At its February meeting, the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents reviewed progress on the President’s Initiative to Prevent Sexual Misconduct, a multi-faceted initiative focused on accountability, awareness and education for the University community to prevent and address sexual misconduct. The Board also reviewed a report on the Twin Cities campus’ five-year enrollment plan and approved a resolution related to diversity in enrollment and student success on the Twin Cities campus.
The President’s Initiative to Prevent Sexual Misconduct, co-chaired by Dean of the School of Public Health John Finnegan and College of Education and Human Development Associate Professor Karen Miksch, includes a variety of actions to ensure that the University community is one that promotes a culture of health and well-being in relationships; commits to the welfare of others; protects human rights and due process; and ensures a culture that is safe and free from sexual harassment, sexual violence and misconduct. The Board discussed several components of the President’s Initiative, including:
- The development of required training around sexual misconduct issues for all faculty and staff;
- The creation of a sustainable public health and public awareness campaign;
- The enhancement of student education and engagement, particularly beyond the student’s first year;
- The development of metrics for evaluating sexual assault and misconduct prevention, education, advocacy and awareness activities on campus; and
- The creation of institutional accountability and responsibility strategies to promote a culture that is dedicated to the prevention of sexual misconduct.
“The Board is deeply committed to ensuring that the University of Minnesota is a leader in addressing sexual misconduct—an issue facing college campuses across the nation,” said Regent David McMillan, chair of the Board of Regents. “We are pleased with the progress made on these efforts and will continue to be actively engaged with the administration on this important work.”
Twin Cities campus enrollment and diversity initiatives
The Board also discussed progress made on the Twin Cities campus five-year enrollment plan, including an overview of new data, initiatives and strategies. The plan was endorsed by the Board of Regents in March 2016.
The priority initiatives for enrollment on the Twin Cities campus include modest enrollment increases while maintaining a high quality student experience, alignment with the University’s systemwide enrollment plan, a continued focus on affordability and access for Minnesota high school graduates, an enhancement of student academic support services and an increase in need- and merit-based financial aid.
Following that review, the Board approved a resolution related to diversity in Twin Cities undergraduate enrollment, addressing goals to enhance recruitment efforts; retention and graduation rate metrics; and student satisfaction survey results for students of color and American Indian students.
The Board also:
- Reviewed the first of five systemwide strategic planning focus area updates. February’s presentation focused on Outreach and Public Service, outlining ongoing efforts to improve systemwide communications, outreach and public engagement efforts.
- Welcomed Jakub Tolar, MD, PhD, dean of the Medical School and interim vice president for Health Sciences. The Board approved the appointment of Dr. Tolar at their December 2017 meeting.
- Approved amendments to the Board’s approval thresholds defined within the Board of Regents Policy: Reservation and Delegation of Authority. The amendments apply to contracts for goods and services, real estate and capital projects and appointment authority.
The Board of Regents will meet next on March 23, 2018 in Rochester. Visit regents.umn.edu for more information.
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