University of Minnesota now ranks third in the “Top American Research Universities” report recently released by University of Florida. The U joins University of California, Berkeley, and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in the top three. The report looks at nine performance measures including research dollars, private support, faculty honors, how much advanced training an institution does, and the quality of entering undergraduate students.

Otto Bremer Foundation will give University of Minnesota, Crookston, $100,000 over the next four years to support its Service Learning Program. The program involves students and faculty in various course-related community service projects.

Governor Ventura made five appointments to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents: Frank Berman, Jean Keffeler, Richard “Pinky” McNamara, Lakeesha Ransom, and Michael O’Keefe (reappointment). The power to appoint fell to Ventura when the legislature could not agree on candidates before the end of its 2001 session. The new regents will serve until the close of the 2002 legislative session and thereafter until the legislature elects successors.

The percentage of state spending dedicated to the University has steadily declined over the last 30 years, and only twice in the 1990s did the state appropriation keep up with inflation, noted President Mark Yudof at a special June 26 regents meeting. (The University received $110.7 million in recent state appropriations, about half its original request.) Tuition revenue is now covering almost two thirds of instruction costs at the University, compared with about one third in 1982. While the University will more than double its financial aid and grants to $7.4 million over the next two years, students will still face 10.25 percent tuition and $75 fee increases each semester in 2001–02 and an 11.25 percent tuition and $150 fee hike in 2002–03.

Harry and Sandy Lerner have provided the first major gift—a pledge of $25,000—to support the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest Archives, housed in the University’s Elmer L. Andersen Library. The gift is in honor of Rabbi Bernard Raskas and Leah Raskas. Harry Lerner will also donate one copy of every book from Lerner Publishing to Andersen Library.