Students and union leaders press Minnesota State on tuition, DEI cuts, staffing and training revenue
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Summary
Student leaders and labor representatives told trustees they value Equity 2030 work but raised concerns about cuts to DEI centers, student basic-needs access, tuition pressures, staff wages, and a lack of system-level tracking for customized training revenue that supports campus budgets.
Student leaders and union representatives used the public-comment portions of the meeting to press the board on affordability, campus services and workforce issues.
LeadMN president Sudia Do (via Zoom) and Students United vice chair Jovila Morrissey Gallimore described successful joint advocacy conferences and urged the system to prioritize FAFSA completion, preserve Pell and North Star Promise, expand basic‑needs supports and improve transfer and common-course pathways. Students United flagged student concerns about cuts to DEI centers and the challenges international students face when unpaid balances block work eligibility.
Union and employee speakers said campus employees and service workers are stretched. AFSCME representative Jennifer Erwin told trustees many members work multiple jobs to make ends meet and urged conversations about program fees and stable college funding. MAPE representatives called attention to customized training representatives who, they said, generate significant but unaggregated revenue for campuses and asked the system to better track and support those programs.
MSCF highlighted a key open question tied to Minnesota Paid Leave: whether Minnesota State will allow employees to supplement DEED wage replacement with existing contractual leave. MSCF said it had expected the system to follow statewide management practice on supplementation and requested continued discussion to avoid treating MinnState employees differently from other state employees.
Trustees acknowledged the concerns and suggested staff follow up with additional information and potential sessions to hear more from the affected campus units and bargaining representatives.