News Release

U of M President presents 2016 legislative priorities to Minnesota House Capital Investment Committee

March 3, 2016

Today, University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler presented the University’s 2016 legislative priorities to the Minnesota House Capital Investment Committee.

Below is a statement from President Kaler:

“I thank the members of the committee for the opportunity to discuss the University of Minnesota’s 2016 capital request projects. The vitality of our state is inextricably linked with the University, and I look forward to building on our partnership with legislators in the upcoming session.

“The University is proposing six projects that will renovate buildings, build new learning facilities and provide students access to 21st century learning tools. Benefiting the entire state, these projects are essential to keeping Minnesota at the forefront of emerging knowledge and educating our state’s future professionals and leaders. The projects demonstrate our commitment to being good stewards of the resources we have while preserving and revitalizing precious, historic assets. Also, the projects help prepare our students for the STEM jobs of today and tomorrow, and they aim to keep Minnesota’s health care delivery system and workforce poised for decades of excellent patient care.

“I am grateful for the committee’s leadership and continued support of the University’s capital request projects. A strong University makes for a prosperous Minnesota.”

The University’s 2016 capital request projects are:

Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) systemwide ($100M)
Chemistry and Advanced Materials Science Building on the Duluth campus ($27.2M)
Health Sciences Education Facility for the University’s Academic Health Center on the Twin Cities campus ($66.7M)
Plant Growth Research Facility on the Twin Cities campus ($4.4M)
Academic and Student Experience Investments systemwide ($16M)
Pillsbury Hall Renovation on the Twin Cities campus ($22M)