[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Is "U" Kidding Me?

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Is "U" Kidding Me?
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1229219174.shtml


   Don't the Regents of the University of Minnesota read the papers?
   Don't they know that we're $5 billion in the hole for the next
   biennium? Apparently not. [1]They have unanimously voted to request
   $74.5 million more from the Legislature, for "critical" repairs and
   renovations, plus a new Bell Museum of Natural History. Leaving aside
   how renovations can be critical, the new museum will cost $39.5
   million. And, it will be built in the St. Paul Campus, the new
   official public entry point in fact.
   For those unfamiliar, the Bell Museum is currently part of the
   Minneapolis Campus. [2]Reading their brochure on the proposal, it
   currently "reaches a half a million Minnesotans each year." Sounds
   impressive to me, but apparently that's not enough. The new facility
   "will allow the museum to triple its attendance figures by attracting
   more visitors [... than ...] the Minneapolis campus can accommodate."
   This should die a quick death in committee. Perhaps its just a
   throwaway bargaining chip for the full budget negotiations, only I
   don't think so. The brochure says that private donations will pay
   part, and University President Bruininks says the project is
   "construction ready."
   Not only should this proposal be scuttled, so should the entire St.
   Paul Campus [3]as I wrote in September. The University no longer needs
   it, if it ever did. The land and buildings should be sold. The
   proceeds could be used to refurbish the existing Bell Museum if need
   be. Don't forget that moving the Bell Museum to St. Paul will leave
   behind a vacant building that the U will then seek to replace.
   It's time that the Legislature force the University rethink its
   mission, especially now. It has to stop trying to be all things to all
   students, especially where its programs needlessly overlap with other
   state college (MnSCU) programs.

References

   1. http://www.startribune.com/local/36086974.html
   2. http://www.bellmuseum.org/CR09-ONEPAGER_BELL.pdf
   3. http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1221977262.shtml