Minneapolis Star Tribune
Mary Jane Smetanka
Published November 10, 2004
"Minnesota's star status as an education leader is dimming, and changes are needed both in high schools and colleges if the state is to stop its slide toward becoming just another "cold small state," a Citizens League study concludes."
The article continues with recommendations from the Citizens League study and initial reactions from Governor Pawlenty and University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks.
"Minnesotans have lost a shared understanding that education is a public good and not just a private one," said Rondi Erickson of Duluth, co-chairwoman of the League's study group. "We are losing our edge. We cannot sustain what we have, and our economic competitiveness and our way of life is at risk."
"In a state where we are trying to answer the question in a hypercompetitive world economy. 'why Minnesota?,' one of the first and most important answers is because we have a world-class teaching and research university or universities," Pawlenty said. "If that's the case, then we should make sure that's a pretty high priority on where the funds go."
One of the recommendations from the Citizen's League is:
Promoting excellence and adding focus by investing more money in research on the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus, which should become increasingly elite by being "nationally selective" in undergraduate admissions, and having MnSCU pursue "centers of excellence" on some campuses.
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