Michigan colleges and universities

Taxpayers should insist public universities be judged by how well, and how efficiently, they serve the public.

The first big test in college is figuring out what to do when you’re accepted, says a long-time college advisor.

The enrollment drop last fall was particularly pronounced among Black, Hispanic, and low-income students, groups hit hard by the pandemic and the resulting economic strain. See how college enrollment rates in your school district changed in 2020.

Michigan Technological University has had a series of controversies over institutional racism. Now, a racist hate group has turned its sights on the predominantly white school, amid a surge in hate crimes statewide.

State officials and colleges are learning what marketing experts have known for years: “Free” is a powerful draw.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s programs offering tuition-free community college to low-income students and frontline workers have fueled a race among four-year universities to promote similar deals. Millions of Michigan residents can now qualify for free or deeply discounted degrees.

With a blizzard of new “free tuition” programs, it can be confusing who qualifies for what and where. Here’s a place to start your research on the real cost of higher education across Michigan.

A massive vaccination program has given MSU hope to return to something close to normal in the fall. But as with everything in the pandemic, those plans are subject to change.

In a predominantly white university in one of Michigan’s whitest regions, a declaration against racism prompts two white professors to claim they’re the real victims. Critics say the ongoing debate is exposing hard truths.

GVSU is following some Michigan universities by offering savings to students in six Michigan counties. The program covers tuition and class fees, but not other attendance expenses that can still prove steep for some families.

Many residents in northern, rural and more low-income regions do not qualify for free tuition because they’re not in “community college districts.” The state can close the gap with another $7.5 million.

A new program called Michigan Reconnect offers free tuition at community colleges and many job training programs.

More than 120,000 essential workers signed up for free community college tuition through the Futures for Frontliners program. The state expects to launch a similar program soon for the roughly 3 million Michigan adults over age 25 who lack a college degree.

COVID-19 cases are dropping statewide, but at Michigan’s two biggest universities, new coronavirus concerns have led to campus clampdowns on gatherings.

The pandemic forced Michigan schools to go remote. It didn’t always go well. This week, Bridge revisits its most impactful stories.

Channeling the grit of the students they serve, Michigan’s community colleges are fighting to stay open amid a pandemic that has upended postsecondary education.

A surge in the coronavirus in Michigan means another round of restrictions, including efforts to limit family gatherings for Thanksgiving.

To try to head off another surge of coronavirus cases, U-M is encouraging students to stay in their hometowns next semester. The request comes as cases are skyrocketing in Michigan and nationwide.

Federal funding is about to run out, and with them, a backbone of economic support for the state of Michigan.

There are outbreaks in 99 Michigan school buildings, and more than 4,400 cases on college campuses. Still, there were signs the spread was slowing or receding in the past week.