Local colleges prepared for budget cutbacks - SHERI McWHIRTER, Record-Eagle

Lawmakers are poised to cut higher-education funding, and officials at local community colleges are preparing to absorb hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. Republicans in the Michigan Legislature opted this week to cut funding for universities and community colleges by 3.1 percent, an effort to balance the state budget. The GOP-led state Senate voted 21-16 to cut aid to community colleges, while the university budget passed 20-17. Both bills now go to the Democrat-led state House.