Regents reconfigure Us budget request

The University of Minnesota is seeking less funding from the state. The Board of Regents lowered the schools 2016-17 biennial budget request by $9 million on Friday.

The amendment follows Gov. Mark Daytons budget proposal, which he announced last month. It sets aside enough state dollars for only half of the tuition freeze the school is hoping for, but provides $30 million for the Universitys Medical School.

The school also hopes to receive state funding for research on the effects of mining and an initiative to address Minnesota healthcare workforce shortages. Those plans, however, werent included in Daytons budget proposal.

The regents agreed to modify the schools $127.2 million request to better match his proposal, which only covers about one-quarter of the Universitys total request.

By amending the request, we are buying into a focus on our Medical School in partnership with the state, Regent Laura Brod said at Fridays Board of Regents meeting.

Dayton formed a Blue Ribbon Committee last year to boost the Medical Schools prestige and address the states health care workforce needs.

Medical School Dean Brooks Jackson and University Chief Financial Officer Richard Pfutzenreuter presented the committees recommendations to the board on Friday, which includes a plan to hire 100 new faculty members.

Daytons $30 million plan for the Medical School includes employing 50 new faculty members over eight years to help secure additional National Institutes of Health grants.

Regent John Frobenius said receiving state funding is an important step in improving the Medical Schools standing, but even more assistance will be needed in the future to address medical education.

I just want to make sure that we dont [accept this funding] and its done, he said. Medical education is going through an enormous transition in this state.

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Regents reconfigure Us budget request

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