1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to higher education; University of Minnesota; 
  1.3             appropriating money for the Northstar Research 
  1.4             Coalition.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [NORTHSTAR RESEARCH COALITION.] 
  1.7      (a) The board of regents is requested to establish a 
  1.8   partnership with private industry to leverage the university's 
  1.9   research capabilities into economic development results through 
  1.10  the creation of a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation to be known 
  1.11  as the Northstar Research Coalition.  The money for projects 
  1.12  funded under this initiative must be used to establish endowed 
  1.13  faculty chairs in the area of technology-based research, 
  1.14  purchase equipment for research laboratories, and fund research 
  1.15  projects consistent with priorities established by the 
  1.16  partnership. 
  1.17     The coalition may fund research projects that establish 
  1.18  collaborative research efforts between the University of 
  1.19  Minnesota and the private sector, the Mayo clinic, or the 
  1.20  Minnesota state colleges and universities. 
  1.21     (b) The duties of the coalition include: 
  1.22     (1) identifying technology-based research projects that 
  1.23  have the potential to create significant opportunities for 
  1.24  economic development and industrial growth in the state; 
  1.25     (2) strengthening the university's research capabilities in 
  2.1   subject areas associated with emerging technology-based 
  2.2   industries; 
  2.3      (3) expanding the research capacity of the university 
  2.4   through the creation of opportunities for the university to 
  2.5   assist private enterprises in emerging technology-based 
  2.6   industries; 
  2.7      (4) promoting the transfer of technology from the research 
  2.8   laboratory to commercial application by businesses; 
  2.9      (5) developing application procedures for, reviewing, and 
  2.10  prioritizing research projects seeking funding under this 
  2.11  initiative; and 
  2.12     (6) creating opportunities for collaborative research 
  2.13  opportunities between the University of Minnesota, the Mayo 
  2.14  clinic, and the Minnesota state colleges and universities. 
  2.15     (c) The board shall have the authority to allocate state 
  2.16  and nonstate money to projects. 
  2.17     The incorporating documents of the Northstar Research 
  2.18  Coalition must provide for equal representation of university 
  2.19  and private sector interests on the coalition's board of 
  2.20  directors and provide that changes in the governance structure 
  2.21  require a super majority of the board.  The board consists of 12 
  2.22  members.  Six shall be appointed by the board of regents of the 
  2.23  University of Minnesota.  The initial six members representing 
  2.24  the private sector shall be appointed by the governor.  
  2.25  Subsequent members representing the private sector shall be 
  2.26  appointed by the incumbent members.  Private sector members of 
  2.27  the board must have an expertise in the technology research 
  2.28  needs of the state and not be affiliated with the university. 
  2.29     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.30     $....... is appropriated to the University of Minnesota for 
  2.31  the university's contribution to the Northstar Research 
  2.32  Coalition.  The commissioner of finance may not release the 
  2.33  money for this appropriation until the university presents 
  2.34  evidence that a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation, to be known 
  2.35  as the Northstar Research Coalition, in a form complying with 
  2.36  section 1, paragraph (b), has been established; and there is a 
  3.1   match, equal to at least the appropriation amount, from nonstate 
  3.2   sources.