You can read the full story here. And you can get my first impressions the morning of my visit here.
MPR News Intelligence on higher education
Schools
When the first graduates of the University of Minnesota-Rochester receive their diplomas Saturday, they’ll leave a campus that’s still figuring things out. Instructors are still experimenting with the curriculum and how best to teach it. Students are still trying to build a social life and an identity within the city. And every once in a Read more →
Some University of Minnesota students are asking the U to give them access to their fellow students’ evaluations of courses and professors. The U administers the evaluations at the end of every semester. Students fill them out, but the information is kept by the university. Graduate student Cody Mikl, who chairs the group of student Read more →
Remember when I joked during my visit last week that the University of Minnesota – Rochester had no intercollegiate sports program — but had a mascot that had no name? The Raptor finally got one:
University of St. Thomas tenured law professor Mark Osler writes in the Star Tribune how his experience speaking out in favor of same-sex marriage differed from (recently fired) Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe’s: “He may be out of a job at age 31, at the height of his abilities. My employer, meanwhile, made no mention at Read more →
Northwestern College, a private Christian college in St. Paul — and whose students try to walk on water — announced today that it’s changing its name to University of Northwestern – St. Paul. It has apparently been operating as a university and offering some master’s degrees for a few years, and sees the change that Read more →
I couldn’t get this out of my head during my visit yesterday
So let me get this straight: The University of Minnesota – Rochester has no sports teams. But it does have a mascot. It’s a Raptor. But it doesn’t have a name. OK. (UMR officials say they’ve been going through a selection process — and will reveal a name May 14. I can only imagine what Read more →
So when I heard that the University of Minnesota – Rochester was located in a shopping mall, I had a hard time picturing something nice. I thought of some of those cheap strip-mall schools, or one of those thrown-together-looking offices you find in unconventional commercial space. It’s actually quite a nice setup. But it’s still Read more →
University of Minnesota student Justin LaMachia tells the Star Tribune what he thinks about a move to ban smoking at the school: “In some ways, that could be a good initiative. If I can’t smoke in school, if I can’t smoke here, here or here, I might as well just give it up.” The U Read more →