2006 Minnesota Statutes

137.02 POWERS AND DUTIES OF BOARD OF REGENTS.
    Subdivision 1. Transportation between university campus and farm. The Board
of Regents is hereby authorized to provide adequate means for safe, convenient, and rapid
transportation of persons, supplies, and materials between the university farm and the university
campus and the transportation of persons from intermediate points to either the university campus
or the university farm and from the university campus or university farm to intermediate points
and for the transportation of supplies and materials to and from the university farm by means of a
connection with the belt line railway operated by the Minnesota Transfer Railway Company; and
to that end the Board of Regents is hereby authorized to acquire by gift, purchase, condemnation,
or otherwise such rights-of-way as may be deemed necessary and to construct, maintain, and
operate lines of railway thereon and to make such contracts with any railway company for
trackage rights, track connections, and motive power or for the hiring of rolling stock or for the
operation of the same as may be found necessary or expedient in carrying out the provisions of
this subdivision. The Board of Regents shall prescribe the rate of fares which shall be charged for
the transportation of persons, which fares when collected shall be kept in a separate fund and used
to defray the expense of maintaining and operating such railway.
    Subd. 2. Employees may be bonded. The regents of the university shall have authority
to indemnify the officers or the employees of the university against liability arising out of the
operation of motor vehicles or other equipment by them while engaged in the performance of
their duties as such public officials or employees and to pay out of the public funds the premiums
on the indemnity insurance policies insuring such governmental agency against such liability.
The regents may defend any such officer or employee, in the name and on behalf of the officer
or employee, in any suit brought against the officer or employee to enforce a claim, whether
groundless or otherwise, arising out of the operation of a motor vehicle or other equipment
in the performance of official duties, and may compromise and settle such claim or suit and
pay out of public funds the amount of such settlement or compromise, or the amount of any
judgment against such officer or employee based on any such claim without first requiring such
officer or employee to settle or pay any such claim. The regents may, in their discretion, pay
the premiums of the indemnity insurance policies referred to in this subdivision, insuring such
officers or employees against liability for or injury to persons or property, within the limits of
this subdivision, and such payment of insurance premiums out of public funds shall in no way
impose on the regents any liability.
    Subd. 3. Power of eminent domain granted. The Board of Regents may use any money
not specifically appropriated for other purposes for acquiring land by purchase or condemnation.
In case it is desired to use the fund for the acquisition of land by eminent domain, the power of
eminent domain shall be exercised in accordance with chapter 117.
    Subd. 3a. Consultation required. Land must not be purchased and a building must not be
purchased, constructed, or erected on land of the University of Minnesota until the regents have
first consulted with the chair of the senate Finance Committee and the chair of the house Ways
and Means Committee and obtained their advisory recommendations.
    Subd. 4. Employee salaries. All nonacademic employees of the University of Minnesota
shall be paid salaries comparable to salaries paid to state employees in the classified civil service.
History: (3139, 3139-3, 3139-4, 3139-6) 1913 c 257 s 1; 1935 c 173 s 1,2; Ex1937 c 81 s 2;
1976 c 163 s 23; 1976 c 348 s 21; 1986 c 444; 1989 c 300 art 1 s 31; 1993 c 4 s 20