The MinnState Board of Trustees held their October meeting on the Winona State University campus where the local Administration, faculty, staff, and students did a fantastic job hosting the two-day event. The agenda also included a presentation and tour of Minnesota State College, Southeast, so, the trustees and System Office Staff witnessed, first hand, the diversity of the programming within our system, the value of a regional residential campus, and the quality of our students.

During the evening reception, Winona State University executed a masterful demonstration of the liberal arts that included student works in the visual arts, 3-D imaging, and a sample of their fall theater production, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” This campus experience seemed to have an enlightening effect on the trustees.

Reimagining MinnState
The update on Reimagining MinnState acknowledged the need for clear and regular communication. The System Office is in the process of developing a public website that will serve as the information hub for the project. A public announcement for Reimagining is scheduled for November 29th and the first forum is scheduled for Monday, December 10 at Minneapolis College. Campus Presidents have also been invited to host local discussions on the topics of the Forum Sessions and I strongly encourage faculty to provide input on the future of higher education. The outstanding work and innovation that faculty employ every day as we educate our students needs to remain at the core of our institutions.

Please click here to visit our website for a complete schedule of the forums, relevant materials, and regular updates on the MinnState Reimagining project.

IFO Remarks
When I had an opportunity to address the Board of Trustees and Chancellor Malhotra, I emphasized the value of our universities and the students we serve. “Although our campuses attract students from all backgrounds and experiences, MinnState is the higher education system of choice for the working class, the poor, and both underrepresented and often marginalized populations. We should embrace our service to these groups and be proud of it. These students deserve a first-class education, therefore, as we reimagine MinnState, within our portfolio of educational opportunity and delivery, at the core, should be a residential, face-to-face, liberal arts education. We are not opposed to cost efficiencies, alternative modes of delivery, and new and different markets, however, the traditional, residential, liberal arts education should not only be available to the wealthy who can afford a private school education! We should strive to become the best public higher education system in the country.”

Continue doing the outstanding work for your university and your students!