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Candidates prioritize stakeholder input, affordability and legislative outreach in new strategic plan
Summary
Candidates urged a new University of Minnesota strategic plan that centers student belonging, affordability and measurable outcomes and recommended stronger regent‑legislature relations to secure sustainable funding.
Candidates at the University of Minnesota Alumni Association forum described priorities they would press as regents during the university’s strategic‑planning process: stakeholder input, student belonging, affordability and accountability.
"One of the things that comes to mind for me is continuing to cultivate a strong student sense of belonging," said Madeline Rowe, a student regent candidate. Flora Yang and others emphasized affordability, campus safety and basic needs as priorities that should be built into the next plan from the outset.
Several candidates emphasized the planning process itself. Benjamin Kaplan (statement read into the record) said strategic planning should be data driven and include stakeholder feedback and a SWOT analysis. Ellen Lugar urged a "bold and practical" plan that is accountable and includes stakeholder input; Robert Albright praised the existing plan’s progress card approach and said he would prioritize graduation rates, academic quality and access while measuring student debt and aid outcomes.
Many candidates linked the strategic plan to legislative outreach and funding. Ellen Lugar and others urged stronger relationships between regents, administration and state lawmakers to tell the university’s economic and workforce impact story. Candidates suggested the board use metrics to demonstrate return on investment to the legislature and to support budget requests.
The forum did not produce board action; candidates stated positions they said they would take as regents. Their comments emphasize that the forthcoming strategic plan and ongoing budget advocacy will be central issues for the Board of Regents and university leadership.
