Past Issues

May 30, 2002
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May 3, 2002
April 18, 2002
April 4, 2002
March 21, 2002
March 7, 2002
Feb. 21, 2002
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Dec. 13, 2001
Nov. 29, 2001
Nov. 8, 2001
Oct. 26, 2001
Oct.11, 2001
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June 13, 2002

1. Campaign Minnesota sets record
2. Interim president will maintain momentum
3. New test identifies aggressive and less aggressive prostate cancers
4. UMC chancellor steps down
5. UMD announces new mechanical engineering program
6. Alumni dedicate new Gateway Plaza at 2002 annual celebration
7. Regents to act on budget this week
8. U of M Happenings
9. Links

U IN THE NEWS

Campaign Minnesota sets record
Yesterday, the University of Minnesota announced the priorities for the final year of Campaign Minnesota, the state's largest private fund-raising campaign ever, which is scheduled to end on June 30, 2003. As of April 30, $1.327 billion has been raised, putting the campaign over its $1.3 billion goal a year ahead of schedule.

Despite meeting this monetary goal, University officials and campaign volunteers stress that the campaign is not complete, and reaching every campaign objective is even more important as the University makes the transition to a new president. President Mark Yudof is leaving to become chancellor of the University of Texas system. [For more on this story, see the following E-News article].

During its final year, the campaign will focus on reaching its fund-raising goals for student support, libraries, and for each campus and college. About $150 million more in gifts is needed to achieve these campaign objectives.

Campaign Minnesota is the sixth largest campaign ever among public universities. Support for the campaign has been broad, including 190,000 donors—39 percent of whom are University alumni. The campaign includes 271 gifts of $1 million or more.

"I am very impressed by the number of people who've stepped forward to support this University, and I know this will continue," said President Mark Yudof, "This community has demonstrated an extremely generous and philanthropic spirit for the University."

"The campaign has contributed to the wonderful momentum taking place across the University, and completing every goal will help to sustain it," said Executive Vice President and Provost Robert Bruininks, who was named interim president last week. "The successful completion of the campaign will give the new University president a wonderful foundation to build upon."

Student support
Central to the last year of the campaign will be to raise the $38.5 million still needed for undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and enrichment opportunities such as study abroad.

"Completing the student support goal is a top priority for the University," said Russ Bennett, a 1952 graduate and volunteer campaign chair. "Students are at the core of the University's mission. The campaign has made a giant step toward helping us attract the best students and ease the burden of rising tuition, but more remains to be done."

Undergraduate tuition increased by an average of 13 percent this year and is expected to rise next fall by an average of 16 percent across all campuses. [For more on this story, see the E-News article below]. Scholarship funds help mitigate the impact of these tuition increases on talented and needy students.

The campaign has quadrupled the amount of privately funded scholarships and fellowships available to students, but the Twin Cities campus is still at the bottom of the Big Ten in the percentage of students receiving merit-based scholarships, and other University campuses are equally challenged for resources. More money is also needed for scholarships to assist students with financial need, which, combined with other measures, will help the University improve its four-year graduation rate.

Libraries
University libraries need another $5 million in gifts before campaign end. Funding is needed for building and maintaining expensive and rare collections and for expanding technology and services for libraries on all campuses.

"University libraries are a critical resource for the entire state. Our libraries are our intellectual crossroads, and the University's excellence in research and teaching depends upon their strength," said Bruininks. "But today they must meld traditional resources with digital information to create a resource that is available to students and scholars anytime, anywhere, and this poses a huge financial challenge."

Campus and college needs
The third priority is to fund the remaining needs for individual campuses, colleges, and programs, half of which have raised more than 80 percent of their dollar goals. These funds support a variety of needs, such as faculty support, research, or strategic investments by a chancellor or dean to respond to immediate challenges or opportunities.

Campaign progress to date
The success of the campaign illustrates broad support among alumni, friends, and businesses for the long-term health of the University. Support for faculty has been high, with $288 million raised to create 88 endowed chairs. In addition, $462 million for research is spurring advances in new media, microbial and plant genomics, biotechnology, life sciences, digital technology, design, agricultural research, and medicine.

Other highlights include $56 million raised from 8,278 faculty and staff members.

"The generosity of University faculty and staff has been inspiring," said Gerald Fischer, president and CEO of the University of Minnesota Foundation, which provides University-wide leadership for the campaign. "This level of giving demonstrates an extraordinary commitment and is unusually high for any university."

Campaign officials began a special effort this past year to reach out to all alumni to give everyone an opportunity to participate. "We are inviting all alumni to be part of this historic campaign," said Bennett. "I believe that what we do now will determine whether Minnesota will continue to have a great research university that our children and grandchildren can attend."

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The University of Minnesota Board of Regents named Bob Bruininks interim president.
Interim president will maintain momentum
Just a week after University of Minnesota President Mark Yudof announced that he will leave to become the chancellor of the University of Texas system, the University of Minnesota Board of Regents named Executive Vice President and Provost Robert Bruininks as interim president of the University.

"We're absolutely confident in Bob's leadership, integrity, and judgment. He is the obvious choice to see the University through an orderly and successful transition while continuing to advance the vision and priorities that have been set out," said Board of Regents Chair Maureen Reed. "He enjoys widespread support within the University and is well known and respected by policy makers and friends of the University alike. We are deeply grateful for his willingness to assume this critical responsibility."

Bruininks, 60, has been second-in-command at the University for five years and had planned to step down on June 30 to take a yearlong sabbatical. Prior to becoming provost, he was the dean of the College of Education and Human Development for six years (1991-97) and has been a faculty member at the University since 1968.

"I am gratified by the confidence of the board and thank President Yudof for leaving the University in such great shape," said Bruininks. "I look forward to working with the board and the entire community to ensure that the University of Minnesota continues to be one of the great international centers of higher education."

As provost, Bruininks was responsible for advancing the academic mission of the University. He oversaw the successful transition from quarters to semesters and the implementation of new technology systems for student services and human resources. He has worked closely with the legislature on several University initiatives and is well known among higher education leaders in Minnesota and nationally.

Among Bruininks's first tasks, upon Yudof's departure at the end of July, will be to prepare the 2003 legislative request, which the board will review in the fall.

Yudof says 'goodbye'
"Minnesota will always hold a special place for me," said Yudof announcing his departure. "I've had the opportunity to lead an outstanding university, work with incredible people and meet lifelong friends. In the end, my decision to return to Texas is personal—it's where we lived for 26 years, raised our family, and call home."

Yudof, 57, came to the University of Minnesota from the University of Texas, Austin, in 1997. During his tenure, the University has completed an unprecedented building construction and renovation effort, an historic fund-raising campaign, improved undergraduate education and graduation rates, and established academic priorities including molecular and cell biology, digital technology, new media, agriculture, and design.

"President Yudof has put the University of Minnesota on an upward trajectory," said Reed. "His leadership and vision have been remarkable, and we are confident that the University will continue to thrive, building on the foundation Mark has helped to lay. We wish him and his family the best of luck as they begin this new endeavor."

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New test identifies aggressive and less aggressive prostate cancers
A simple test can be used to identify patients with the most aggressive prostate cancers, even among patients whose tumors are at the same stage, according to research at the University of Minnesota.

The degree to which prostate cancers have progressed is determined by the Gleason grading system, which is based on the shape and microscopic appearance of tumors. Patients with higher grades of tumor are in more advanced stages of the disease, but the grade does not tell how aggressively the tumors have been growing or metastasizing. The new test was developed by cancer researcher Akhouri Sinha, a professor of genetics, cell biology, and development, faculty member of the University of Minnesota Cancer Center, and research scientist at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and his colleagues. The work will be published in the June 15 issue of Cancer. Donald Gleason, who developed the Gleason grading system, is a co-author.

After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in American men, according to National Cancer Institute statistics. More than a quarter of men diagnosed with cancer have prostate cancer. The disease strikes black men more often than white; Asian and American Indian men are affected less often. The Gleason grading system assigns tumors a score between 2 and 10, with 10 being the most advanced cancer. Patients with a Gleason score from 7 to 10 have a higher risk of dying of prostate cancer than those with lower scores, but some patients with higher scores outlive some with lower scores.

"This means that within any score, there are biologically aggressive and less aggressive forms of cancer," said Sinha. "This makes it more difficult to predict outcomes for individual patients."

In order to invade surrounding tissue and escape to blood vessels, cancer cells produce high levels of an enzyme called cathepsin B (CB), which destroys proteins in the connective tissue that holds cells in place. But cells also produce natural inhibitors of CB called stefins. The researchers reasoned that prostate tumors in which levels of inhibitors were equal to or higher than CB would be less aggressive. But if CB was higher, the tumor would be more likely to spread.

Working with prostate surgery samples from 97 prostate cancer patients and eight patients with a benign enlargement of the prostate, the researchers measured the ratio of CB to the inhibitor stefin A in prostate tissue. They used tissue from Gleason grade 6 tumors, which appear relatively homogeneous under the microscope. They found that the ratio of CB to stefin A was significantly higher in patients whose cancer had spread to one or more pelvic lymph nodes than in patients whose nodes were clear.

"The ratio of CB to stefin A reveals differences in tumors that are not visible under the microscope," said Sinha. "If this test were done on tumors of newly diagnosed patients, we would have an indication of which cancers were most aggressive, and we could give those patients aggressive treatment. Those patients whose tumors show ratios of one, or less than one, may require less aggressive treatment. This approach could also be used for breast and colon cancer."

The work was supported by the U.S. Public Health Service and the Research Service of the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

In previous work, Sinha devised a treatment for prostate cancer that zeroes in on prostate specific antigen, or PSA. High blood levels of PSA are a common first signal of prostate cancer. Prostate cells, including prostate cancer cells, display PSA on their outer surfaces. Working with mice, Sinha used a treatment that consisted of an antibody to PSA coupled to an anti-cancer drug. The antibody attached to PSA molecules on prostate cells, which prompted the cells to absorb the antibody-drug compound. In metabolizing the compound, the cells split off the drug, which killed the cells. The antibody-drug compound attached preferentially to PSA on prostate cells rather than to circulating PSA in the blood or to any other organ. Sinha said almost any chemotherapeutic agent could be coupled to the antibody. That work is ready to be tested in a phase 1 clinical trial, for which Sinha seeks funding.

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UMC chancellor steps down
Donald Sargeant, chancellor of the University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) will step down next year.

"Serving as UMC's chancellor has been challenging and rewarding," said Sargeant. "The efforts of administrators, faculty, staff, and students working together have created a truly unique higher educational institution—one that is very meaningful to the students and public we serve, and one that upholds the tradition of excellence of the University of Minnesota. We can all take great pride in UMC."

After he steps down as chancellor, Sargeant says he will take a one-year leave "to strengthen my skills in areas related to the development and documentation of technology-based courseware effectiveness." He will then return to UMC as a faculty member. He also plans to support the UMC Development Office by identifying and working with potential donors.

"I'm convinced that as the academic program offerings and the polytechnic mission of UMC evolve, technology-based instruction is becoming ever more critical to our success, and there is a need for expanded faculty support and training in this area," said Sargeant.

Sargeant began his 32-year career at UMC in June of 1970 as an assistant professor teaching courses in agricultural marketing and farm management; he was promoted to full professor in 1978. Prior to becoming chancellor, Sargeant was assistant provost for academic affairs from 1973 until 1985. He succeeded Stanley Sahlstrom, the founding provost of the college.

As chancellor, Sargeant is credited with two major initiatives—baccalaureate degree programs and laptop computers for all students and faculty—that transformed every aspect of the Crookston campus.

Sargeant is well known in higher education circles for his expertise in integrating technology and managing institutional change. Since 1993, representatives from over 150 colleges and universities have visited UMC to learn more about the campus, its technology initiatives, and its transformation into a baccalaureate college.

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UMD announces new mechanical engineering program
The University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD) College of Science and Engineering has announced the creation of a new program in mechanical engineering beginning in the fall semester. The UMD Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) degree program was approved by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents May 9.

Mechanical engineering deals with the design and implementation of machines and energy systems to make things better for people and the environment. Mechanical engineers help design new machines, new materials, and more effective ways of using energy.

The new BSME program will be housed in the UMD Department of Industrial Engineering (IE). The IE department currently offers a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering, accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). It also offers graduate programs in environmental health and safety and engineering management.

The new mechanical engineering curriculum will build on the department's strengths in design, automation, and manufacturing. Last November, UMD students Mike Anderson, Joe Higgins, and Mike Lakore won the American Society of Mechanical Engineers International Student Design contest in New York City with a fishing pole designed specifically for the physically challenged.

Mechanical engineering will become the fourth undergraduate engineering program at UMD. The others are chemical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and industrial engineering.

"Mechanical engineering is a great program for us at UMD," said IE department head Dave Wyrick. "We have a strong tradition of helping regional companies solve technical problems, and our new mechanical engineering program will provide even more opportunities for students and employers to carry out this important work."

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President Yudof thanked the Gateway Corporation for bringing green space back to campus.
Alumni dedicate new Gateway Plaza at 2002 annual celebration
Nearly 1,000 University of Minnesota alumni and friends "rocked around the block" Tuesday, June 4, at the alumni association's 98th annual celebration. The '50s-themed party was also the grand opening of the Gateway Plaza in front of the McNamara Alumni Center.

At the celebration, the Gateway Corporation officially gave the Gateway Plaza to the University. Larry Laukka and Fred Friswold, the alumni volunteers who were the driving forces behind both the Gateway Plaza and the McNamara Alumni Center, presented the plaza to Board of Regents chair Maureen Reed and University president Mark Yudof, who called it "a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of our busy days, certain to be appreciated by students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the U for generations to come."

Yudof thanked the Gateway Corporation, alumni, and members of the University of Minnesota community for their support of the Gateway Plaza. By adding "green space" on campus, completing the plaza has been an important part of Yudof's mission to beautify the U.

Yudof said the annual celebration day was "both sad and sweet." Sad, "because I will soon be leaving Minnesota and all the wonderful people I've met here, and all the hardworking people inside and outside this University that are so committed to keeping this a world-class institution," he said. And sweet, because he will be taking leave at a time when things are "coming together" at the University.

Yudof said whoever is chosen to permanently replace him will take over a University that is headed in the right direction. "Although the momentum we've accumulated needs careful attention, I believe it can be sustained, and that the people of Minnesota are still committed to this great institution."

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Regents to act on budget this week
Today, the University of Minnesota Board of Regents is expected to act on the fiscal year 2003 (July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003) budget. The $2 billion proposal responds to a $23.6 million state budget recision and invests $14.6 million in critical academic areas. A tuition increase that varies by campus but would average about 14 percent for a student taking a full-credit load on the Twin Cities campus is also proposed.

Last month, President Yudof presented the budget proposal to the board. "This budget is a modest step forward. It maintains our momentum by preserving quality and access and emphasizing accountability and service," he said.

To fund the $38.2 million budget challenge created by state cuts combined with additional costs for security, insurance coverage, and software updates, Yudof recommends the University pay for $30.8 million or 80 percent of tution costs with students covering the remaining 20 percent through an increase. If the proposal passes, undergraduate tuition on the Twin Cities campus would increase by $718 to $5,720 per year for full-time students.

The budget proposal includes a number of measures to minimize the impact of the tuition increase, especially on low-income students and those who take 13 or more credits a semester. The University will add $2 million in need-based grants. In addition, the neediest students will benefit from a $250 increase in the maximum Pell Grant award. A new credit-pricing model will encourage students to take a full class load by offering smaller rate increases on 13 or more credits. For example, the proposed per-credit increase for credits three through 12 is about 19 percent, while credits 15 through 19 will only increase about seven percent.

Tuition at the University is fifth among the universities in the Big Ten.

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U OF M HAPPENINGS

Tune into Minnesota Public Radio Friday, June 14, 10 a.m. to hear Petra Mertens, a veterinarian and assistant professor of behavior medicine at the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Mertens will discuss pet behavior and answer questions from callers on MPR's Midmorning show with Katherine Lanpher. MPR can be heard on 91.1 FM in the Twin Cities. For other MPR stations, see www.mpr.org.

The turtles are coming! The 16th annual Turtle Derby and children's parade will be held Thursday, June 20, 10 a.m. at Diehl Plaza on the Twin Cities campus. The fund-raiser supports children's services at Fairview-University Children's Hospital. Individual turtle sponsorships are $30. Races run from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call Child Family Life, 612-273-3124. To volunteer, call Kris Sobczyk, 612-273-6930.

The National Gathering to Explore African American Ancestry is Friday and Saturday, June 21 and 22, in the McNamara Alumni Center on the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus. The gathering features African American scholars, community members, and religious leaders discussing the importance and implications of tracing African American ancestry. Registration is required. For more information, see www.bioethics.umn.edu/events/af_gen.html.

"Summer Cultural Programs," an annual series on the U of M, Twin Cities campus, offers free musical entertainment at noon on Northrop Plaza. Events include: Prudence Johnson, "Music of the Great American Songbook," Monday, June 17; Mark Stillman Trio, international ethnic music, Monday, June 24; and Majas of Zorongo Flamenco, dance and music of Andalucia, Wednesday, June 26. For a complete schedule, see www.cce.umn.edu/summer/programs/cultural/culturalprog.html.

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LINKS

Hey, Sports Fans! Check out sports news and schedules of the U's teams:

Gophers
Duluth Bulldogs
Morris Cougars
Crookston Golden Eagles

Campaign Minnesota: Learn more about this fund-raising effort to build excellence in every corner of the U.

University of Minnesota Alumni Association: Your membership makes a difference.

U of M Legislative Network: Read about the University's legislative request and how you can help.

University of Minnesota Systemwide Home Page

U of M E-News is a biweekly e-mail newsletter for alumni and friends of the University of Minnesota. The newsletter, a free information source prepared by University Relations, is designed to help alumni and friends stay connected to the University of Minnesota campuses in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Crookston, Morris and Duluth.

PRIVACY POLICY

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