Posted: October 21, 2014
Contact: Doug Anderson, doug.anderson@MinnState.edu, 651-201-1426
ST. PAUL, Minn., October 21, 2014 - Issuing credit for prior learning and ways to resolve transfer issues are just two of the many issues addressed by Charting the Future. Nearly two years of collaboration and discussion about the future of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities debut ideas around these issues and others at a series of 39 events kicking off in the metro area today at Saint Paul College. At these events, implementation teams are presenting and gathering feedback on strategies for improving service to students and communities across the state, strengthening the state’s public colleges and universities, and protecting their unique character and autonomy.
“These events represent a key milestone in the Charting the Future initiative,” said Rassoul Dastmozd, president of Saint Paul College. “In light of the significant challenges threatening the ability of our system to meet its commitments to the state of Minnesota, this work could not be more important. As a member of the Student Success team, I am very much looking forward to hearing what students, faculty, and staff have to say about our initial ideas.”
The implementation teams, consisting of campus leaders plus representation of all faculty and staff bargaining units and both student associations, have been meeting since May. They were tasked with developing initial plans to implement the six recommendations previously adopted by the MnSCU Board of Trustees. The purpose of the Gallery Walks is to present initial themes developed by four of the implementation teams and gather feedback from faculty, staff, students, and the community. The product of the other four implementation teams will be the subject of a similar set of Gallery Walks during the spring of 2015.
Each workgroup is presenting a set of concepts designed to support the Charting the Future recommendations, and within each concept, a set of specific directions that could be taken in implementation. Attendees are offered the opportunity to discuss the directions and concepts with workgroup representatives as well as campus implementation team members.
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities include 24 two-year community, technical, and comprehensive colleges and seven state universities serving more than 430,000 students. It is the fifth-largest higher education system of its kind in the United States.
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