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August 23, 2004
Calling All Citizens to Think Big on the Future of Higher Education
This Sunday's editorial page of the Minneapolis Star Tribune featured several articles on the topic of The Future of Higher Education in Minnesota, and focused much attention to the Citizens League's Higher Education Study Committee
To read this Sunday's editorials, please visit the Star Tribune online at http://www.startribune.com/opinion/
Faced with greater needs for learning, limited dollars and better competition, what would you recommend for post-secondary learning in Minnesota?
For example, would you:
* Deny there is a problem (don't fix what isn't broken)?
* Remove limits on tuition increases (pay-as-you-go education)?
* Direct existing state aid to the most productive (low-cost operator) institutions?
* Voucher the student (let the student decide with whatever existing money is available)?
* Make better use of the K-12 years (some argue that existing 11th and 12th grades are wasted and could be better spent on advanced learning--such as shown by Minnesota's success with post-secondary options)?
* Offer students the options of working in health care (as home care aids), education (mentoring kids) and public safety (security scanners) to earn credits and funds towards further education and training (a 21st Century G.I. Bill)?
* Combine the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities into a single system. Eliminate any overlap or duplication, even it it means closing campuses.
* Take resources from classroom education to expand e-learning options (may not save money but would likely provide for more flexibility in learning).
* Extend K-12 education to K-14 education (Wisconsin gets over $500 million annually for its technical schools from property taxes)?
* Dedicate state proceeds from casino gambling to research and development at the University of Minnesota (by one estimate, some $500 million a year could raised from gambling to support the kind of research that has given us the taconite industry, advances in Stem Cell cures for various diseases and the prospect of hydrogen fuel sources to replace our need for oil)?
This menu of options is not complete but it is representative of some of the many ideas that have been given to us. Now we need your suggestions.
Let us know your opinion by filling out our online 'Contact Us' form
Posted by Will Goldstein at August 23, 2004 10:49 AM
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