Pawlenty backs major expansion of U presence in Rochester

01/26/2006

The governor endorses a call for a $38 million building that would attract students from around the country to specialized programs.

Norman Draper, Star Tribune
Last update: January 25, 2006 – 11:30 PM

ROCHESTER, MINN. - Plans for an expanded University of Minnesota campus in Rochester that would attract students from around the world were announced Wednesday by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
The centerpiece would be a new $38 million building adjoining the Mayo Clinic downtown that would focus on engineering, technology, health sciences and business.

Eventually it would serve about 1,400 students, triple the number now in the U’s Rochester program.

Pawlenty’s announcement came as a task force delivered its report on expanding the U’s presence in Rochester.

The report calls for $16.3 million over the next three years in additional state funding, which the Legislature must approve. Pawlenty said he supports the funding request “enthusiastically.”

While the report describes a “research university” that would provide undergraduate and graduate programs in specialized areas, there are no plans for a broader, more general four-year university. Pawlenty did not shut the door on that idea, however.

“In my mind, it will probably head in that direction over the years,” he said, “but the marketplace will have to dictate that.”

University of Minnesota officials have voiced concerns that a bigger university presence in Rochester might drain funding away from its four main campuses or duplicate programs already being offered in other parts of the state.

But Robert Jones, the university’s senior vice president for system administration, said this proposal is acceptable to the U because it offers a “focused and specialized education presence.”

“We are interested in leveraging the research expertise of University of Minnesota ... to create signature academic programs that help drive the economic development of that community and region,” he said. “But it is clearly not our desire to duplicate and re-create another research university in the state of Minnesota.”

A job-creator?

Backers of the plan say it not only gives Rochester a larger and more easily identifiable university presence, but that it also could serve as an engine for creating jobs and driving economic development.

“We would be foolish as a state not to recognize that Rochester is a boom town,” Pawlenty said. “We need to make sure the resources and institutions are here to support that and encourage its growth.”

The report endorses the idea of linking the university to Rochester institutions such as the Mayo Clinic and IBM, as well as numerous other high-tech companies in the area.

An expansion could help satisfy a thirst for a larger university presence. Currently, the university operates a 416-student facility that shares space at the University Center Rochester with Rochester Community and Technical College and Winona State University. It offers more than 50 programs, mostly in business, health sciences, education and technology, and mostly aimed at adults. It offers bachelor’s and advanced degrees.

Academics for business

“What the business community has been saying here for years and years is what’s missing here is the academic side of the business opportunities,” said Sen. Sheila Kiscaden, DFL-Rochester, a candidate for lieutenant governor this fall. “A state university would not meet the need. The conversation in Rochester for several years have been homing in on a specialty university. ... We have something like 30 start-up technologies here.”

But are there still dreams of something large for one of Minnesota’s largest cities?

“We’re the third-largest city in the state, we’re growing rapidly and, of course, there are some aspirations for that,” Kiscaden said.

City and school officials greeted the news warmly.

Rochester schools Superintendent Jerry Williams said the thing that most impressed him was the proposal’s “relevance” to Rochester’s medical and high-tech orientation.

“I don’t get the sense that the kind of thing they would want to look at would include dormitories, marching bands and football teams,” he said.

“The strengths of this are based on the unique qualities and attributes of our community,” said Ann Lynch, a school board member and state senate candidate.

“Is it enough? I think this does exactly what it needs to do.”