October 31, 2006
Says study will lead to increased higher education opportunity
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today applauded the Institute for Higher Education Policy and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation for conducting a study to identify the barriers to earning a college degree facing people in three geographically diverse areas of Michigan: Macomb County, the Saginaw area, and six rural counties in the northeastern Lower Peninsula - Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, Crawford, Oscoda, and Alcona.
Granholm said the study, which funded by the foundation, will help meet her goal of doubling the number of people with a higher education within a decade.
"To get the jobs we need in communities across Michigan, we need to help our citizens get college degrees no matter where they live," said Granholm. "We are going to zero-in on the barriers that keep people from getting the degrees they need to get the good jobs they want."
The Institute is responding to the challenges outlined in the groundbreaking report from the Cherry Commission on High Education and Economic Growth that Granholm appointed to find ways to increase the number of college graduates in Michigan. Among the commission's recommendations was a call for action at the community level to increase educational attainment.
"We are already putting major reforms in place at the state level, like our new rigorous high school graduation requirements" said Granholm. "We now need to dig in at the local level to help more people earn college degrees and technical certifications."
While the three areas selected for the study have significant differences - one is a suburban county, one an urban/metropolitan area, and one is primarily a rural/small town region - each is below the state average in degree attainment by its residents. The announcement of the study was welcome news in the three areas.
"There is great support for expanded educational opportunity in Macomb County, and this study will help us better understand how that demand can be met" said U.S. District Judge George Steeh, chair of the Governor's Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth in Macomb County.
"JoAnn Crary, president of Saginaw Future Inc said, "It's evident that future jobs will require education beyond high school. This is an important step in helping both young people and adults gain access to higher education."
"Michigan's ability to compete in the global economy depends upon our success in creating an environment in which higher education and advanced training beyond high school is the norm, not the exception," said state Representative Matthew Gillard. "This study will help northeast Michigan to have a voice in our future higher education policy decision in the Legislature."
The study will analyze demographic and education data, conduct interviews with community and education leaders, and compare the targeting areas to similar communities in other states.
"The Institute is pleased to undertake this study as it supports our mission of access and success in higher education. Michigan is a recognized national leader in postsecondary education, and this study will shed light on how to ensure that access is possible in the state's geographically diverse communities," said Jamie P. Merisotis, president of the Institute.
Among the questions to be explored in the study are:
- What do we know about the higher education gaps that exist in specific Michigan communities, especially those related to enrollment in higher education and eventual baccalaureate degree attainment?
- What is the type and quality of higher education available in these communities?
- What specific barriers exist in these communities that are preventing college enrollment and eventual baccalaureate degree attainment?
- To what extent is limited higher education access in these communities attributable to educational factors as compared to economic, social or cultural factors?
- What role can local community leadership play in improving higher education opportunities in these communities, and what role can state leadership play?
The Institute for Higher Education Policy is an independent, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. dedicated to advancing access and success in postsecondary education. The Kellogg Foundation was established to help people help themselves through the practical application of knowledge and resources to improve their quality of life and that of future generations.
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