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State Representative Tim Mahoney
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4277
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
NEWS COLUMN
HOUSE COMES THROUGH ON HIGHER EDUCATION PROPOSAL
Over the course of the last five years Minnesotans have seen dramatic state budget cuts that have resulted in a 70% tuition increase in higher education institutions statewide. As a result, Minnesota students are graduating from college with an average $18,500 of debt. In addition, the state has not been providing our colleges, universities, and technical schools the resources they need to be innovative and nation leading.
As a member of the House Higher Education and Workforce Development Division, I have been working hard this session to help restore Minnesota's commitment to investing in our future by adequately funding our state's higher education system. I am pleased to report that the House Higher Education Omnibus Budget Bill that passed on the House floor this week by a vote of 95 to 37 will make significant strides for our higher education system in Minnesota.
The bill includes:
· $38 million over the next 2 biennium, plus ongoing funding for the U of M – Mayo Clinic biotechnology and medical genomics partnership.
· $24 million in scholarship programs and reduced tuition for low and middle-income U of M students.
· $60 million in financial aid, including $12 million in new money.
· Pilot projects to explore the potential for textbook rental and other cost-saving options.
· Post-secondary assistance to Minnesota veterans.
· Expands opportunities for rural high school students by funding the Governor's Achieve II initiative.
· Invests in health workforce training programs to address the shortage of workers.
As Chair of the Biosciences and Emerging Technology Committee, I am especially encouraged that this proposal includes an initiative to provide ongoing funding for the U of M – Mayo Clinic biotechnology and medical genomics partnership. The bill ensures that the Partnership is afforded the opportunity to expand the scope of its impact in the fields of medicine and bioscience and effectively provide positive results for our state.
In developing this final bill, the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee considered more than 100 bills. This bi-partisan initiative combines the best higher education and workforce development ideas into a single package that will alleviate the tuition burden for students, invest in new and innovative programs, and ultimately move Minnesota forward.
News Items
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- DFL Jobs Initiatives to be Heard in House Jobs and Economic Development Committee - (Posted: 2012-02-29 00:00:00)
- REP. MAHONEY, DFL LEGISLATORS BUILD ON DFL JOBS PLAN WITH NEW INITIATIVES - (Posted: 2012-02-01 00:00:00)
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