Office of the President Communications and News http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/ Office of the President Communications and News unews@umn.edu (University News Service) unews@umn.edu (University News Service) en-us ©2009 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:00:00 -0600 Office of the President Communications and News http://www1.umn.edu/urelate/images/newsService-144x25.gif 25 144 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/ Office of the President Communications and News Dedicated People Make the University Work Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:00:00 -0600

On Monday, June 20, we made the case once again for investment in the University of Minnesota, and the Board of Regents approved the University's recommended provisional budget for 2011-12 by a 9-2 vote. The great baseball player and manager Casey Stengel once famously said, "Managing is getting paid for home runs someone else hits." The same applies to leading a university. You cannot accomplish transformative change in an organization the size and complexity of the University of Minnesota without consensus, collaboration, and the hard work and dedication of countless stakeholders across the state. You cannot go it alone. 

During my nine years as president, the University of Minnesota has recruited more and better-prepared students; retained and graduated those students in higher numbers; raised unprecedented private support for scholarships, fellowships, and the University's academic mission; grown its research enterprise to garner record levels of federal support; and managed existing resources in order to sustain this momentum despite three separate, deep state budget cuts. We've come a long way -- but these are not my achievements, nor my wife, Susan's. We must give credit to the countless extraordinary colleagues whose hard work and dedication have made this University a stronger, better place, including:
  • the best executive team I've seen in more than 40 years at the University of Minnesota;
  • faculty and academic/professional leaders who set the gold standard in shared governance and productive engagement;
  • thousands of dedicated staff without whom the University could not maintain its statewide presence and three-fold mission of education, research, and public engagement; nearly 70,000 students, who are our primary reason for being and our future; and
  • the state of Minnesota and its citizens, who for 160 years have recognized the value of advancing knowledge for the public good.
Furthermore, I've been truly blessed to enjoy an exceptionally strong partnership with the University's Board of Regents, which has shown great courage in supporting difficult and controversial reforms at the University during my tenure. Together we have created a culture of unquestioned commitment to teaching and learning, discovery and innovation, and service for the public good. Together we have generated new knowledge, new graduates, new ideas, and new jobs. Together we have made magic. 

Writer and former Herman Miller CEO Max De Pree once said that the last responsibility of a leader is to say thank you. On behalf of my wife Susan and myself, I offer my heartfelt gratitude for everything the University has achieved. Thank you for your support, your well-wishes, and countless wonderful memories.

Sincerely,

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Robert H. Bruininks,
President 


For more on the Bruininks administration: 
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/06/pres-umaa-finalpdf.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/06/pres-umaa-finalpdf.html Advancing Excellence Through Cost Reductions and Productivity Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:30:00 -0600 Financing the Future: Advancing Excellence Through Cost Reductions and Productivity. This report details our efforts over the past decade to reduce costs, improve productivity, and grow non-state revenue in a sustainable way. Many of the initiatives detailed in this report have been mentioned in other documents over the course of the past several months; however, I would like to highlight a few key productivity measures from the Key Conclusions section of the report. These measures drive home the hard work and incredible dedication of our faculty and staff. 

From fiscal year 2001 through fiscal year 10: 
  • Total employee headcount: up 6.9%, or 0.7% per year 
  • State appropriation per employee: down 0.9% 
  • State appropriation per full-year equivalent student: down 11.5% 
During that same period: 
  • FYE students per employee: up 11.9% 
  • Degrees per employee: up 31.8% 
  • Sponsored research funding per employee: up 50.2% 
Also during this time, the University has recruited more and better-prepared students; improved the student experience through the all-University Honors program and other initiatives; retained and graduated those students in higher numbers; raised unprecedented private support for scholarships, fellowships, and the University's academic mission; grown its research enterprise to garner record levels of federal support; transformed our technology commercialization processes; and managed existing resources in order to sustain this momentum despite three separate and historically deep state budget cuts. Unfortunately, today Minnesota is among the leading states in the nation in reducing funding for higher education.

I hope you will each take the time to review the report and reflect on the scope and magnitude of our achievements together. We've come a long way these past nine years, and I am truly grateful for your hard work and support.

Sincerely,

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Robert H. Bruininks
President

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/06/june2011_ttu_costproductivity_finalpdf.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/06/june2011_ttu_costproductivity_finalpdf.html THANK U! Join the President and First Lady for Free Ice Cream Tuesday on Northrop Plaza Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:46:27 -0600 President Bob Bruininks and Dr. Susan Hagstrum would like to say thank you for your hard work, service, and support during their nine wonderful years of service in the Office of the President of the University of Minnesota. Please join them for free ice cream bars in front of Northrop Auditorium on Tuesday, June 14, at 11:30 a.m. There will be no formal program; just the opportunity to say hello, have some ice cream, and enjoy the day (rain or shine). Hope to see you there! ]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/06/thank_u_join_the_president_and_first_lady_for_free_ice_cream_tuesday_on_northrop_plaza.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/06/thank_u_join_the_president_and_first_lady_for_free_ice_cream_tuesday_on_northrop_plaza.html Legislative Adjournment and Budget Timeline Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:00:00 -0600
Last month, Governor Dayton vetoed budget bills that would have reduced state funding for the University of Minnesota to levels not seen since 1998, and the Minnesota Legislature adjourned without successfully negotiating a new state budget. While I am grateful for the governor's actions to support better funding for higher education and deeply discouraged by the gridlock at the Capitol, as I said in my May 5 message, it is still necessary to present a balanced 2012 budget to the Board of Regents for action in June in order to have a budget in place at the start of the new fiscal year July 1.

The difficulty, of course, is making appropriate assumptions about state funding in order to model likely and alternative scenarios so that the Board of Regents and the next administration are positioned well for whatever state budget is eventually approved. The Regents previewed the 2012 provisional budget at their May 13 meeting; the timeline for reviewing and acting on the budget is as follows.

Friday, June 10: Board of Regents Budget Review and Public Hearing 
Monday, June 20: Board of Regents Budget Action 
Friday, July 1: Start of New Fiscal Year

Please note that both the Board's review of the recommended provisional budget for 2012 and a public hearing are scheduled for Friday, June 10, at 9 a.m. and noon, respectively, in the boardroom on the sixth floor of McNamara Alumni Center.

Recommended provisional budget
Unfortunately, due to the deep reductions proposed by both chambers of the legislature as well as the conference committee, we must plan for the worst, even as we continue to work tirelessly to improve our legislative outcome. We expect that Governor Dayton and members of the legislature will advocate for moderation regarding the University's proposed budget reductions; however, we also expect that state reductions will still be deep. To address them, I will recommend a fiscal 2012 budget that includes:
  • more than $40 million in unit reductions, including elimination of staff positions (largely through voluntary strategies), reduced expenses, reduced reserves, restructured operations, and elimination of programs;
  • more than $23 million in productivity gains, including new, uncommitted tuition revenue from growth in student credit hours and enrollment, as well as other miscellaneous revenues;
  • a five-percent tuition increase for most resident undergraduates; and
  • the University's third wage and salary freeze in the past decade (subject to collective bargaining).
It is important to note that budget planning has been under way for months now, and includes strategies to proactively manage our biggest cost center -- our talented faculty and staff -- while preserving employment and moderating unplanned job losses. The most recent retirement incentive option (RIO), for example, prompted nearly 350 eligible faculty and staff to participate, with projected long-term savings (salary, wages, and fringe benefits) of more than $30 million. On average, approximately 60 percent of vacated positions are not refilled; the other 40 percent are generally refilled at significantly less expense than the original position.

In addition, we are planning changes to fringe benefits (also subject to collective bargaining), including increased medical premiums and co-pays for employees; restructured administration of our healthcare benefits to reduce costs; and higher retirement contributions from new faculty and academic staff.

Contingency planning in case of government shutdown 
Our planning also includes contingencies and principles to guide our operations in the case of a state government shutdown in order to avoid disruption to our educational programs and research commitments, ensure continued patient care and services for our clinical programs, safeguard our fiscal integrity, and appropriately support our employees and our physical infrastructure. Although the loss of state support (temporary or permanent) and the possibility of a shutdown pose challenges for the University, I am confident we can navigate these challenges especially if they are short-lived.

First, let me reassure you that the University will remain open for business. The University of Minnesota operates on a year-round basis, with clinical care responsibilities and summer programs, which expect to serve some 19,000 students in the next few months. We also have contractual obligations to numerous external funders, including the National Institutes of Health; the National Science Foundation; other federal agencies, foundations, and non-profits; and business and industry partners. We cannot interrupt these contractual activities with a total shutdown. Furthermore, any disruption puts additional funding, including new faculty research proposals and long-term partnerships, at risk and would simply cause further harm to our academic mission.

Second, we are hopeful that any state government shutdown would mean only a short-term, temporary interruption in the flow of funds from the State of Minnesota. During the current fiscal year the state temporarily withheld $89 million in state appropriations; it will return those funds to the University by the end of this month. The University, like any large and complex organization, continually manages fluctuating expenditures and revenues, and the payment of these funds will assist us in weathering a short-term disruption in the flow of next year’s state appropriations to the University.

University officials have been aware of a potential state government shutdown for several weeks and have been planning a variety of short-term actions to minimize any impacts on faculty, staff, and students; the communities we serve; and the long-term financial health of the U. It is unclear how long the current state budget impasse will last; however, appropriate plans are in place, and we are confident that we can manage through any short-term disruption without impacting day-to-day operations.

Gratitude for your continued work
Finally, I want thank you for your perseverance and hard work. In difficult economic times, outstanding faculty and staff like you have absorbed state budget reductions that have not only impacted your work, but also have taken a significant toll on your household budgets. Yet every day, you continue to deliver on our mission:
  • recruiting and retaining more students,
  • granting more degrees per year,
  • generating historic levels of competitive research funding and private support,
  • finding creative ways to reduce costs and increase productivity, and 
  • returning more than $13 to Minnesota's economy for every $1 of state investment. 
You can expect another communication later in June with more information about our circumstances and planning. In the meantime, we must continue to tell the legislature that such productivity on the state's behalf should be rewarded, especially during lean times, when every job and every dollar of external support matter. The University has always been committed to aggressively presenting our case for state support through the outstanding advocacy of our senior leaders, Regents, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends. I do not know if state policy-makers will be swayed, but we will continue to fight for this most critical of state assets: the University of Minnesota. 

Sincerely,

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Robert H. Bruininks
President
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/06/legislative_adjournment_and_budget_timeline.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/06/legislative_adjournment_and_budget_timeline.html Year-End Legislative and Budget Update Thu, 05 May 2011 17:30:00 -0600
Dear Colleagues,

My presidency began with substantial state budget cuts, and as my term comes to a close, we face the most challenging legislative session I've seen in my four decades in Minnesota. On Tuesday, May 3, I testified before the legislature's higher education budget conference committee, perhaps for the last time as president of this great University. I thanked the legislature for the many things we've accomplished with state support over the past several years, reminded the committee members that we've already been cut deeply twice in the past decade, and again urged them to consider something less than the severe budget reductions and additional regulations currently under consideration for the University of Minnesota.

Legislative outlook
Ordinarily at this point in the budget process -- with both a House and Senate bill on the table and a conference committee working -- we can see the likely outcomes and work toward our preferred end. This time, however, neither bill is acceptable:

  • Both cut the University too deeply (especially given previous reductions).
  • Both restrict our ability to set our own priorities to address these deep cuts. 
  • And both contain language that will damage our ability to attract and retain researchers and external funding. 

The proposed deep reductions roll state funding back to 1998 levels -- when the price of oil was at an all-time low and our freshmen were entering kindergarten -- and will erode our ability to deliver on our unique mission of world-class educational opportunities and innovation through research and discovery.  

Addressing the budget challenge
That said, we expect to be a part of the state's budget solution, and we must adopt a budget that addresses state cuts between now and the end of my term as president on June 30. We remain committed to our budget planning principles and will work hard to moderate tuition increases and preserve employment. In order to manage such deep reductions, however, we must necessarily focus on our biggest cost driver: people. To that end, the following initiatives are currently under way:

  • A wage freeze for fiscal year 2012 (July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012);
  • A third voluntary retirement incentive option (RIO) program;
  • Higher retirement contributions for new academic employees;
  • Increased medical premiums and co-pays for employees; and
  • Changes to the way our healthcare plan is managed in order to reduce administrative costs. 

We are also aggressively implementing additional long-term cost reductions across our operations, including capital investment, facilities operation, energy, technology, procurement, and more. 

We intend to balance the budget as we have in the past, with approximately two-thirds of the solution resulting from differential budget reductions and productivity gains in academic and support units, and the remaining one-third from a modest tuition increase. If the legislature cuts the U's state funding to the levels currently proposed, tuition for Minnesota undergraduates will likely increase 5 percent.

To help offset this increase, we are maintaining our deep commitment to affordability for Minnesota students with financial need. In the coming year, all current recipients of the University of Minnesota Promise Scholarship (U Promise) will receive at least as much U Promise support as they did this year, and new/incoming students will receive a guaranteed need-based scholarship based on their Expected Family Contribution. This continued strong support will enable us to control the net price Minnesota students pay to attend the University -- which, on average, has increased less than 3.5 percent per year over the past 10 years.

What can you do? 
In my nine years as president, we've seen deep budget cuts in 2003-04, 2010-11, and now in 2012-13 -- and we've consistently balanced our budget and improved academic quality, services, and productivity. The University has faced many challenges, but you have continued to work hard, delivering on our shared mission and values each and every day -- a fact for which I am personally grateful. Unfortunately, the proposed cuts to our state funding are now so deep that we will find it increasingly difficult to sustain our momentum even with your best efforts. For the better part of 160 years, Minnesota has made its research and land-grant university a top priority. We must help our leaders regain that sense of priority in order to restore the state's long-held commitment to higher education.

I know that many of you have already spoken out on behalf of the University. Please consider doing so again in the next few days, so our legislators clearly understand that the University of Minnesota matters to you -- and to the future of Minnesota. Our latest talking points are now available online, and you can find contact information for your legislators and even send pre-written messages through our online Legislative Action Center. State funding is essential to the strength of the U -- and I hope you will speak out on behalf of the University and its mission. 

I'm proud of this great community, and you should be, too. We've transformed the University of Minnesota into one of the strongest public research university systems in the country, and outstanding faculty and staff like all of you have been essential to that effort. With your continued support and engagement, I am confident that we can weather this storm and emerge a stronger University. Thank you for all that you do.

Sincerely,

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Robert H. Bruininks
President
 

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/05/year-end_legislative_and_budget_update.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/05/year-end_legislative_and_budget_update.html The Case for Investing in the University of Minnesota Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:00:00 -0600
It is important for the entire University community, as well as our alumni, friends, and supporters across the state and around the world, to stay informed and engaged at this crucial time. Please take a moment to review the links below, and don't hesitate to share with others the reasons why this great University matters to Minnesota.
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/03/the-case-for-investing-in-the-university-of-minnesota.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/03/the-case-for-investing-in-the-university-of-minnesota.html 2011 State of the University Address Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:00:00 -0600 Please join me at the 2011 State of the University Address, this Thursday, March 3, at 3 p.m. in the Coffman Memorial Union Theater. A brief question-and-answer period and reception will follow the address. 

The State of the University will also be broadcast via ITV to all campuses.

Crookston -- 220 Dowell Hall
Duluth -- 173 Kirby Plaza
Morris -- Science Auditorium 
Rochester -- 419 University Square

To participate online, please visit livestream.com/umntv just prior to the start of the speech. (Please note that the time noted at the top of this web page is Eastern Standard Time; the address does, in fact, begin at 3 p.m. Central.) Disability accommodations are available upon request; please call University Relations at 612-624-6868. I hope to see you there.

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Robert H. Bruininks
President

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/03/2011-state-of-the-university-address.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/03/2011-state-of-the-university-address.html The University's Pivotal Role in Minnesota's Economy Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:05:00 -0600
In this time of significant budget challenges, the University is increasingly asked to demonstrate the value it brings to the state and its taxpayers. You all understand the value that we provide, and you reinforce that every day through your commitment to the University.  

I am pleased to report that an economic impact study, the results of which are being released today, now provides hard data to substantiate the pivotal role that the University plays in the economic health of the state and region. The study's findings are significant: 
  • The U of M creates $8.6 billion in total economic impact in Minnesota annually. 
  • Every dollar invested in the U of M by the state generates $13.20 in the statewide economy.
  • A total of 79,497 jobs are supported by the U of M: 42,319 jobs on our campuses -- including 19,157 faculty and staff positions; 8,866 fellows and student employees; 8,017 positions through the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, and University of Minnesota Physicians; and 6,279 graduate assistants, postdocs, and residents -- as well as another 37,178 in communities across the state through U of M spending.
  • One out of every 43 jobs in the state of Minnesota is attributable to the U of M. 
  • Research expenditures from competitively awarded funds generate $1.5 billion in total annual economic impact in Minnesota and support 16,193 total jobs, both inside and outside the U of M.
Other study findings are available at our new Economic Impact web page. A more detailed presentation with additional analysis will be the focus of a work session at the Board of Regents meeting on Friday, March 11.

The University is a critical provider of human capital for the workforce that Minnesota must have in order to succeed in the 21st century. The 14,000 students who graduate from the University each year, along with the cumulative contributions of our 400,000-plus alumni, constitute a vital, irreplaceable source of talent for the economy.

In my email message last week I urged you make your voice heard at the Capitol. The findings from this economic impact study provide additional proof points to make the case to our state leaders for strong support for the University. The stakes are high and the risks to our state's economic well-being are clear: A vibrant University of Minnesota has never been more relevant to the short- and long-term future of Minnesota.

Please consider taking action through the University of Minnesota's Legislative Network. 

Sincerely, 

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Robert H. Bruininks
President
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/the_universitys_pivotal_role_in_minnesotas_economy.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/the_universitys_pivotal_role_in_minnesotas_economy.html What's At Stake: Legislative Testimony and Video Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:15:00 -0600 Dear Colleagues,

As I shared in my email message to you earlier this week, Vice President Pfutzenreuter and I testified before the House Higher Education Committee on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, to address the University's budget and the serious consequences to the University of Minnesota if state funding cuts are as deep as 15 to 20 percent as requested by leaders in the House.  My conversation with the committee addressed frankly the serious impact of cuts of this magnitude. The examples I used in my testimony were not intended to foreshadow likely reductions but were offered to illustrate that the proposed state budget reductions, combined with $111.5 million in state reductions in the last two years, will force us to eliminate or sharply curtail mission-critical priorities and operations.

I promised to share my comments with you following Tuesday's testimony. Please take a few moments to review the written remarks and this short video clip of my appearance before the committee.  I deeply appreciate your continued support as we work together to make the case for strong support for this great University.

Sincerely,

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Robert H. Bruininks
President
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/whats-at-stake-legislative-testimony-and-video.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/whats-at-stake-legislative-testimony-and-video.html Legislative Update and Budget-Balancing Strategies Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:15:00 -0600 Dear Colleagues,

Last month I shared with you our state budget request for the next two years. The request was modest--essentially, that legislators honor the funding level established by the 2010 legislature. Even so, we knew that maintaining state funding at current levels would be very difficult in the face of a $6 billion state budget shortfall. Instead, on Tuesday I will appear before the legislature to testify as to the serious long-term consequences of state funding cuts as deep as 15 to 20 percent, as requested by legislative leaders in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Once again we face the hard reality of budget cuts--potentially, deeper cuts than we've ever seen.

Clearly the governor's proposed budget was welcome news compared with this possibility. However, even if the governor and the legislature honor our current funding level, rising costs would still have required us to continue to reduce budgets and reallocate savings to other priorities. While we will continue to fight for strong state support, we must all acknowledge that significant reductions are likely. As a result, we must take significant actions now to protect the University's academic quality and ensure a balanced budget.

The actions currently planned for 2011-12 include:
  • freezing employee wages (subject to collective bargaining);
  • re-examining and reforming benefits to achieve significant savings;
  • implementing a third Retirement Incentive Option, as announced last week, in order to further reduce our workforce through planful, proactive, and voluntary means;
  • reducing new investments in academic priorities and emerging opportunities, and forgoing the possibility of increasing financial aid for students; and
  • differentially reducing levels of state support in our academic units and reducing administrative support unit budgets statewide.
I know these strategies will impact many of you personally, both at work and at home. We have asked the entire University community to set clear priorities, to reduce costs and increase productivity, to grow new revenues, and to hire carefully and strategically. Our decisions continue to be strategic, guided by consistent principles, and focused on the long-term academic strength and vitality of the University--and it is our firm intention to preserve employment wherever possible.

It is important for the entire University community to understand that we have already been cut, $111.5 million in the past two years, to a level of state funding last seen in 2001. The University has paid for the past decade's worth of academic progress and rising costs of health care, energy, and other essential expenditures primarily by using careful strategic planning, conservative budgeting, significant reallocation of existing resources, and our own entrepreneurship and creativity, as well as by growing revenues, including tuition and private support. We have reduced budgets across the University, including $36 million in cuts to central administration in the past two years, and have consistently balanced our budget even as the state has run a deficit. Despite these unprecedented cuts, we should take great pride in the fact that we have managed to improve our key academic and productivity measures every step of the way.

It is also important for you to know that, in my discussions with the legislature, I will be frank about the serious impact of another cut of 15 to 20 percent. I intend to share examples from our systemwide operations to offer perspective on the scope and magnitude of such a cut. These examples are not intended to foreshadow likely reductions; instead, they are intended to illustrate that the proposed state budget reductions, combined with $111.5 million in state reductions in the last two years, will force us to eliminate or sharply curtail mission-critical priorities and operations. We must aggressively drive home the reality that cuts of this depth could permanently damage our great university. I will share my remarks with you later in the week; in the meantime, please know that my comments are illustrative only.

Finally, I want to ask for your help. In the coming weeks, as the legislature puts together its budget plan, it will be important for many more voices to be added to mine at our state's Capitol. The University of Minnesota has never been more relevant to the future of our state, and we must work together to make the case for strong support for the University to our state leaders. Please consider taking action through the University of Minnesota's Legislative Network.

I want you to know that your hard work and dedication to the mission and students of the University of Minnesota is truly inspiring. This community has been good to me for more than 40 years now, and I intend to spend the remainder of my tenure as president doing my level best to secure its academic strength and financial vitality for the foreseeable future. Thank you for your continued support in these efforts.

Sincerely,

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Robert H. Bruininks
President
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/legislative_update_and_budget-balancing_strategies.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/legislative_update_and_budget-balancing_strategies.html Transforming the U: Progress and Impact Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:44:39 -0600 During the past several years, the University of Minnesota has made substantial headway toward the aspirational goals established through the strategic positioning process. In September of 2010, we presented a strategic positioning update to the University's Board of Regents, and in subsequent months, we have finalized a comprehensive report entitled Transforming the U: Progress and Impact. Academic highlights include: 
  • steady improvement in the academic profile of incoming students, as well as first-year retention, four-year graduation, and student satisfaction rates;
  • more than 1,200 additional degrees produced per year, including 600-plus more undergraduate degrees, 400-plus more master's degrees, and 250 more doctoral degrees than in 2005; and
  • growth in our research portfolio of 41 percent since 2004, the second largest growth-rate among public universities.
The report poses the question, "To become a top public research university, what areas of focus absolutely must be addressed?" It expands upon 13 areas of focus essential to our mission, our academic priorities, and our academic support systems, as well as strategic decisions and initiatives, important milestones, and key indicators that measure our success. It also highlights the future plans and priorities of our four coordinate campuses around the state.

Transformational change involves an ongoing commitment to excellence -- a commitment I see every day in the teaching and learning, discovery and innovation, and public service and engagement underway on here at the University of Minnesota. We should be proud of the tremendous progress we have made together to advance the excellence of this great university. 

 Sincerely,

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Robert H. Bruininks 
President
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/transforming_the_u_progress_and_impact.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/transforming_the_u_progress_and_impact.html Provost Sullivan's Transition Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:10:00 -0600 Dear Colleagues and Students,

With tremendous pride and a touch of sadness, I write to share news of another important transition in University leadership this year. My colleague and good friend Tom Sullivan has informed me of his intention to resign his appointment as senior vice president for academic affairs and provost of the University of Minnesota as of the end of the 2011 calendar year. 

The timing of this transition enables him to support Dr. Eric Kaler as he assumes the University presidency on July 1, 2011, and provides sufficient time to conduct a search for a new provost. Both President Designate Kaler and I are grateful to Senior Vice President Sullivan for graciously agreeing to remain in his current capacity through the end of 2011. At that time he will return to the Law School, where he served as dean from 1995 to 2002 and currently holds the Julius E. Davis Chair in Law.

As chief academic officer of the Twin Cities campus during the past seven years, Senior Vice President Sullivan has driven unprecedented improvement in the academic quality and productivity of the University of Minnesota. Beginning with his August 2004 message to the University community, Building Excellence Through a Coherent Vision, he articulated a deep commitment to improving the University's academic reputation and performance and began immediately to develop the principles and framework for achieving transformative change. During his tenure as the University's chief academic officer, the Twin Cities campus has seen: 

  • comprehensive strategic planning and reorganization efforts that consolidated colleges, enhanced and encouraged interdisciplinary scholarship, and invested in emerging opportunities in areas of scholarship from the arts and humanities to renewable energy--including the creation of the Imagine Fund, the establishment of the Institute on the Environment, and critical investment in the University Libraries;
  • significant gains in the number of applications, preparation, and academic profile of incoming students, contributing to historically high rates of first-year retention, four-year graduation, and student satisfaction;
  • improved reputational ranking of the University through enhancements in our educational experience, including the launch of a new, University-wide Honors Program; and
  • increased emphasis on faculty recognition, including an overhaul of the University's promotion and tenure code to better incorporate and reward interdisciplinary work, improved orientation and support for new faculty, and continued growth in endowed professorships and chairs.

Senior Vice President Sullivan's strong leadership, thoughtful collaboration, and steadfast commitment to academic excellence and productivity have made this University a stronger and more vibrant institution. He has been the longest serving provost at this University in the last 25 years, and I am immensely grateful for his years of service, for his willingness to assist in this time of transition, for his support, and for his friendship. 

Sincerely,

img_rhb-signature.jpg
Robert H. Bruininks
President

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/provost_sullivans_transition.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/02/provost_sullivans_transition.html Budget Update and Legislative Outlook Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:00:00 -0600
Every January at the University of Minnesota presents a new semester with new possibilities. This particular January also presents us with a new governor, a new legislative majority, and new ideas to spark economic growth and meet the needs of our great state. Minnesota faces a projected budget shortfall of more than $6 billion, an enormous challenge for the state resulting from a failure to address Minnesota's long-term structural budget imbalance coupled with the lingering impacts of the worldwide economic downturn. As the state's only comprehensive research and land-grant university, we have an essential role to play in re-energizing Minnesota's economy by developing human capital, driving innovation, and creating thousands of new jobs through new ideas, new products, and new companies. In the coming months, we must all work together to make the case for strong support for the University of Minnesota to state leaders and citizens.

This legislative session will determine our biennial budget -- our level of state funding for the next two years. The University of Minnesota requires strong state support to sustain its momentum; however, in the past two years, our level of state support has been rolled back a decade or more, from $703 million to $591 million. The suddenness, size, and scope of this rollback has made it necessary to adjust budgets at all areas and levels of the University system, and we have responded with discipline, creativity, differential reductions, and targeted investments. Our decisions have been strategic, guided by consistent principles, and focused on the long-term academic strength and vitality of the University. We have asked the entire University community to set clear priorities, to reduce costs and increase productivity, to grow new revenues, to hire carefully and strategically, and to preserve employment where possible. Together we have made tremendous progress improving the University, yet once again we face the likelihood of reduced state funding.

During the last session the legislature saw higher education as a priority and increased our forecast base for future years. Currently our forecast base is $642.2 million -- 51.1 million per year higher than the $591 million we received this year. Knowing the economic challenges the state still faces, our biennial request this session is simple: We are asking that the University's forecast base be maintained so we can make essential investments in key open faculty positions and student financial aid, and meet rising core costs and required expenditures.

We have made very important gains in the past several years, especially with regard to financial support for students, the undergraduate experience, and outcomes including four-year graduation rates and degrees granted per year. In order to maintain this momentum, we need strong and predictable state investment. We believe our request to be reasonable -- however, even maintaining our base will be difficult in this legislative session.

If we sustain further state reductions, they will hit hardest in the 2011-12 academic year, and we will again need to reduce ongoing operating and capital costs. Clearly we cannot address any reduction in state funding simply by increasing tuition an equivalent amount. Nor can we in good conscience diminish our commitment to our world-class faculty and staff and simply reduce employment. As a result, we are currently modeling no increase in compensation for the 2011-12 academic year, subject to collective bargaining, and all units will be asked to model a 5 percent budget reduction. As was the practice during the past two years, actual reductions to academic and support unit budgets will be applied differentially.

This preliminary budget framework continues our history of solving two-thirds of our budget challenge through budget reductions and reallocation and one-third through additional revenues. Since we do not yet know what the legislature will do, it is premature to discuss any budget solution in greater detail; however, we will continue to invest in student support in order to ensure affordability for Minnesota students, and to moderate unplanned job losses to the best of our ability. We must also continue to take a university-wide, all-funds look at our budget and use every tool and strategy at our disposal to balance the budget in the short term and plan for our long-term financial future.

I plan to share additional information with you on the budget and other important issues every few weeks throughout this semester. In the meantime, I want to thank each of you for the myriad things you do to make this University a great place to work and learn. We can be proud of all we have accomplished together! 
 
Sincerely,

img_rhb-signature.jpg 
Robert H. Bruininks
President
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/01/budget_update_and_legislative_outlook.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2011/01/budget_update_and_legislative_outlook.html Semester's End and Season's Greetings Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:59:00 -0600
The past semester has been one of tremendous change. Major leadership transitions and numerous other changes, coupled with a difficult economy and steep budget cuts, have no doubt impacted the way you work -- yet day in and day out, each of you continues to contribute to our shared mission and values. As a result, this has also been a semester of unprecedented success in terms of the academic profile and achievements of our students, as well as the gains in rank, reputation, and sponsored funding garnered by our research enterprise and presented in the 2010 Annual Research Report. I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your extraordinary efforts in support of these accomplishments. Each of you is helping to keep the University of Minnesota strong.

Over the past few months, we've made plans to close our campuses over the winter holidays according to the following schedule: 
  • Twin Cities and Rochester campuses: Dec. 24 through Jan. 2
  • Duluth campus: Dec. 23 through Jan. 3
  • Morris and Crookston campuses: Dec. 23 through Jan. 2 
I know that for many of you, a shutdown of this nature is an inconvenience, and for some, the lost work time presents significant challenges. I hope you understand this is another important way for us to reduce costs in a time of limited resources. More information on how these closures impact individual campuses and specific employee groups may be found on the University Winter Closure web page.

Early next semester I will share more details about transitions in the leadership team, our legislative outlook, and the University's budget. For now, I sincerely wish you all a restful and joyous winter break and a very Happy New Year. Thanks again for all that you do! 

Sincerely, 

img_rhb-signature.jpg 
Robert H. Bruininks 
President
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2010/12/semesters_end_and_seasons_greetings.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2010/12/semesters_end_and_seasons_greetings.html Welcome to the University of Minnesota Sun, 24 Oct 2010 14:16:34 -0600
Every university campus experiences a particular energy at the beginning of the new academic year, an energy I first noticed as an undergraduate and have felt each of my 42 years at the University of Minnesota. Amid the bustle of returning students, the excitement of first-year students getting to know the campus and each other, and the changing of seasons from summer to fall, there is a distinct undercurrent of possibility: the feeling that each day holds tremendous potential, and that the next class, the next chapter, the next person we meet might just change everything.

I believe it is the same no matter which campus of the University of Minnesota we call home. Each of our campuses has a unique role in the University, just as the University as a whole plays an essential role in the future of our state--but regardless of our course of study, our area of research, or our particular role in delivering on the University's mission, the spirit of discovery is pervasive. Hold on to that spirit throughout your college days and beyond, and it will broaden your horizons, inform your actions, and energize your work.

To that end, I want to share with you a brief video that I believe captures the essence of the University's mission and public purpose. I hope you'll take a few minutes to be inspired by the realization that we are all part of a truly great university!

Welcome to the Fall 2010 semester at the University of Minnesota.

Sincerely,

img_rhb-signature.jpg
Robert H. Bruininks
President
]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2010/10/welcome_to_the_university_of_minnesota.html http://blog.lib.umn.edu/pres/news/2010/10/welcome_to_the_university_of_minnesota.html