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State Representative Tina Liebling
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0573
For more information contact: Joel Johnson 651-297-1934
NEWS COLUMN
Proposal For University In Rochester Provides Opportunity To Do It Right
For those hoping and working to bring a four-year university to Rochester, Gov. Tim Pawlenty's State of the State speech was welcome news.
In that speech, the Governor proposed spending $3 million in seed money to create a plan for a long-needed four-year university in Rochester. The speech drew a standing ovation from the crowd, though the fact it was held in Rochester probably contributed to the level of enthusiasm.
Still, the idea has been warmly received throughout the state, mainly because it makes sense. It's been clear for years – if not decades – that Rochester needed an institution that could support and enhance the health care, technical and agribusiness industries in the area, as well as provide an opportunity to area students to acquire the skills and education necessary to flourish in these increasingly competitive fields.
But while it's wonderful that the Governor has everyone talking about a university in Rochester, it's important that we use the Governor's proposal as a starting point, not as an end. With the Governor on board, we have important momentum behind us. However, the last thing we need is to get steam-rolled into a plan that doesn't fit our area's diverse needs.
We're in a unique position right now to create a thoughtful and workable plan that truly is in the best interest of the entire community, not just a segment or two of it. To get there, we need to make sure that all of the key stakeholders are involved and have a real say in developing the plan.
So far that hasn't happened. In fact, a number of the key stakeholders heard about the Governor's plan for the first time while listening to the speech. By involving everyone up front, we can better avoid the turf wars that have for years plagued this proposal.
We also need to take our time and determine the best use of our limited resources. And they are limited. It's wonderful to hear the Governor is talking about this, but it's also a bit disingenuous when both the University and the Minnesota State College and University (MnSCU) system are both so woefully under-funded.
Last biennium, the Governor cut the University of Minnesota's state appropriation by $198.5 million or about 15 percent. MnSCU saw a $189 million reduction (14.6 percent). The results were another year of double-digit tuition increases for students throughout the systems and a severe strain on the resources at every campus in the state.
University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks, one of the people we desperately need on board if this is to work, expressed more than a bit of skepticism at the Governor's proposal.
With a new campus, he said, ``I think it's safe to say you're looking at a $400-$500 million capital investment and perhaps an annual operating budget of $25-$30 million to start with,'' Bruininks said. ``Quite frankly, in these economic times, I think it would be difficult to achieve without making reductions in other areas of higher education.''
As I mentioned before, we have a unique opportunity right now to work together to make the dream of a four-year university in Rochester a reality. Let's just make sure it's a dream that works for all of Rochester.
News Items
- Rep. Tina Liebling Named Chair of House Health and Human Services Policy Committee - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- Statement on DEED Bonding Project Announcement - (Posted: 2012-09-13 00:00:00)
- Local Legislators to Hold Town Hall Meeting - (Posted: 2012-07-19 00:00:00)
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