In a letter to the editor of the Michigan Daily, Ford School alumni board member Jeff Barnes (MPP '09) applauds the July 18 decision by the Board of Regents to extend in-state tuition access to honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. armed forces. The new policy will offer in-state tuition rates to veterans originating from any state.
Barnes, a veteran of the U.S. army and director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, argues that the Regents' decision will provide returning vets with easier access to higher education and to Michigan residency after extended deployments abroad. The policy will also help expand the pool of top-quality talent with leadership abilities in the state of Michigan.
"In today's mobile society," writes Barnes, "states that attract the best talent will thrive. By offering in-state tuition for those men and women who have served our nation, the University of Michigan is putting out the welcome mat to this group of talented, hardworking and dedicated individuals, and the entire state stands to benefit from their efforts."
In the same decision, the Regents' also extended in-state tuition rates to undocumented students in Michigan.