EAST LANSING - Michigan State University's long-term bond rating was increased on Tuesday by Standard & Poor's as the university prepared a $250 million commercial paper offer. The offering comes just a few days after the university set its budget for the 2014-15 school year, which raised tuitions by a composite rate of 2.8 percent
LANSING - A traditional, defined benefit retirement plan will provide a more secure retirement to employees than a defined contribution plan, according a new study from Great Lakes Economic Consulting. The study was commissioned by the Michigan Coalition for Secure Retirement, and the results were announced at a press conference at the Capitol on Tuesday.
LANSING - All levels of education in Michigan will see increases for the coming school year under the budget signed Tuesday by Governor Rick Snyder. And one more class of students will see the Michigan Educational Assessment Program test under provisions of the budget. The budget (HB 5314 , PA 196) provides $50 per student
LANSING - A new state-by-state analysis shows how little the nation supports and protects working mothers and fathers when a new child arrives ? and Michigan is among the states with the worst records. The study, Expecting Better: A State-by-State Analysis of Laws That Help New Parents, is the most comprehensive analysis to date of
LANSING ? Michigan and Israel signed a bilateral cooperation agreement Monday to promote joint industrial research and development projects and to develop request for proposals from business collaborations between Michigan and Israeli companies. ?This is a breakthrough opportunity between Michigan and Israel, two centers of global leadership in technology research and development, in a moment
LANSING - While backers of more funding for the state's roads sort out what went wrong this week when the Senate proved incapable of passing a major increase in funding for roads, Denise Donohue, director of the County Road Association of Michigan, said proponents may have to look for ways to get the public more
LANSING - A $15.75 billion budget funding the state's universities, community colleges and K-12 schools was sent to Governor Rick Snyder on Wednesday after both the House and Senate passed the bill on relatively narrow margins. HB 5314 passed the House on a 60-50 vote. House Democrats could have killed the bill with 13 Republicans
LANSING ?Three West Michigan companies will receive state grants worth nearly $1.5 million to expand their operations, creating nearly 300 jobs. The money comes from the Michigan Strategic Fund and was announced this week by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. ?Michigan?s leadership in making things and making things work shines through in these new expansions
LANSING - Detroit is one of several key U.S. cities attracting national attention for cultivating ?urban innovation districts? in what is cited as a groundbreaking approach to economic development, according to a white paper report released this week by the Brookings Institution, an independent Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The report presents a timely confidence boost
LANSING - The Michigan Department of Transportation took major heat from members of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday over questions surrounding the department's request for proposal process, as well as why railroad company Talgo is the only company to submit a bid to Michigan on a high-speed rail project. Critics have charged the RFP