U of M Tuition Up 300% Over Inflation but Has Money to Spend on a Chief Diversity Officer

The University of Michigan has raised their tuition 3.9% for the 2016/2017 school year.  Inflation for 2016 is running approximately 1.2 to 1.3% or at least that is what our government is telling us.  Ask yourself this: if inflation is only 1.2 to 1.3% then why did Michigan raise their tuition 300%?

Also if they had to raise their tuition to cover increased cost, consider one of their increased cost.  Just last week Officials at U of M announced that they will spend an additional $85 million over the next five years to promote diversity and inclusivity on its campuses.

According to the Michigan Capital Confidential news site the 43-page U of M strategic plan stated:

the additional $17 million a year will pay for a three-part campaign that will “create an inclusive and equitable campus.” It will also help “recruit, retain and develop a diverse university community,” and “support innovation and inclusive scholarship and teaching.

The strategic plan states the university is committed to:

Increasing diversity, which is expressed in myriad forms, including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, language, culture, national origins, religious commitments, age, disability status and political perspective.

Roughly $31 million of the $85 million dollars will be paid from the university’s general fund.  The general fund comprises money from tuition and fees paid by students and appropriations granted by Michigan lawmakers.

The plan states the new program will investigate:

Bias-related incidents. These efforts will offer critical support for all students involved in crisis, bias-related incidents or situations related to a challenging campus climate.   Including regular experiences of microaggressions, discrimination, and incivility in academic and social settings from student peers, faculty and staff.

U of M’s new strategic plan will also create a new full-time administrative position titled vice provost for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer which “will serve as a leadership voice on diversity, equity and inclusion for the entire university.”

Now does U of M students/parents and the state’s taxpayer need to increase their cost to attend U of M to pay for such progressive policies.  I guess that is up for us to decide.

What could ultimately happen is the University of Michigan’s new diversity vice provost deciding what he or she thinks is a micro-aggression and thus will stomp all over the students First Amendment free speech rights.  Is that what you want at the University of Michigan let alone any other government or non-government supported institution?