The University of Minnesota has entered mediation with Fairview and M Physicians to resolve the future of its medical school and affiliated academic health complex, President Cunningham told the Board of Regents at the December meeting.

"I remain encouraged that this process will preserve patient care, protect the mission of our state's sole public medical school, advance health care for all Minnesotans, and support our medical school and health sciences faculty," President Cunningham said during her report. The mediation, she said, is being pursued in good faith by all three parties.

Vice Chair Rue Johnson, a practicing physician, told regents the outcome matters for practice, education and research. "If we do not strongly support these three core commitments, Minnesotans will pay the price for decades to come," Johnson said, urging care in designing a sustainable, long-term model.

Regents and university leaders framed mediation as a path to a negotiated model that secures stable funding for training health professionals, supports research and innovation, and ensures practice stability for Fairview. "We need to agree on a model that provides sustainable funding for training the health professionals our state needs," a regent commented during the discussion.

Board members noted the mediation’s potential statewide impact, particularly on rural care and workforce development. President Cunningham said university faculty and staff will continue to be consulted and that she is personally committed to finding a "win-win" solution for the university, Fairview, and patients.

The board did not vote on this item; regents said they expect negotiations and mediation to continue and that leadership will return to the board with updates as the process advances.