What: University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting
When: Thursday, March 23 and Friday, March 24, 2017
Where: University of Minnesota Duluth campus, with full meeting on Friday at the Kirby Student Center, 1120 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN 55812
Media note: Friday’s full Board meeting will be available via live stream, which can be found on the Regents website.
The University of Minnesota Board of Regents will host its March meeting on the Duluth campus March 23 and 24.
The agenda highlights issues of particular interest to Duluth and northeastern Minnesota. This includes a work session to discuss ways the University is addressing the state’s rural and Native American health care needs, an important aspect of the University’s land-grant mission.
At more than 1,700 locations across the state, University students work alongside professional caregivers to conduct unique and innovative research and training on health issues facing Minnesotans. Recent reports show that, on average, rural Minnesotans are older, lower income, and less healthy than those in the metro area, while their communities face a shrinking health care workforce. After learning about the impact of the University’s health science programs in these communities, Regents will begin to help articulate a vision for the institution’s future health sciences presence in the state, where the University trains 70 percent of all working health professionals.
One milestone in the University’s commitment to serving Greater Minnesota was the establishment of the Medical School’s Rural Physician Associate Program in 1971, which encourages students to practice in rural Minnesota and continue to live and work in those communities following graduation. The following year the Medical School’s Duluth campus opened. In 2003, the College of Pharmacy added a Duluth campus to educate more pharmacists for Minnesota’s rural communities. In 2016, a Medical Discovery Team focused on health equity, rural health access, and Native American health issues hired a nationally-renowned leader who is working on the Duluth campus.
Other University initiatives to address pressing community needs include:
- a community service requirement for all School of Dentistry graduates;
- an innovative program to reduce childhood obesity throughout the state;
- a School of Nursing initiative to serve pressing mental health care needs in remote communities;
- unique public/private training for College of Veterinary Medicine students to provide high-quality care for farm animals;
- a program to address the state’s and nation’s shortage of food animal veterinarians; and
- the School of Public Health’s Rural Health Research Center, which offers timely, policy-relevant research to improve health care in rural areas.
Regents will also:
Discuss system-wide strategic planning, including an overview of the planning process to date, summary of feedback gathered and a preview of initial plan content. The proposed plan is expected to be reviewed by the Board in May 2017.
Receive a report on community engagement efforts at UMD. The presentation will highlight business and industry engagement; academic and community partnerships; and outreach by UMD students, among other topics.
Review the FY2018 budget framework, identifying required, variable and strategic cost and investment categories. Preliminary tuition proposals will be included. A discussion of next steps in the budget development process is also expected.
Hear the annual report of the student representatives to the Board, which will cover student mental health, student data and free speech across the University system.
Prior to Friday’s meeting, newly-elected Regents Ken Powell and Steve Sviggum will join returning Regents Darrin Rosha and David McMillan in taking the Oath of Office. Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Larry Stauber will administer the oath at 8:45 a.m.
On Thursday morning, Regents will tour UMD’s campus, visiting:
- facilities in need of investment, including the Chemistry building, which is part of the legislative bonding request, and Romano Gymnasium;
- facilities recently renovated, including Cina [chee-na] Hall; and
- a poster session featuring faculty and student research.
This marks the first time since 2008 that Regents will host a full meeting on a system campus. On Wednesday, March 22, Regents will participate in a tour of the Cloquet Forestry Center and hold their winter retreat.
For more information, including future meeting times, visit the Board of Regents website.
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