State Higher Ed Budget
Although primarily funded through tuition and fee revenue, Michigan’s 15 public universities (as well as public community colleges) are partially funded through appropriations from the State. Operating appropriations are included in the Higher Education section of each year’s State School Aid Act. Appropriating funds to higher education institutions is one part of passing the annual State of Michigan budget.
State Budget Process Steps
| Time Frame | Actions |
| January | Governor’s State of the State is delivered identifying key priorities. |
| February | Governor’s budget is delivered to legislature. |
| March – May | Senate and House subcommittees make decisions, hold floor votes. |
| June | Executive and Legislative conference committees meet. |
| July – September | Governor signs appropriation bill with resolutions. |
During deliberations, the U-M and other public universities provide input and answer queries posed by the Governor, House, and Senate. For the U-M, the Office of Government Relations coordinates these interactions with support from the Office of Budget and Planning.
Resources for Understanding the State Budget Process
- Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency, Higher Education Budget
(leave OBP website) - Michigan House Fiscal Agency, Higher Education Budget
(leave OBP website) - Appropriations Bills Passed, 2012 to Present
(leave OBP website)
State School Aid Act
The State School Aid Act specifies the operating appropriation to each of the 15 public universities. The Act also requires each institution to report specified data to the State and to the public.
Looking for a specific report or data type? Try the search field at the upper right above, or send a message to [email protected].