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Bonding, textbook, changes (new law)

Published (5/25/2012)
By Bob Geiger
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Bonding authority for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system will increase from $300 million to $405 million as part of the omnibus higher education law.

The law is effective Aug. 1, 2012, unless otherwise noted.

Sponsored by Rep. Bud Nornes (R-Fergus Falls) and Senate President Michelle Fischbach (R-Paynesville), the law will allow MnSCU to fund priority projects at five state universities and design future projects at other campuses. The law is effective Aug. 1, 2012, unless otherwise noted.

The law also reallocates, beginning Jan. 1, 2013, up to $25 million of the permanent University of Minnesota fund mineral research account for the Natural Resources Research Institute to fund development of a mining-related engineering program offered by the University of Minnesota at Mesabi Range Community and Technical College, and provide scholarships for students in the program.

MnSCU and the university must post course information, including, to the extent possible, a list of the required and recommended course materials on a website. Instructors will be required to notify bookstores of required and recommended course material at least 45 days before the start of each term.

Other provisions in the law include:

• effective July 1, 2012, both systems will be able to stay open during a government shutdown;

• the MnSCU Board of Trustees is to establish a work group to study ways to lower textbook costs for students;

• the university is to transfer $645,000 to the Hennepin County Medical Center for graduate family medicine programs in fiscal year 2013; and

• public postsecondary institutions must grant waivers from their required student health insurance plan coverage if the student has plan coverage from another source and requests a waiver.

HF2065/ SF1573*/CH270

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