University of Minnesota stresses high impact of mission, importance of state support at Capitol rally

The State Capitol was a sea of maroon and gold Feb. 18, as University of Minnesota students, faculty, staff and alumni advocated for the school’s legislative requests at University of Minnesota Day at the Capitol. 

“Halfway through my first year as president I can say with the utmost confidence that the University of Minnesota is strong and growing stronger,” said University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham. ”Our faculty and staff, who deliver our three-part mission of education, research and outreach, bring tremendous value to communities across our state. And each one of our amazing students –the future leaders who will transform Minnesota for generations to come in the farm fields and city halls and communities and cities of our state – delivers the power and promise of a University of Minnesota degree.”

Students from all five campuses descended upon the State Capitol, where together with faculty, staff, alumni and senior leaders they spent the day talking to elected officials, raising their voices in a rally, and sharing their personal stories about the impact of the University of Minnesota on their own lives and on the state, nation and world.

“I'm not just attending classes; I'm immersed in cutting-edge research, learning from some of the most brilliant minds in medicine, and working with patients from across the globe as a phlebotomist,” said University of Minnesota Rochester junior Joud Haj Sakor. “It's an experience that most undergraduates can only dream of, yet it's my daily reality. All of these experiences are shaping my understanding of the interconnectedness of health and well-being, preparing me to approach patient care with a holistic and compassionate perspective in my future career.”

Whether it was at a morning breakfast with legislators and senior leaders, a statewide showcase event and rally in the Capitol rotunda, or one-on-one meetings, one theme remained constant throughout the day – investment in the University of Minnesota is essential, as it is the catalyst for the state’s short- and long-term success.   

“As Minnesota's only land-grant research institution, our success is directly linked to the success of the state,” Board of Regents Co-Vice Chair Doug Huebsch said. “To deliver on our mission, our students, faculty and staff must be the focus of ongoing, strategic investments.” 

The University of Minnesota’s $235 million biennial budget request supports: 

• fueling more job-ready health science graduates, strengthening quality and access to health care, and improving the health of all Minnesotans ($45 million),
• accelerating areas of research and innovation that combine Minnesota industry leaders with University of Minnesota world-class research strengths and new federal/private dollars ($40 million),
• ensuring more than 70,000 students are fully supported while studying at the University of Minnesota, and fully prepared to contribute to our state and world ($30 million), and
• partnering with the state to stretch limited resources and do more with less, including investing in 26,000-plus employees living in communities statewide ($120 million).

The 2025 capital investment request to the Legislature includes Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) funding, the most cost-effective way to steward taxpayers’ previous investments by addressing critical facility repairs systemwide ($200 million), and investment in the Future of Advanced Agricultural Research in Minnesota (FAARM) facility in Mower County, MN ($20 million), totaling $220 million.