The University of Michigan’s Board of Regents met Thursday afternoon in the Alexander G. Ruthven Building to deliberate the fiscal year 2027 budget, along with new appointments to the Board and the School of Public Health.
During the meeting, Provost Laurie McCauley unveiled the proposed FY27 budget for the University’s Ann Arbor campus. If approved, the budget would increase tuition for both in-state and out-of-state students.
“We are proposing a 3.0% combined tuition and fee increase for resident undergraduates,” McCauley said. “Tuition and fees for non-resident undergraduate and most graduate programs would increase by 4.9%.”
McCauley said she expects the state legislature’s plan for university funding — an aspect of Michigan’s fiscal year budget that is currently being finalized within the legislature — will preserve the existing funding level, which she said amounts to a budget cut when accounting for inflation.
“While the state budget is not final, we anticipate a 0% increase to our state appropriation,” McCauley said. “For a growing campus facing inflationary pressures, flat funding functions as a real budget cut.”
The meeting also proposed budgets for both U-M Flint and U-M Dearborn, Michigan Medicine and the University Athletic Department. Bryan Dadey, vice chancellor of business affairs at U-M Dearborn, suggested a 3.8% tuition increase for all undergraduate students. U-M Flint Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander requested a 4.1% increase in tuition and fees for resident undergraduates, a 4% increase for graduate students and a 4.2% increase for non-resident undergraduate and most graduate students.
Following the unanimous approval of the budgets by the Board, University President Domenico Grasso announced Regent Michael J. Behm (D) as the newly appointed chair of the Board and Regent Carl J. Meyers (R) as vice chair, following the end of Regent Mark Bernstein’s (D) current term as chair on June 30. Additionally Charles B. Holmes, physician-scientist and U-M alum, was appointed by McCauley to be the next dean of the Public Health School.
Grasso went on to discuss Michigan men’s basketball coach Dusty May’s departure from the University. On Monday morning, ESPN reported that May has agreed to become the next coach of the Dallas Mavericks. Grasso said he was surprised to hear May was leaving Michigan for Dallas.
“Earlier this week, we were surprised and saddened to learn that Dusty May, head coach of our men’s basketball team, is leaving Michigan for the NBA,” Grasso said. “Moving to the NBA is an opportunity for Dusty to further elevate his career, and we wish him all the best.”
During the meeting, University Regent Jordan Acker (D) issued an apology regarding allegations reported by The Guardian claiming Acker had sent inappropriate and sexually demeaning messages about a student in a Slack channel.
“For those who have been hurt, disappointed, frustrated or angry, I understand why,” Acker said. “I do not ask for sympathy. I do not ask anyone to excuse my mistakes. I only ask that my apology be heard as sincere.”
Rather than step down, Acker said he has decided to continue working as a regent until his term ends at the beginning of next year.
“I do not expect everyone to agree with that decision, but I believe that when we fail, our responsibility is not always to disappear,” Acker said.
Central Student Government President Summit Louth addressed the Board and called for an improvement in the relationship between CSG and the regents. Louth urged the Board to listen to student voices and activism efforts, referencing demands by the Black Action Movement in the 1970s for tuition waivers, and the subsequent rejections of their requests by the regents.
“Let’s not forget that the Black Action Movement issued demands — among them to create tuition waivers and to establish supportive services for incoming Black students that the regents had rejected not once but twice until finally agreeing on try number three,” Louth said. “I give this anecdote to show that protesting and activism are only present and necessary in the absence of thoughtful listening and dialogue. ”
The Board will convene in Traverse City on July 16 for its next meeting.
Summer News Editor Jacob Reich can be reached at jacobrei@umich.edu.
