to the Senate Committee on Families, Seniors and Human Services

Concurrent Enrollments SB 747 (public universities)

State Sen. Geoff HansenSB 746 (community colleges)

State Sen. Darwin Booher

Bills to authorize state universities and community colleges to offer academic credit for concurrent enrollment courses provided by public high schools in this state; and to authorize lower tuition rates for those courses.

Introduced but no action taken yet.

Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights ActMichigan's non-discrimination law, the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, was written and passed in 1976. The law bans discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight and marital status. Attempts have been made to amend the act to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

To date: as of February 2014, over 32 cities, townships, villages and counties have approved non-discrimination ordinances that protects sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

Will it happen at the State Level?

Ask Dave?