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Bill Puts Some State Aid At Risk For MSU, Wayne

LANSING (WWJ/AP) - A Republican lawmaker is sponsoring a bill that would strip Michigan State University and Wayne State University of some state aid.

Rep. Bob Genetski of Saugatuck says the proposal was introduced recently because some lawmakers don't think the universities complied with the intent of a requirement aimed at keeping tuition increases below 7.1 percent for the 2011-12 academic year.

State budget director John Nixon ruled earlier this year that the universities were in "technical compliance" with tuition restraint provisions. But there were differing interpretations of how the academic year was defined and how tuition increases were calculated. The nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency had calculated their tuition increases at above 7.1 percent compared to 2010 data.

Michigan State has about $18 million at risk with the new measure. Wayne State would lose about $13 million. Both universities have said they're in compliance with the law.

"This just may be a little more retaliation and basically sending a signal to the lawmakers and to the universities, 'Lets not go through this again guys.' So, it probably is not going to make it, but the House is going to get some mileage out of this and they will get the universities' attention. However, at the end of the day, the penalty probably won't be there," said WWJ Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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