Recently, the Minnesota Board of Regents announced the three finalists regarding candidates to be the 18th president of the University of Minnesota. Each candidate will visit all five U of M campuses, including UMC, for an open forum and Q&A session.
On Wednesday afternoon, UMC hosted finalist Dr. Laura Bloomberg, who currently serves as president of Cleveland State University. Bloomberg, a St. Cloud native and a U of M graduate, still finds passion for her home state and the University system. “I really love Minnesota, and I spent the vast majority of my life here,” said Bloomberg, “We have kids and grandkids here, but even more so, it’s the University of Minnesota. I’m inspired by it.”
During the open forum, Bloomberg talked about recognizing “systemness” within the University system, which pertains to the unique opportunity each U of M campus can bring students. “We have the potential to serve the whole state really well,” said Bloomberg, “Minnesota generally; you have everything from beautiful pine forests from the north to incredible agricultural land and wide open spaces in the northwest area of the state, to the waterways in the central part of the state. It’s just a great spot.”
Bloomberg also explained that a University president’s role should revolve around being the number one advocate for their respective system. This requires knowledge regarding the system, spending time on each campus, and staying up to date on the status of each institution. “As a president right now, I think about these things at the colleges within the university where I’m president,” said Bloomberg, “I make extensive use of video to show and say ‘hey let me show you on my phone’ for instance if I’m at the state capital and they don’t know what I’m talking about, I want it to come alive. I feel that is the responsibility of a president.”
Bloomberg also talked about the importance of the U of M being a land-grant institution and understanding that the institution serves the entire state. This means the institution was designated by the state or Congress to receive benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 or the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994.
If elected 18th president of the University of Minnesota, Bloomberg pledged that her goals would be to face challenges presented head-on and continue progressing as an institution. “I want us to roll with the punches,” said Bloomberg, “So maybe we have declining enrollment. That won’t last forever; there may be times when we increase enrollment, and there will also be diseases that stop us in our tracks, like COVID-19. Whatever hits us as a society, I want us to find a solution.”
UMC will host the final presidential candidate, Dr. Rebecca Cunningham, for an open forum/Q&A on Monday, February 19, at 3:00 p.m. in Kiehle Auditorium.
