The wart we have in office, actually did make this a promise to get relected, used the publicity to try to further her pathetic political career of ruining things and now that she is out of options ( the people in Washington seen right thru her smoke and mirrors) and she cannot ( thank GOD) due to term limits be our States laugh again ruining what many relied heavily on, Its one of her last screw you's to the Michigan citizens
why dont she cut her own pay for doing such a pathetic job in office?
oh well at least she will be gone soon maybe we can find a way to deprot her back to her country that dont want her back...

Good for you. You proved my point. I have no problem with a university offering these types of classes for those that choose to take them, or for those with little cultural experiences in their lives. But my point is that they should be offered and NOT required.

The college experience could be much more affordable to students who do not receive financial aid, loans, or grants, and would be a lot more accesible to kids or non-traditional students who cannot afford to waste a grand on b.s.

The definition of college is higher education people. It isn't a trade school or an apprentince ship exactly, it is higher education. Anotherwards, its purpose is to gain OVERALL knowledge in many areas of life. You get to pick your electives in things that are interesting to you. You chose to do bowling instead of taking a class such as spanish(or any other lauguage), eastern or western religions, or history or something that will round you out culturally a little. The fact that bowling is offered is pretty rediculous in my opinion but you by no means were required to take it.
For me some of the funnest classes I had were the electives to choose to take. The philosophy and psychology classes were phenominal. It may depend on the teacher tho how usefull the classes are but I was lucky to have passionate professors in those subjects that helped me to learn many things outside my field of study. (that helped and still helps me to grow as a person).
So again back to my point, college isn't their ONLY to get a good job its to enlighten you. Although, we could and should be doing these things on our own without having it forced upon us by the college. So I do see your points.

If you don't like it, go somewhere else. Stop complaining that you were forced to read Chaucer, or attend a PE class. If you are so uptight that you can only work on what you want to work on, then goto a community college or specialty school.

For those of us who want a well-rounded education, and have the experience when I have time, instead of when I am working 40 hours a week, family, kids, etc.

I do not see myself sitting down with a few good shakespere plays during the Tonight show. BUT I see myself reading those on the beach in the middle of the day, waiting for my time to shine.

Not everyone can do what you did or have to do what you did. I can't even get loans because my mother makes next to nothing because she can't work. I would like k-12 education to get some more funding. But, take it from those that don't need it not those who have earned it. Have any of you ever lived on the street? I have never had a hous in my life and have worked all of my life. I get top grades in school and I want to be an engineer as well. I'm sorry for those who had to pay fully and are still paying off loans. I will be paying off the one little loan I could get from the state. I literally have no other options for money. Therefore, some of oyu need to open your eyes and see that some of us actually need and deserve a little assistance.

Couldn't agree with citizen u, ER from Negaunee and Scott Foreman more! Thanks for the laughs. Too bad it's true. I am currently attending a community college for 2 years to get a certificate (only a certificate, unfortunately) and thankfully don't have to take any of those goofy classes. EVERY single course that I am taking does pertain to my certificate. But I also agree, send the funding to k-12 or early childhood education.

I got a degree in the 90's and back then qualified for NO help. I made crap, and put myself through school with student loans that I am still paying for....and feel that everyone else should have to also. It makes you a stronger student and person. I am 35 and still paying for my BS. In fact, my husband and I have decided that we will 'help' our children by making some payments on their loans, pay for books, and make sure there is gas in the car (while they live at home; just as my parents did) but the majority is on them. It made me independent, responsible and a better student. By the way, my parents only helped for 1 year..I got married, so when I say I made crap..I really mean it. I never qualified for financial aid. Even when our income was under 15,000 a year.
I say give the money to fund k-12.

I can't help it if your college or university made you take BS classes. I think some of you are full of BS. My mother cannot work because of her terrible eyesight. We live off of little SSI money and can barely afford rent. I have busted my butt in school all these years. I am now an Electrical Engineering major at Kettering University and I am getting a great education and plan on being an engineer. SO what, if your degrees were so bad and didn't help you then you should have stopped going to school. Some of us want to get a good education and plan on having successful careers. I cannot afford school on my own and the scholorship really helps. I have worked to hard for this and I desereve to recieve what I was promised. The scholorship should just be given to those who need and deserve it. And stop filling some of these students pockets with extra money.

It was meant to make you laugh.

I really had to laugh after reading some of these posts and my day is already much brighter.
I received my 2 degrees at a community college. (Neither one-mind you got me my present job) I had to take a couple of classes that were outside my actual classes for the degrees. For instance I had to take College Math and 2 college writing classes. I hated to have to take them at the time because of the cost but I took them and they have proven useful.
But I really had a roll on the floor expierence when I read "underwater basket weaving and bowling." I am still laughing as this sounds so rediculous. So thanks 2 posters for the sunshine. And yes I do agree that those are pretty rediculous. I would be up in arms if I were made to take those 2 classes and have to pay for it besides. Do they actually have college educated instructors for these 2 classes?
Oh I cant stop laughing.

In my opinion, you hit the nail right on the head. I have always found it strange, no one refers to this huge waste of student's money when talking about higher education issues. That and of course that scam NMU has going with their laptop computer program.
Has anyone really ever had a use for that advanced underwater basket weaving course?

I am a college graduate. I'll be the first to stand up and say that my degree is a joke, and my "higher education" experience was a complete and total waste of money!

When I started college, I didn't qualify for any financial aid, or assistance. I had to pay for it out of pocket. My parents made too much money. They weren't paying for my education, I had to pay for it, but that didn't matter.

Then NMU forced me to take all kinds of classes that had nothing to do, whatsoever, with my intended career path. I couldn't understand how being forced to take Music & Society, Bowling (yes, it's an actual college course), Native American History and some other useless classes was going to help me to be a good nurse.

When I asked my "advisor" why I was being forced to take these classes, she told me that the University wanted me to be a "well rounded" person, and that's how I was going to get a "good education." I told her that I prefer to "round myself" on my own dime, and didn't believe that I should have to pay a thousand dollars to bowl a game or two at the Windmill Lanes. Too bad. I had to do it. NMU had to get their money, right?

What a joke the whole system was. I could've been out of there in two years and saved myself a pile of money if I was permitted to simply take the classes that pertained to my career.

I guess somone's got to pay for all those big shiny buildings and exorbitant professors' salaries (which, by the way, most of my classes were taught by grad students). Did you know that if you're an employee at NMU (even at the very lowest level), you and your family can ALL attend the university for FREE!! No wonder they jam all of those B.S. classes down our throats!

The students should revolt against these types of practices. It's a complete load of crap! Let the students take the classes they need. Stop forcing them to take (and pay for) classes that have nothing to do with their desired degree!

I understand that many people are upset by the fact that their hard-earned money goes toward helping someone else get a college education, but try to look at it this way: some of the most brilliant people in the world could not have become so great without your tax dollars. For some, paying for their own education 100% out-of-pocket is simply not an option. I know the world needs ditch-diggers and garbage collectors, but if someone cannot afford to go to college and follow his or her dreams should they be forced into a job they hate? That seems highly un-American.

Student loans are great, but they are not the answer - more like a portion of the solution. An independent student may not have enough established credit to get the necessary funds to cover the costs of education, especially if scholarships (which are earned through hard work, perseverance and diligence, by the way) are taken away from the student.

Also, keep in mind that many students work during the school year and are helping contribute to their own educations through taxes and wages.

If you really want to make a difference in education funding, try lobbying textbook publishers to lower the outrageous costs of their products or rallying to ensure that tuition costs are reduced and frivolous spending by colleges and universities is decreased. Don't punish those who earned their scholarships.

The more I think about it, I have to agree that we should pay for our own college. Maybe increase the federal loans and whatnot that is the major loans college students use. Even some banks offer student loans. I myself had to take some from Citibank when i failed to apply to get more direct loans after my 4th year in college. And the loans from Citibank are at 3.5% interest rate so its not like they are a rip off going that way.
IN GENERAL, If a person signs up for college and are putting themselves in debt they try harder. VS someone living off their scholarships or parents.
If i had gotten scholarships what all would it have done for me???? (which i should of applied for but didn't realize till after the fact) All it would have done is trim the overall bill at the end in loans and done NOTHING WHATSOEVER to make going to college, at the time, more affordable or easier. Obviously, once its over and you start having to pay on the loans is it an issue but by then you should have picked a good field to get into and pay em back.
Although I would love to go back to college just to learn a variety of things. Not for a specific degree but just to learn. BUT, one can go to a library and learn more on their own then they realize.

Yeah all you college people are SO much better than me. I didn't go and am stuck with a blue collar existence of working at the mine, Driving a New Truck and 4 wheeler and Drinking Blue Ribbon Beer. (from what an unemployed college grad friend mad about me working there while his fancy piece of paper gets him nowhere told me lol) I don't have loan debt from a degree I would never use, I can't look down on someone else because of a piece of paper I got over the 5 years I spent sucking off the state and mom and dad while doing Keg stands..... Seriously GROW UP. Taxpayers shouldn't be paying for your crap so you can look down on people like me. I make a lot more than most college grads in Michigan and I do not consider myself above anyone else because of my job because it's just a job. nothing more or less. College Grads shouldn't consider themselves above anyone else. I am truly amazed that at 25 years old I do have a Home, Newer vehicles, some toys and a beautiful wife and baby girl while 90% of the people I graduated high school with are still living for the next Friday Night Kegger but I'm supposed to feel sorry for them since they've either graduated into a tough job market, or are still in school.....

Now, you, Acme Pete, TC... I'd be willing to have my tax dollars go to for college. Our vets deserve a full G.I. Bill, and anything else you are primised to serve our country.

Although this program had the Name "Promise" in it, there was no promise. It's amazing, I served 6 years in the US Military, when I joined and thousands of others joined we were in fact Promised a full "GI Bill" which included college. Then the politicians decided they needed the money for something else and screwed thousands of us veterans who served our time and earned our right to the education. Now you expect me to pay for your kids college? Get serious, tell them to get a job and earn their own way through...

I agree with those who say if you want a college education, pay for it yourself. It should not be paid by tax dollars. This country has gone overboard on educational requirements for every job. It doesn’t even matter WHAT degree you have for some jobs, as long as you have A degree. We need to get back to on-the-job training and more technical schools. Why should my tax dollars go to pay for over-paid deans.

Many colleges have turned 4-year degrees into 5-year… why? More money for the college. I also agree with the person who said they could have learned in 2 weeks on his own what was learned in college. We have a whole lot of college grads who don’t even have a good grasp on the English language. I don’t know how they made it out of high school, let alone college.

I agree completely with Citizen U, the world needs ditch diggers too. . . and you know sometimes it isn't that bad.

Once again the tax payers are being punished for the actions of people put in charge of the goverment. To trim the budget why don't they take a pay cut and start paying more towards their benefits and the money saved there could go towards the promise scholarhip. Also eliminate the pet projects that really only benefit themselves or their family/friends. It seems as though these politicans are there for the great pay and benefits they receive not there to help this country. If these positions were all voluntary than we would have people working for the good of all and not for themselves.

We have heard for years now that everyone should have a college education. And that sounds good. But here we are where we have millions of college educated people who cant find a job? Well when someone goes to college and graduates their pay level expectations go up. If we have too many college educated people, who will be left to pick up garbage, pick our crops, tear down old buildings, pick garbage up on the streets, dig our ditches etc, etc, etc. We have a nation that is so educated that no one wants to do the jobs that absolutely need to be done.
Our nation hands out too much free monies. If a person goes to St. Vincent de Paul for food, they should be meant to do some cleaning, sorting or something to give back to the organization. Same thing with welfare, and disability ssi. People want everything for free, but want to do nothing in return. Except, ofcourse, to get a pay check of sorts.

I commend the concerned Dad, for the heartfelt appeal! Our States leaders need to be on the right side of economic recovery, the right side of investing in our children with their educational needs. If we do not invest in education, we will not have a state left for our future generations. We are witnessing historic and tragic cuts in education from K through college, not only is this irresponsible, it is from the direct result of the Granholm Administration ignoring the much needed reforms of state Government and failed policies. I implore everyone to contact the Governor's Office and tell her to use the stimulus money to save Michigan's broken promise program. Coincidentally, the stimulus money is for reinvestment purposes, and education is one the priorities that must be invested in to sustain a future Michigan workforce.

If you want to go to college pay for it yourself. Myself and my wife have $1100 a month in student loans and we get by. Today's students need to take a serious look at the costs associated with college and take it seriously if they want to go. I didn't learn anything in college that I couldn't have learned in 2 weeks on my own studying, yet this country has us stuck in this mentality that without college it is impossible to do anything other then blue collar work (and even some of that requires it).

I have many freinds that are carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc that make more then I do and will for the forseeable future and don't ahve to deal with the headache of having even more debt.

College needs to be paid for by those who benefit from it - the state shouldn't pay for education for those who are likely to leave after graduating due to lack of jobs.

Deal with it - Less Revenue = Less Taxes =Less Services. . maybe the state should be more business freindly and worry less other things. . won't happen with the largely liberal environment we are in.

FOR TWO YEARS MY DAUGHTER WORKED, AND I PAID DEARLY TO KEEP HER IN COLLEGE. MY HOPES WERE THAT SHE MIGHT BE BETTER OFF IF WE SCRIMPED AND SAVED TO GET HER THRU THE FIRST TWO YEARS, RELYING ON THE MICHIGAN PROMISE TO HELP HER FINISH THE LAST TWO YEARS.

CUT THIS PROGRAM AND YOU ARE CUTTING INTO MICHIGAN FUTURE.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SUCCEEDED IN BUILDING A $12 TRILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT WITH IT'S SPENDING!

IF WE DON'T EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION, HOW THE HELL ARE WE AS A NATION GOING TO WORK AMERICA OUT OF THE DEBT IT HAS COMMITTED TO.

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD WE ARE CREATING...A DEBTOR NATION THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BRING THE AMERICAN DREAM TO AN END.

CONCERNED DAD.

"In 5 years your gonna be blown away." geez is its been a great ride !

What are ya gonna do. Here today gone tomorrow. Life goes on.

Granholm has done nothing for this state pertaining to education. In my mind we should be concentrating on not taking so much money from K-12 schools and giving money to collage students who will leave the state after graduating because there are no jobs in michigan. Yea it sucks that the money could be lost, but collage students have the ability to work and pay for there school and supplies, the little kids don't. I have loans that I have to pay off and I never got help from the state. 8 promise scholarships could pay one k-12 teachers salary for a year and teach up wards of 60 kids. I wonder how long granholm will stay in the state after she is finally out of office? I give her a month.