For the Star Tribune, Mila Koumpilova writes: “At least two of the three semifinalists for the University of Minnesota president job have told the U’s governing board they are willing to be named finalists — and go public with their identities — only if they are the sole front-runner for the position. That places university regents in a delicate position going into a Wednesday meeting to make decisions on finalists: They will be forced to rally around a single finalist to interview publicly — or scrap what board members generally agree are strong contenders recommended by the U’s 23-member search committee.”
At MPR, Peter Cox writes, “Two schools found to have misled students say they don’t have to pay everyone deceived, but the state of Minnesota disagrees. The two sides tangled over that question before the Minnesota Supreme Court Tuesday. In 2016, a district court found the Minnesota School of Business and Globe University — which share ownership — told students they could get jobs as police or probation officers after completing a criminal justice program. But the degree didn’t meet the standards to become a police officer in Minnesota. The schools argue that the 15 students who testified during the district court case are the only students eligible to get restitution.”
Says John Lundy in the Duluth News Tribune, “Deb Krause has two words for the results of mental health care in Minnesota: ‘They’re horrible.’ Krause is vice president of the Minnesota Health Action Group, which was formed by some of the state’s major employers to improve health care in the state and help their bottom lines. … Krause cites data from MN Community Measurement, an independent nonprofit that tracks medical care in the state. The data show that only 8 percent of Minnesotans show improvement six months after being diagnosed with depression.”
The PiPress reports: “Mark Rosen is moving his retirement up to next month. Rosen, who has covered Minnesota sports for 50 years at WCCO-TV, originally planned to retire from the station after the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis in April. He recently told viewers he was leave early in January. ‘There are no words to express the appreciation for the outpouring of support my family has received during this difficult time,” Mark Rosen told viewers. “… I will have much more to add as the finish line approaches on channel 4. In the meantime, I will cherish every remaining broadcast.’”
WCCO-TV reports: “A 28-year-old man has been charged in another man’s death in Minneapolis over the weekend, in what police believe was a fight over a laptop computer. … Police arrived on the scene to find the victim, who has not been identified by name, unconscious. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.”
At MPR, Brian Bakst says, “In successive days last week, Gov.-elect Tim Walz listened as constituents voiced concerns about guns. In Luverne, a gun owner wanted clarity about how firearms restrictions embraced by the Democrat would line up with the Second Amendment. In Minneapolis, the undertone was whether curbs would go far enough to address gun violence. It was a small taste of the challenge Walz will face converting his ‘One Minnesota’ campaign theme into reality.”
Cathy Roberts in the Strib says, “Xcel Energy made an ambitious announcement on Tuesday, pledging to provide 100 percent carbon-free electricity to customers by 2050. By 2030, the Minneapolis-based utility pledges to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent from 2005 levels in the eight states it serves. While Xcel is confident it can meet the 2030 goals using current technology, it said it is counting on other technology to either be developed or made more cost-efficient to meet the 2050 goal.
The AP reports: “Demonstrators booed outgoing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Tuesday during a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, a sign of tumult as Republicans in the Legislature met to push through measures to gut the powers of his Democratic successor. … Stung by their election loss last month, Republicans treated the lame-duck session as a final opportunity to use their political clout to weaken the next governor before time runs out. Democrats, who won every statewide constitutional office after nearly a decade-long GOP hold on power, derided the session as a cynical attempt to preserve the party’s waning strength.”
The president of the University of Minnesota, like the President of the United States, enjoys numerous perks that come with the job, including employer-provided housing. However, the president of the university will be paid, if memory serves me correctly, about $600,000 – roughly $200,000 **more** than the President of the United States – for assuming a tiny fraction of the responsibility taken on by the POTUS. Candidates for the university president’s job who insist that the recruitment game be played their way or not at all have earned the right to a smile from university regents, and should then, politely, be shown the door out. I believe Ariana Granda has phrased it nicely: “Thank U. Next.”
I would like to see the 3 finalists announced; but, appreciate that they are then notifying their current employer, who is likely paying this individual 100’s of thousands of dollars per year:
” I think there are greener pastures over at the U of MN and I sure hope I get that job; but, I only have a 33% shot at the job, so I’m probably not going anywhere”
I am much more sympathetic to the Regents dilemma than I am confident that the incompetent, old boys club that they are can make a good decision either way.
Wisconsin’s GOP missed an opportunity to go full “banana boat republic” with it’s anti-democratic tactics. Why didn’t they dress up Scott Walker in a military uniform with a big hat and lots of shiny medals too? That would have rounded it out nicely.
Thank you. That image gave me my laugh for the day.