"The Michigan Promise Grant, which provides up to $4,000 for eligible college students at state public universities, would be eliminated under a budget approved yesterday by the Senate committee on higher education funding," Detroit Free Press reports. "In all, nearly $143 million would be cut from state financial aid to college students. The cut must be approved by the full Senate, the House and Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who is certain to resist wholesale slashing of a program she called a linchpin to improving the state's economy through a more educated workforce. The elimination of the college Promise Grant would leave thousands of college-bound freshmen in the lurch. Those who qualify through their high school ACT tests were notified weeks ago that they'd receive $1,000 from the state for their first year, and $2,000 for their sophomore year."