University of Minnesota's Kaler: We're important — not bloated

MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson

In addition to its piece on MnSCU Chancellor Steven Rosenstone, the Grand Forks Herald also has an interview with new University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler, who seems a little more assertive than he has in past interviews.

Sounds like he wants to remind the state legislature just how important the U is to state agriculture:

“You wouldn’t have a soybean industry in Minnesota if it wasn’t for the University of Minnesota. You wouldn’t have a turkey industry in Minnesota if it wasn’t for the University of Minnesota.”

But don’t talk to him too much about administrative bloat:

“When I hear people talking about we are bloated or a waste of money, that makes me mad.”

And enough about his $610,000 annual salary, OK?

“We are the fourth largest institution in the country; I don’t have the fourth largest salary.”

Read the full interview here.

About the blogger

Alex Friedrich

afriedrich@mpr.org

Alex Friedrich reports on higher education issues for MPR News. Among the stories he has covered: the fall of the Berlin Wall, aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, 2003 Moscow suicide bombing and 2004 presidential elections in the Republic of Georgia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s in European political economy from the London School of Economics.