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University of Minnesota tells Senate committee it generates $11.5 billion economic impact, robust research and a health‑care partnership proposal
Summary
University of Minnesota leaders gave a system overview, highlighted a newly released economic impact report, described research and commercialization activity, and previewed a proposed nonprofit health‑care partnership with Essentia Health during testimony to the Senate Higher Education Committee.
University of Minnesota officials told the Senate Higher Education Committee that the system produces an estimated $11.5 billion annual economic impact for Minnesota, supports nearly 90,000 jobs and is pursuing partnerships to address statewide health‑care workforce and service needs.
Melissa Lopez Fransen, who represents the University of Minnesota in government and community relations, told the committee the university had updated its economic impact estimate and is proposing a new nonprofit entity, in partnership with Essentia Health, to address urgent health‑care needs and workforce training in the state.
"The economic impact that we have now updated is an estimated $11,500,000,000 for the state," Lopez Fransen said, adding that the university estimates 89,196 jobs and $676,000,000 in tax impact tied to university activity. She said the university calculates a $16.75 return for every taxpayer dollar invested.
Shashank Priya, the university's vice president for research and innovation, summarized the system's research strengths and commercialization output: roughly $1.32 billion in annual research expenditures, 25 new start‑ups created last year and 275 since 2006, more than 1,000 patents and approximately $20 million in annual licensing revenue. Priya highlighted flagship programs including the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) — a long‑running NIH‑funded effort to move research into clinical trials — and the Forever Green Initiative at the Saint Paul campus, which has developed crops such as camelina that have been used in sustainable aviation fuel demonstrations.
Leaders from the university's five campuses and Extension described distinctive campus roles that contribute to statewide workforce and research needs. Mary Holtz Clause (Crookston) highlighted online program growth and an agricultural focus; Charles Neese (Duluth) emphasized community engagement and freshwater research; Janet Erickson (Morris) described sustainability initiatives and high STEM participation; Lori Caroll (Rochester) described a health‑career focus and accelerated undergraduate pathways; and Calvin Phillips (Twin Cities) summarized the flagship campus' size and urban partnerships.
Connie White Delaney, dean of the School of Nursing, and other health sciences leaders emphasized the university's role as a major producer of health‑care professionals and noted that roughly 70% of health science graduates remain in Minnesota. Bev Durgin described University of Minnesota Extension's statewide footprint (15 regional offices and 87 county offices) and its reach — more than 1,000,000 Minnesotans served directly by programs annually and over 50,000 youth in 4‑H and related programs.
University faculty legislative liaisons also offered to serve as direct technical resources to lawmakers, saying faculty can connect legislators with subject‑matter experts on topics from avian flu to agricultural innovation.
Committee members did not act on the presentations; university officials invited follow‑up briefings and campus visits.
