Yesterday at the Capitol
House Higher Education Finance and Policy committee members continued discussions with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities officials yesterday about the system’s finances and operations. In response to a question about system employees across the state, Chancellor Steven Rosenstone said, “Faculty and staff are what make MnSCU such a tremendous state resource. Ultimately, they are the people that deliver the outcomes Minnesota needs our colleges and universities to deliver.” Rosenstone told members that faculty and academic professionals, which consist of academic and financial aid advisors, student support coordinators, registrars, accounting officers, information technologists and others, comprise nearly 75 percent of total employees.
Rosenstone told committee members that the Board of Trustees, college and university, and system leadership have had a long-standing commitment to cost control to help protect access and affordability. Rosenstone explained that the inflation adjusted cost of educating a MnSCU student has declined since 2002. “This is a result of improved efficiency on our campuses and at the system office,” Rosenstone said. He explained that the system office budget is 24 percent smaller than it was four years ago.
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities are scheduled to return to the committee for further discussion about the system’s finances and operations on Wednesday, Feb. 20.
While President Larry Lundblad, Central Lakes College, was in Washington D.C. last week for President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address as Sen. Al Franken’s guest, he also had the opportunity to address the U.S. Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee. Lundblad spoke with congressional members about ways to create jobs. “I was honored to join Sen. Franken to speak about the successes we’ve had at Central Lakes College in closing the skills gap and putting people back to work. Our program is successful because it’s a partnership between the college, local employers, and local school districts like Brainerd Public Schools. By working together and starting early, we’re able to prepare our students for great job openings right here in our community,” Lundblad said.
Sen. Franken is expected to pursue legislation on workforce development to help ensure students get the education they need to fill open jobs in Minnesota and across the country. “Dr. Lundblad’s work is preparing our students and our workers for the jobs of the 21st century, and I’m grateful for his leadership,” Franken said.
Today at the Capitol
State Representative-Elect Clark Johnson, DFL-North Mankato, and State Representative-elect Tama Theis, R-St. Cloud, will be sworn-in today.
8:15 a.m.
House Education Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Paul Marquart
Agenda: HFXXX (Marquart): Governor’s E-12 education budget bill
10:00 a.m.
House Education Policy
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda: Continued Hearing on HF247
HF247 (Mariani) Integration revenue replacement advisory task force recommendations implemented, and integration revenue repurposed by establishing the “Achievement and Integration for Minnesota” program to increase student performance and equitable educational opportunities and prepare all students to be effective citizens.
12:30 p.m.
Senate Education
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Patricia Torres Ray
Agenda:
S.F. 547-Bonoff: Teacher licensure testing requirements clarification.
S.F. 429-Dahle: Teacher basic skills examination requirement repeal.
S.F. 262-Johnson, A.: School districts safe schools levy proceeds use authority for mental health professionals collaboration and appropriation.
Presentation from MN Advocates for Immersion Network
1:30 p.m.
Director of Office of Higher Education Larry Pogemiller; Chair, Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka; and GOP-Lead, Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee, Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, will hold a press availability regarding the visit by Daphne Koller, co-founder of Coursera, to Minnesota. (See Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development agenda below)
3:00 p.m.
Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Terri E. Bonoff
Agenda:
Overview – Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority – Executive Director – Marianne Remedios
Confirmation Hearing – Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority Appointments
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) – Presentation by Daphne Koller, Founder of Coursera
3:00 p.m.
Senate State Departments and Veterans Division
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Tom Saxhaug
Agenda: Overview of Governor’s Budget Recommendations for:
Minnesota Management and Budget(MMB)
Revenue Department
Office of Enterprise Technology/MN.IT
4:00 p.m.
House Early Childhood and Youth Development
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Joe Mullery
Agenda: HF-XXX HOMELESS YOUTH ACT. This bill is posted as a document. In addition to hearing HF220 and HF-xxx, the committee will also begin hearing testimony on Children’s Mental Health Legislation.
HF220 (Fritz) Childcare licensure requirement regarding infant sleep position modified.
HF353 (Davnie) Children’s school-based mental health grants funding appropriated.
HF358 (Loeffler) Pediatric and children’s mental health providers annual review required, and new mental health services covered under medical assistance established.
HF359 (Laine) Children’s mental health; case management services modified; and awareness, training, and services money appropriated.
4:30 p.m.
Senate Rules and Administration
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Thomas M. Bakk
Agenda:
S.F. 552-Skoe: Tax law modernization and reform; property tax rebate; state business property, sales, and corporate franchise tax rate reductions; fourth tier income tax imposition; sales tax base expansion; tax simplification; local government aid and county progr.
S.F. 453-Wiger: Pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education provisions modifications and appropriations
5:30 p.m.
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement
Room: 112 State Capitol
Chair: Sen. Sandra L. Pappas
Agenda: SF100 (Johnson); HF495 (Sanders): PERA; Revising time limits for certain coverage exclusions;
SF277 (Pappas); HF342 (Nelson): PERA; Administrative provisions.
SF276 (Pappas); HF344 (Nelson): PERA; Privatized public hospital administrative provisions.
SF273 (Pappas); HF343 (Nelson): PERA; Salary definition modification.
*SFxxxx; H.F. xxxx: MSRS and other plans; Revising contribution rate revision procedures, merging the Elective State Officers Retirement Plan into the Legislators Retirement Plan; revising disability benefit administrative provisions; repealing obsolete provisions.
*SFxxxx; HFxxxx: Revising or repealing obsolete local police or paid fire relief association statutes.
6:00 p.m.
Joint Committee: House Education Finance and House Education Policy Committees
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chairs: Rep. Paul Marquart, Rep. Carlos Mariani
Agenda: The World’s Best Workforce
Challenges facing Minnesota
Minnesota trends
Minnesota benefits and risks
World’s best workforce characteristics
World’s best workforce: pathways and strategies
Looking Ahead
Wednesday, February 20
8:30 a.m.
Senate E-12 Division
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Charles W. Wiger
Agenda: Continuation of Thursday’s discussion of Governor Dayton’s education budget
Public testimony on Governor Dayton’s education budget
12:00 p.m.
House in Session
12:30 p.m.
House Higher Education Finance and Policy
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Gene Pelowski
Agenda: Continued discussion of the financial overview of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
3:00 p.m.
Senate Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Dan Sparks
Agenda:
S.F. 367-Reinert: Prepaid wireless telecommunications 911 services and prepaid wireless E911 services fees collection authorization.
S.F. 226-Koenen: Small business investment credit provisions modification.
S.F. 285-Nelson: Small business investment tax credit provisions modification.
S.F. 380-Hawj: Workforce development council adult basic education programs representative addition.
S.F. 372-Sparks: Workers compensation reinsurance association prefunded limit elimination.
Thursday, February 21
8:15 a.m.
House Education Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Paul Marquart
Agenda: HF630 (Marquart) Governor’s E-12 education budget bill
11:00 a.m.
Senate in Session
12:30 p.m.
House Jobs and Economic Development
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Tim Mahoney
Agenda: HF444 (Gunther) Twin Cities Rise! performance-based grants provided and money appropriated.
HF292 (Ward) New jobs training program established, credit against withholding tax liability provided, accounts established, and money appropriated.
HF286 (Dehn) Minneapolis; Emerge Career and Technology Center funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
3:00 p.m.
Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Division
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Terri E. Bonoff
Agenda:
S.F. 106-Hawj: Metropolitan state university science education center bond issue and appropriation.
S.F. 231-Pederson: St. Cloud state university and St. Cloud technical and community college higher education asset preservation and repair (HEAPR) bond issue and appropriation.
S.F. 241-Eken: Greater Minnesota internship program establishment and appropriation.
S.F. 376-Ingebrigtsen: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) variable tuition rates requirement.
3:00 p.m.
Senate State Departments and Veterans Division
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Tom Saxhaug
Agenda: Overview of Governor’s Budget Recommendations for:
Chicano Latino Affairs Council
Black Minnesotan Council
Indian Affairs Council
Asian Pacific Americans Council
PERA
TRA
Investment Board
Thank you.
Melissa Fahning, Advancement, Government Relations
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
30 7th St. E., Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 201-1757
(612) 483-3741 cell
melissa.fahning@so.mnscu.edu
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