Center for Michigan president urges investment in research universities

Phil Power, president of the Center for Michigan, urges the state to invest in its research institutions as a measure of strengthening the state's economy.

Excerpt:

The core of the argument for supporting research universities is a powerful one: Collectively, they return $26 to the state for each dollar of state support. "You find me another place where the state invests $1 and gets $21 (she meant to say $26) back," U-M President Mary Sue Coleman told the Detroit Free Press.

The presidents pointed to the Research Triangle in North Carolina as an example of what can happen over time. Fed by three high-quality research universities -- Duke University, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University -- the triangle today hosts 157 companies, some 50,000 direct and contract employees and an annual payroll of around $2.8 billion.

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