"Higher ed/It needs Senate spending boost"

Minneapolis Star Tribune
April 29, 2005

The Minnesota House's lean higher education funding bill is ready for its date with a conference committee. Tipping higher education funding a more generous way this session is vital to this state's future. The Senate acknowledges as much with a more generous bill -- $33 million more to the University of Minnesota than the House provides.

Read the full editorial at:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/5375328.html

The U game that matters most

Minneapolis Star Tribune
April 18, 2005
Rondi Erickson and Vance Opperman

"The urgency with which the Legislature has supported a new football stadium for the University of Minnesota sends a strong signal that it intends for the "U" to be "in the game" -- literally -- when it comes to collegiate athletics.

Now it's time for the Legislature and all Minnesotans to wake up to the realities of global economic competition unfolding around us with the same urgency."

To read the full story visit: www.startribune.com/stories/1519/5351075.html

This column was written by Rondi Erickson and Vance Opperman who cochaired the recent Citizens League report on higher education for Gov. Pawlenty.