2005 Minnesota Statutes

     137.17 Rochester branch. 

    Subdivision 1.    Establish.  The Board of Regents may 
 establish a school of professional and graduate studies as a 
 nonresidential branch campus of the University of Minnesota, 
 Rochester, to serve the needs of working adults and other 
 nontraditional students in southeastern Minnesota.  The campus 
 shall be a joint partnership of the University of Minnesota with 
 Rochester Community and Technical College, and Winona State 
 University.  

    The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and 
 Universities shall cooperate to achieve the foregoing. 

    Subd. 2.    Leadership.  The legislature intends that 
 the Rochester branch strengthen the existing partnership of 
 institutions in Rochester by providing better coordination and 
 leadership in serving the needs of the region, while maintaining 
 a cooperative basis among the institutions.  The University of 
 Minnesota is expected to take the leadership role in assessing 
 community needs and facilitating the delivery of upper division 
 and graduate academic programming and student services by 
 existing higher education providers.  It is the intent of the 
 legislature that this branch not diminish the role or function 
 of existing higher education institutions in Rochester or 
 elsewhere in the region in which the state already has a 
 significant investment. 

    Subd. 3.    Missions.  The legislature recognizes that 
 the distinctiveness of each of the partner institutions in 
 Rochester must be maintained to achieve success in serving the 
 higher education needs of the community and the economic goals 
 of the state.  Further, the legislature intends that the 
 University of Minnesota and the other partner institutions avoid 
 duplicative offerings of courses and programs.  Therefore, the 
 University of Minnesota, Winona State University, and Rochester 
 Community and Technical College shall develop jointly a 
 statement of missions, roles, and responsibilities for the 
 programs and services at Rochester which shall be submitted to 
 the legislature by January 30, 2000, and any time thereafter 
 that the missions, roles, and responsibilities change. 

    Subd. 4.    Changes.  Major changes in the missions, 
 programs, services or roles of the partner institutions shall be 
 made in full consultation with the partner institutions and the 
 systems. 

    HIST: 1999 c 214 art 2 s 16