Governor Dayton releases bonding proposal
On Wednesday, April 8, Governor Dayton unveiled his 2015 bonding proposal. The $842 million proposal includes $100 million for the University of Minnesota system. President Kaler praised the proposed funding, which exceeds the University’s requested $77 million in capital projects. The governor’s proposal provides $70 million for Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR), $18 million for the Veterinary Isolation Laboratories Replacement, and $4 million for the St. Paul Greenhouse Replacement. His bonding recommendations also include $8 million for planning and pre-design studies for health sciences professional educational facilities to replace antiquated training facilities, and new clinical research facilities to house medical discovery teams. View a comparison of the University’s and the governor’s proposals.
Because the legislature is focused on forming a biennial budget this session, it is uncertain whether it will pass a bonding bill this year.
Dean Ames testifies again in the Senate
Also on Wednesday, April 8, the Senate Environment, Economic Development and Agriculture Finance Committee heard a bill that would invest $9.8 million in 2016 and in 2017 for University of Minnesota veterinary diagnostic laboratory equipment and facilities. College of Veterinary Medicine dean Trevor Ames testified in support of the bill and provided an overview of the services of the University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, including the increased pressure on those services due to the avian flu outbreak. The legislation was laid on the table for possible inclusion in the committee's omnibus budget bill.
Regenerative medicine funding
On Tuesday, April 7, the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee heard a bill that would provide funding to increase the number of University researchers working on regenerative medicine. Dr. Jakub Tolar, director of the Stem Cell Institute, testified in support of the bill and provided a brief update on the work of the University of Minnesota/Mayo partnership in regenerative medicine. The bill was amended to provide $1.7 million each year in ongoing funding.