November 1996
Board Meeting Minutes
Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, November 20, 1996
World Trade Center
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Trustees Present: Morrie Anderson, Nancy Brataas, Kathleen Caffey, Archie
D. Chelseth, Dennis Dotson, Robert Erickson, Christine Fritsche, Randall Knudson,
Stephen L. Maxwell, Gary Mohrenweiser, William Smoley, Denise Stephens, William
Ulland, Michael Vekich
Trustees Absent: David Erickson
- Call to Order/Announcement
Chair Ulland convened the special meeting of the Board of Trustees at
4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 20, 1996, in the World Trade Center, International
Hall, Saint Paul.
Chair Ulland announced that the purpose of the meeting was to hear public
comment on MnSCU's proposed 1998-1999 Biennial Budget. Minnesota Satellite
and Technology (MnSAT) will broadcast the meeting live to all of MnSCU's 53
campuses. Additionally, arrangements had been made to allow interested parties
who are unable to attend the public meeting to comment on the biennial budget
via phone, fax or e-mail.
- 1998-1999 Biennial Budget Hearing
Chancellor Eaton briefly described MnSCU's 1998-1999 Biennial Budget request
of $2.4 billion dollars over the next two years. Over $900 million dollars
of the budget request is a base request for state funds, which represents
a slight decrease from the base state appropriation that MnSCU received for
the current biennium. In this budget, MnSCU is requesting approximately $128
million dollars in new state funds to support the core of the educational
foundation that MnSCU is attempting to build with its new system. The new
funds will support MnSCU's strategic plan. Chancellor Eaton and the Board
of Trustees have recently completed a series of town meetings at twelve locations
throughout Minnesota. They spoke with about 1,600 Minnesotans about the strategic
themes and strategic planning activities. New state funds will help MnSCU
establish academic accountability, a skill-based approach to transfer, a commitment
to program and service alignment throughout the state, an emphasis on career
education, an expanded Electronic Academy, and a strengthened relationship
between MnSCU and K-12 education. MnSCU is also seeking support to further
assist its students through student aid and establishment of a strong performance-based
system. Of the $128 million in new funds, $98.9 million will be for performance-based
initiatives.
Chancellor Eaton explained that this budget is extremely important to MnSCU's
future, as it represents MnSCU's commitment to being a learning-centered,
technology-driven, performance-based system. The budget is an investment in
a new kind of higher education system for Minnesota, she said.
The following individuals addressed the Board of Trustees:
- Roger O'Connor, a former faculty member, urged the Board to consider
meeting with teaching staff, as well as administrative staff and students,
to learn the needs of all parties.
- John Owens, president and owner of a Twin Cities company that employs
100 people, stated that he is a graduate of Metropolitan State University.
Mr. Owens commented on the need for offering higher education alternatives
and flexibility for working adults.
- Bob Poch, executive director of the Minnesota Higher Education Services
Office (HESO), testified that on November 12, 1996, the HESO Council adopted
a resolution in opposition to the proposal by the MnSCU administration
to independently manage and target State Grant Program funds.
- Cecil Smith, student member of HESO, spoke about the need for collaboration
in order for students to have more choices and greater access to higher
education.
- Jessie Bethke, executive director, Chicanos/Latinos Unidos En Servico
(CLUES), stated that he believes in education and in MnSCU but that there
are issues in blending colleges and systems. Mr. Bethke urged the Board
to think creatively and to be mindful of the higher education needs and
potential of people of color and the disadvantaged in urban corridors
- Chancellor Eaton read a letter addressed to the Board of Trustees from
Senator Linda Berglin, who had been scheduled to testify on the biennial
budget request, but was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict.
In summary, Senator Berglin is concerned about the challenges facing the
Minnesota Legislature in the area of welfare reform. Congress did not
provide any funding for job training in its welfare reform legislation,
yet will require a growing number of people on AFDC to work at least 20
hours per week. Senator Berglin wrote that Minnesota will need more part-time
opportunities for students to attend classes and for educational institutions
and employers to form a partnership to offer students opportunities to
work as a part of their higher education experience.
- David Glass, St. Paul Public Schools, and an alumnus of Metropolitan
State, spoke of Metropolitan State's positive impact on the community.
Metro's student base has grown while its funding has not. Metro cannot
continue to provide a positive impact without more funding.
- Christine Matuzek-Rivas, education director, Minnesota AFL-CIO, spoke
in support of improved public funding for education, including higher
education. The Minnesota AFL-CIO offered the following guidelines for
evaluating MnSCU's draft biennial budget:
- Public higher education must benefit all Minnesota - not just the
privileged and the affluent.
- Public higher education must primarily serve the people, not corporate
interests.
- The needs of MnSCU workers are as important as those of system executives.
- Improvement of the quality of education provided by MnSCU requires
full funding for merger costs not adequately funded to date.
- Trustee Fritsche read a letter addressed to the Board of Trustees from
Jan Gallagher, a member of the Minnesota Higher Education Services Council
(HESO). Ms. Gallagher expressed concerns with MnSCU's financial aid reform
proposal in that HESO currently administers the State Grant Program based
on financial need with complete neutrality regarding the type of educational
institution the student will attend.
- Gary Haider, president, Boring Machine Corporation, with 40 employees,
testified that, ultimately, MnSCU will be judged by the quality of the
work force produced by its institutions. Mr. Haider urged the board to
take a proactive position in forming partnerships and unions with collaborative
ventures.
- Andrew Boss, Metropolitan State Foundation, and chairman of St. Anthony
Park State Bank, urged the Board of Trustees to support funding higher
education in the metropolitan area. Mr. Boss also urged the Board to continue
to be creative, generous and assertive with the legislature.
- Eldon Tessman, chairman, North Hennepin Community College Advisory Board,
read a letter addressed to the Board of Trustees. Mr. Tessman testified
that the NHCC Advisory Board has concerns that MnSCU's revised formula
for distributing state funding to its institutions does not fully address
the situation at North Hennepin Community College, nor that of the other
metro-area community colleges. The NHCC Board supports the "Design Criteria"
in MnSCU's budget request, the guidelines for the allocation model, recognition
of different costs for different programs by using weighted student credit
hours, setting the lower limit for state funding at not less than 10%
below average for all colleges, and the decision to treat tuition as self-generated
revenue to be retained by the campus. Finally, the NHCC Board requested
the MnSCU Board to consider two adjustments to provide a more equitable
distribution of state funding: (1) continuing education/customized training
funding from the state should not be removed from the base budget when
calculating averages, and (2) tuition generated by each campus should
be removed from the base budget figure when calculating the state average
and the funding per weighted student credit hours.
- Paul Collins, St. Paul Technical College, testified that he had concerns
about the executive compensation in the proposed budget. Mr. Collins urged
the Board of Trustees to provide similar compensation consideration for
faculty.
- Kathleen Jasperson, faculty, Century College, and president of the Minneapolis
Chapter of the Professional Organization of Dental Assistants, testified
that MnSCU's proposed budget will require technical colleges to compete
with other schools for funding.
- John Dalton, faculty, Century College, explained how three of his students'
lives were positively impacted because of their studies at Century College.
- Patricia Billings, president, Minnesota Council for Quality, spoke
in favor of MnSCU's request for funds for performance improvement. The
rewards will exceed the investment and would benefit all Minnesotans.
- Lester Collins, executive director, Council for Black Minnesotans, testified
on behalf of the unique higher education needs for communities of color.
Mr. Collins praised Metropolitan State University for doing an outstanding
job in this area.
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Adjournment
There being no further comments on the 1998-1999 Biennial Budget, Chair
Ulland adjourned the meeting at 5:40 p.m.
William Ulland, Chair Board of Trustees
Recorded by Inge Chapin
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