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Past Issues
Tuition and fees would increase by an average of 16% next year under budget framework presented by President Yudof to the Board of Regents April 12. Budget is based on changes that have occurred since July, when Yudof's preliminary budget plan, which called for 13.6% tuition increase, was reviewed by the regents. Due to state budget shortfall, legislature has voted to withdraw $23.6 million in new funding to the U for the biennium, plus the U is absorbing an additional $9.6 million in unexpected costs, mostly for increased security.
Yudof is also recommending a 13-credit tuition band to temper the increase. Students who take more than 13 credits will pay no additional tuition. For students with a 12-credit load, the increase would be 18.8%; for students taking 16 credits, the increase would dip to 10.4%. "I think this will encourage students to graduate on time," he said.
New budget plan supports a number of goals such as retaining the consistency in overall investment strategy, protecting the neediest students from impact of increased tuition, and supporting pay increases for faculty and staff, Yudof said. Plan recommends a 4% merit increase for faculty, down from 6% proposed in July. A more detailed budget will be presented in May to regents, who will vote on it in June.
Plan to trim a projected $21 million deficit in Gopher athletics by $8.5 million over the next 5 years was released April 11. Three-phase plan, developed by VP and chief of staff Tonya Moten Brown, includes merging the Twin Cities men's and women's athletics departments; eliminating men's and women's golf and men's gymnastics; and implementing a 3-year moratorium on facility costs related to athletics.
"Streamlining administrative functions and improving efficiency is our first choice for reducing costs," said Moten Brown. "In our judgment, separate departments have fostered competition and rivalry, which has undermined collaboration and contributed to the financial challenge we face today." She said merging the departments would reduce the U's expenses by nearly $4.4 million over 5 years.
Eliminating 3 of the U's 23 intercollegiate sports would reduce expenses by $3.6 million over 5 years. Next month regents will decide the level of funding for intercollegiate athletics, which is currently $10.8 million annually. Their decision will have bearing on the elimination of teams, but the final decision in June will be administrative.
National search is under way for a new athletics director to lead the combined Gopher athletics department. Mary Jo Kane, professor and director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport, will head the search committee. Women's athletics director Chris Voelz will remain at the U as special consultant to the president and athletics director emerita effective June 16. Men's athletics director Tom Moe's contract expires in June.
New director will be sensitive to Title IX and the presence of women in leadership roles, said Moten Brown. She said the U has a committee examining the best practices in schools with a single athletics department that have successful men's and women's teams (athletically and academically). New administrative structure will begin July 1.
Ensuring a diverse student population and implementing a formal student input process were two of 14 concerns highlighted in the annual report by student representatives to the Board of Regents. Report emphasizes progress on issues (tuition, affordable housing, alcohol misuse, graduation and retention rates, parking and transportation, and campus safety) presented to regents in December and offers additional recommendations to address them.
U is positive about Regents vs. Clem Haskins case whether it goes through a trial or a mediation and arbitration process, said associate general counsel Lorie Gildea. "We believe this process may provide a cost-effective and speedy resolution of this case," she said. U filed a lawsuit against former Gopher men's basketball coach Haskins September 2000 to recover $1.5 million associated with contract buyout; court order April 9 revealed that Haskins has agreed to return some of the money.
Minnesota Centennial Showboat will arrive at its new home in downtown St. Paul noon, April 17. Public is invited to join President Yudof at the showboat landing at Harriet Island (near the City Dock and Covington Inn). Questions, call Sherry Wagner at 612-625-1052. For tickets to summer performance of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, call 651-227-1100.
Joint meeting of U Senate, Faculty Senate, and TC Campus Assembly will be April 25, 25 Mondale Hall. Broadcast locations will be UMC, 305 Selvig Hall; UMD, Kirby Student Center Garden Room; UMM, Behmler Hall Conference Room. For agenda, see www.umn.edu/usenate.
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CROOKSTON--Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team was named regional champion for the 3rd consecutive year at recent competition in the Twin Cities. Team will advance to the SIFE National Exposition in Kansas City, MO, May 12-14.
UMC students won the Sweepstakes Award in the 4-Year Colleges Division of the 2002 National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Judging Conference April 4-6 at California State Polytechnic U. Individual students and teams also placed first and 2nd in other categories.
New Web portal, C My U, is at www.crk.umn.edu/cmyu. Portal, designed as a customizable virtual desktop, will allow students, faculty, staff, alumni, prospective students, and guests access to selective UMC Web pages, services, Web-based e-mail, and other sources of information.
DULUTH--Department of Computer Science is collaborating with Sandia National Laboratories to offer an internship program that provides exceptional undergraduates the opportunity to gain practical experience in work related to vulnerability assessment. Sandia is a defense laboratory operating under the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. UMD is the first institution of its type to be selected for this program.
Alworth International Institute's annual Memorial Lecture presents "Rethinking Citizen Diplomacy in the Aftermath of September 11" by Tim Honey, executive director of Sister Cities International, April 24, 7:30 p.m., Kirby Student Center Ballroom. Free and open to the public; reception in Garden Room. Call 218-726-8616 or e-mail alworth@d.umn.edu.
MORRIS--Chancellor Schuman was named to Minnesota Public Radio board of directors. UMM is an MPR institutional sponsor.
Faculty and staff who received awards or who will be retiring during this academic year will be honored during the 11th annual Faculty and Staff Recognition Dinner, April 17, 6 p.m., Oyate Hall.
Undergraduate achievements of nearly 50 students will be showcased at 2nd annual Undergraduate Research Symposium April 20. Registration begins 9:30 a.m. in Science atrium, followed by presentations at 10 a.m. in east wing and poster presentations at 11:15 a.m., in the atrium. UMM alumna Colleen Garbe Le Prell will speak at 12:30 p.m.
"Confronting Contemporary Slavery: The International Trafficking of Women and Girls" by Sheila Wellstone will be April 22, 7 p.m., Edson Auditorium.
TWIN CITIES--Telephone system upgrade for health sciences area will start April 19 with Weisman Art Museum, Boynton Health Service, Jackson, Basic Sciences, Children's Rehab, Variety Club, and Comstock; Mayo is scheduled for April 26. PWB, Moos, and remaining buildings will be in May. See www.umn.edu/oit/telephoneupgrade.
P&A and faculty volunteers are needed for Staff Day 2002 on June 6 for one-hour shifts 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m. For Minneapolis, call Pat Snodgrass at 612-625-8824 or e-mail snodgras@umn.edu. For St. Paul, call Lorraine Haley 624-5357 or e-mail lhaley@che.umn.edu.
U employees taking medications (for at least the past 6 months) are invited to participate in a graduate student's study regarding your experience. Interview will take 60-90 minutes. Call Sarah Shoemaker at 612-626-3641 or e-mail shoe0019@umn.edu.
Events: National Take Our Daughters to Work Day will be April 25. Minnesota Women's Center will kick off the event with breakfast 7-9 a.m. For full schedule of events, see www.umn.edu/mnwomen/todw.html.
• Cendrillon (Cinderella) by Lyon Opera Ballet will be April 26-27, 8 p.m., Northrop Auditorium. Tickets $38, $28, $23. Call 612-624-2345.
Lectures: Continuation of "Passport to Earth Summit 2002: Exploring Sustainable Development" will be April 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m., 335 Borlaug Hall. For more information, see www.coffman.umn.edu/earth.
• "Financial Strategies for the Modern University: Preferences for Academic Units" by CHE dean Baugher will be April 19, 3:30-5 p.m., Nolte Library.
• "Breaking Down Barriers to Participation in our Democracy: Victory on Campaign Finance Reform," April 24, noon, Cowles Auditorium. Call 612-624-1190.
• Alvin G. Anderson Award presentation and lecture, "Climate Trends and Outlooks for the Upper Midwest: What are the Implications?" will be April 24, 3:30 p.m., St. Anthony Falls Laboratory. Call 627-4010.
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