1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; establishing Virtual U 
  1.3             Minnesota; appropriating money. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [VIRTUAL U MINNESOTA.] 
  1.6      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] Virtual U Minnesota is 
  1.7   established as a public-private partnership consisting of the 
  1.8   state of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota 
  1.9   state colleges and universities system, and private partners to 
  1.10  ensure that lifelong learning opportunities are developed and 
  1.11  available to Minnesota citizens and businesses.  Virtual U 
  1.12  Minnesota shall establish multiple points of entry for students 
  1.13  with immediate access to all instructional, support, and 
  1.14  administrative services. 
  1.15     Subd. 2.  [ADVISORY COUNCIL.] The executive director of the 
  1.16  office of technology shall appoint an advisory council to guide 
  1.17  the development of Virtual U Minnesota.  The council shall 
  1.18  include representatives from the University of Minnesota, the 
  1.19  Minnesota state colleges and universities system, private 
  1.20  colleges, and private businesses.  The council shall: 
  1.21     (1) ensure that the University of Minnesota and the 
  1.22  Minnesota state colleges and universities system develop a plan 
  1.23  for Virtual U Minnesota operations to be presented to the 
  1.24  governor and legislature by January 15, 1998; 
  2.1      (2) oversee the development and implementation of an 
  2.2   electronic system that will support immediate access to all 
  2.3   instructional, support, and administrative services in a 
  2.4   seamless and customer-friendly manner; 
  2.5      (3) make recommendations on any grants to be awarded; and 
  2.6      (4) identify private business partners and other 
  2.7   institutions that could support the development of a virtual 
  2.8   university.  
  2.9      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.10     $1,000,000 in fiscal year 1998 and $1,000,000 in fiscal 
  2.11  year 1999 are appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.12  Minnesota office of technology for a grant to develop an 
  2.13  electronic system supporting student services, including, but 
  2.14  not limited to, course catalogs, registration systems, credit 
  2.15  banks, and occupation and employer data.  The electronic system 
  2.16  shall be designed to integrate with existing and future systems 
  2.17  supporting the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota state 
  2.18  colleges and universities system.  An additional $250,000 each 
  2.19  fiscal year shall come from the University of Minnesota and 
  2.20  $250,000 each fiscal year shall come from the Minnesota state 
  2.21  colleges and universities system to support the development of 
  2.22  on-line courses.