Higher Education In Times Of Financial Distress: The Minnesota Experience

Abstract

Like many states, Minnesota has incurred large budget deficits during the past two years. Those deficits have, in turn, led to changes in a number of areas of state government, particularly higher education. Faculty have incurred pay freezes and layoffs, programs have closed, and tuition increased. Campuses within the MnSCU system have been allowed to find their own way in dealing with many of these problems, with the result that some approaches have worked better than others. This paper will chronicle some of the problems encountered and solutions attempted, and will evaluate various strategies used within the system from the perspective the Faculty Association. The intent is to provide insight into identifying preferred strategies when addressing similar situations in the future.