Alex FriedrichA University of Minnesota official is calling yesterday’s chemical spill in one of the labs a simple mistake made in a rush. Industrial hygienist Neil Carlson said a post-doctoral associate and an assistant professor — not two students as previously reported — were in a medicinal chemistry lab using pyridine as a reagent and a Read more →
MPR News Intelligence on higher education
Archives for September 2010
I’m always interested in study tips and techniques, so I checked out this University of St. Thomas student reporter’s take on a recent New York Times article about studying and the brain. TommyMedia discussed the piece and asked folks from the school to add their own tips, which I’ve condensed: Change study locations. Research shows Read more →
Authorities are still investigating yesterday’s chemical spill at a University of Minnesota lab, which injured two students and closed off a couple of blocks along Harvard Street Southeast. U spokesman Dan Wolter wrote in an e-mail, “There is nothing to suggest there was improper handling of materials at the current time. However, as with every Read more →
MPR’s Tim Post has this report on how some faculty at the University of Minnesota are on edge over academic freedom after the pulling of the Troubled Waters environmental film — even though some say the U has a solid track record of backing up its researchers. The film has since been given the green Read more →
Digging Out of the Hole A flurry of recent reports show a number of college endowments are beginning to rebound after taking a brutal hit during the recession, but even some of the top performers are struggling to reach the high-water marks of yesteryear. (Inside Higher Ed) Thinking Outside the Bottle More and more colleges Read more →
Even as higher ed picks up a little steam in the Minnesota gubernatorial race, it’s getting some real attention in a number of the three dozen other races across the nation — and is a key issue in three other states: Ohio, California and Florida. But whereas increased higher ed spending is being pushed by Read more →
It doesn’t sound like some members of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources are buying the assurances today of Dean Al Levine of the U — or those of President Bob Bruininks yesterday — that no censorship or self-censorship was involved in the pulling of Troubled Waters. Here are some edited comments from this afternoon’s Read more →
Here are some notes on U of M College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Dean Al Levine’s remarks to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. They are not a verbatim account: I’m very sorry about the way it all played out. I have never experienced any censorship. We always defend the faculty first and Read more →
I’m at a meeting of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. They’re now taking a lunch break to watch Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story, the river pollution documentary that the University of Minnesota pulled and later allowed to be shown. I’ve taken notes. So far, the commission’s co-chair, state Rep. Jean Wagenius (DFL), told U Read more →