1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; requiring the board of trustees 
  1.3             of Minnesota state colleges and universities and board 
  1.4             of regents of University of Minnesota to establish a 
  1.5             joint pilot project in e-mentoring; appropriating 
  1.6             money. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1. [E-MENTORING PILOT PROJECT.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] The board of trustees of 
  1.10  the Minnesota state colleges and universities and the board of 
  1.11  regents of the University of Minnesota shall establish a joint 
  1.12  pilot project to demonstrate the concept of e-mentoring.  The 
  1.13  pilot project shall include participation by at least three 
  1.14  school districts, the Minnesota extension service, and private 
  1.15  sector businesses.  The board of trustees and the board of 
  1.16  regents may agree on which public higher education system, if 
  1.17  any, is to be the lead agency for the pilot project. 
  1.18     Subd. 2.  [PURPOSE.] The goal of the pilot project is to 
  1.19  connect Minnesota learners with an e-mentor on a one-to-one 
  1.20  basis for the purpose of assisting the learner to satisfy 
  1.21  lifelong learning needs.  The e-mentor shall help the learner to:
  1.22     (1) learn to use the Internet; 
  1.23     (2) identify learning gaps and locate resources to help the 
  1.24  learner; 
  1.25     (3) develop a personal learning plan; and 
  1.26     (4) create an ongoing assessment and achievement plan. 
  2.1      Subd. 3.  [DUTIES.] The pilot project shall recruit and 
  2.2   train e-mentors and pilot test the program with identified 
  2.3   target groups, including members of the incumbent workforce.  
  2.4   The project shall incorporate ISEEK and the Minnesota virtual 
  2.5   university to the extent practicable as tools for assessment and 
  2.6   information.  The project will also test methods of using 
  2.7   technology tools to augment ISEEK and the Minnesota virtual 
  2.8   university with personal assistance to users.  The board of 
  2.9   regents and the board of trustees shall evaluate the results of 
  2.10  the project and make recommendations to the legislature 
  2.11  regarding the results of the project and ways to integrate 
  2.12  e-mentoring into existing and future systems to support learners.
  2.13     Subd. 4.  [APPROPRIATION.] $....... in fiscal year 2001 is 
  2.14  appropriated from the general fund for purposes of this 
  2.15  section.  Of this appropriation, $....... is appropriated to the 
  2.16  board of trustees of the Minnesota state colleges and 
  2.17  universities and $....... is appropriated to the board of 
  2.18  regents of the University of Minnesota.