Vetoed by Governor Mark Dayton

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that increases funds for higher education and prohibits an increase in undergraduate tuition rates.

Highlights:

• Appropriates the following state funds to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities systems (Art. 1):
• $587.92 million for the 2014 fiscal year; and
• $605.14 million for the 2015 fiscal year. 

• Appropriates the following state funds to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota (Art. 1):
• $578.96 million for the 2014 fiscal year; and 
• $593.26 million for the 2015 fiscal year.

• Prohibits the Board of Trustees and the Board of Regents from increasing the undergraduate tuition rate or other required fees for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years (Art. 1).

• Requires the Board of Trustees to appropriate $25.5 million for the 2014 fiscal year and $52.5 million for the 2015 fiscal year for “student tuition relief” (Art. 1). 

• Appropriates $100,000 to the Office of Higher Education for information technology costs associated with the implementation of the Prosperity Act (Arts. 1 & 4).

• Specifies that a student qualifies for resident tuition rates if the following criteria are met (Arts. 1 & 4):
• The student attended high school in the state for at least 3 years;
• The student graduated from a high school in the state; and
• The student provides documentation that he or she has complied with selective service registration requirements and filed an application to obtain lawful immigration status, if he or she does not have lawful immigration status.

• Appropriates the following state funds to Teach for America (Art. 1):
• $750,000 for the 2014 fiscal year; and
• $750,000 for the 2015 fiscal year.

• Prohibits the University of Minnesota from using state appropriations intended for the employer’s share of Social Security, state retirement, and health insurance to pay any mandatory or discretionary bonus or other performance-based incentive payments to certain administrators, including, but not limited to, the president, chancellors, provosts, and deans (Art. 2).

• Specifies that 5 percent of the state appropriations to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities systems will be withheld until at least 3 of the following performance goals are achieved (Art. 1):
• An increase by at least 4 percent in graduates or degrees conferred;
• An increase by at least 1 percent in the fall persistence and completion rate;
• An increase by at least 4 percent in the related employment rate for graduates;
• Formulation of a plan to actualize a 1 percent reduction in expenses directly related to the cost of instruction incurred by students; and
• Reallocation of $22 million that became available through expense realignment in fiscal year 2014.

• Specifies that 5 percent of the state appropriations to the University of Minnesota will be withheld until at least 3 of the following performance goals are achieved (Art. 1):
• An increase by at least 1 percent in undergraduate graduation rates for low-income students;
• An increase by at least 3 percent in the total number of undergraduate STEM degrees conferred;
• An increase by at least 1 percent in graduation rates at the University of Minnesota;
• A decrease of $15 million in administrative costs for fiscal year 2014; and
• An increase by 3 percent in student invention disclosures for fiscal year 2014.

• Requires the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and University systems to include 5 year histories in their biennial budget proposals that report the following expenditures and revenues (Art. 2):
• System-wide expenditures;
• Total instructional expenditures per full-year equivalent student; and
• Total revenues by funding source.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that increases funds for higher education and prohibits an increase in undergraduate tuition rates.

Highlights:

• Appropriates the following state funds to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities systems (Art. 1):
• $587.92 million for the 2014 fiscal year; and
• $605.14 million for the 2015 fiscal year. 

• Appropriates the following state funds to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota (Art. 1):
• $578.96 million for the 2014 fiscal year; and 
• $593.26 million for the 2015 fiscal year.

• Prohibits the Board of Trustees and the Board of Regents from increasing the undergraduate tuition rate or other required fees for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years (Art. 1).

• Requires the Board of Trustees to appropriate $25.5 million for the 2014 fiscal year and $52.5 million for the 2015 fiscal year for “student tuition relief” (Art. 1). 

• Appropriates $100,000 to the Office of Higher Education for information technology costs associated with the implementation of the Prosperity Act (Arts. 1 & 4).

• Specifies that a student qualifies for resident tuition rates if the following criteria are met (Arts. 1 & 4):
• The student attended high school in the state for at least 3 years;
• The student graduated from a high school in the state; and
• The student provides documentation that he or she has complied with selective service registration requirements and filed an application to obtain lawful immigration status, if he or she does not have lawful immigration status.

• Appropriates the following state funds to Teach for America (Art. 1):
• $750,000 for the 2014 fiscal year; and
• $750,000 for the 2015 fiscal year.

• Prohibits the University of Minnesota from using state appropriations intended for the employer’s share of Social Security, state retirement, and health insurance to pay any mandatory or discretionary bonus or other performance-based incentive payments to certain administrators, including, but not limited to, the president, chancellors, provosts, and deans (Art. 2).

• Specifies that 5 percent of the state appropriations to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities systems will be withheld until at least 3 of the following performance goals are achieved (Art. 1):
• An increase by at least 4 percent in graduates or degrees conferred;
• An increase by at least 1 percent in the fall persistence and completion rate;
• An increase by at least 4 percent in the related employment rate for graduates;
• Formulation of a plan to actualize a 1 percent reduction in expenses directly related to the cost of instruction incurred by students; and
• Reallocation of $22 million that became available through expense realignment in fiscal year 2014.

• Specifies that 5 percent of the state appropriations to the University of Minnesota will be withheld until at least 3 of the following performance goals are achieved (Art. 1):
• An increase by at least 1 percent in undergraduate graduation rates for low-income students;
• An increase by at least 3 percent in the total number of undergraduate STEM degrees conferred;
• An increase by at least 1 percent in graduation rates at the University of Minnesota;
• A decrease of $15 million in administrative costs for fiscal year 2014; and
• An increase by 3 percent in student invention disclosures for fiscal year 2014.

• Requires the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and University systems to include 5 year histories in their biennial budget proposals that report the following expenditures and revenues (Art. 2):
• System-wide expenditures;
• Total instructional expenditures per full-year equivalent student; and
• Total revenues by funding source.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funds for higher education for fiscal years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015.

Highlights:

• Prohibits the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities from setting the tuition rate for any degree granting program for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years at a rate greater than 3 percent above the rate for the 2012-2013 academic year (Art. 1, Sec. 4).

• Appropriates $14.2 million in fiscal year 2014-2015 and $28.4 million in fiscal year 2015-2016 for tuition relief at the University of Minnesota (Art. 1, Sec. 5).

• Requires the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to maintain the Minnesota resident undergraduate tuition rate for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years at the same rate as for the 2012-2013 academic year (Art. 1, Sec. 5).

• Specifies that 5 percent of appropriations from fiscal year 2014-2015 are available for the University of Minnesota upon meeting at least 3 performance goals including, but not limited to, the following goals (Art. 1, Sec. 5):
• They must increase graduation rates at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus for low-income students by the fall of 2014, as compared to the fall of 2012, by 1 percent;
• They must increase graduation rates at the University of Minnesota by the fall of 2014, as compared to the fall of 2012, by 1 percent;
• They must increase invention disclosures for fiscal year 2013-2014 as compared to fiscal year 2012-2013, by 3 percent;
• They must decrease the administrative budget by $15 million for the fiscal year 2013-2014; and
• They must increase the total number of graduate STEM degrees conferred by the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus by at least 3 percent in fiscal year 2013-2014 from the total number in fiscal year 2011-2012. 

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funds to the University of Minnesota and state colleges.

Highlights:

• Appropriates the following amounts to the University of Minnesota for “tuition relief” (Art. 1, Sec. 5):
• $14.2 million for fiscal year 2014; and
• $28.4 million for fiscal year 2015.

• Appropriates the following amounts to the Board of Regents of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (Art. 1, Sec. 4):
• $578.31 million for fiscal year 2014; and
• $595.21 million for fiscal year 2015.

• Specifies that 5 percent of the appropriation for fiscal year 2015 to the University of Minnesota will be made available if the University’s Board of Regents meets at least 3 of the following 5 performance goals (Art. 1, Sec. 5):
• Increase by at least 1 percent the 4 year, 5 year, or 6 year graduation rates;
• Increase by at least 1 percent the Twin Cities campus undergraduate 4 year, 5 year, or 6 year graduation rates for low-income students;
• Increase by at least 3 percent the total number of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees;
• Increase invention disclosures by 3 percent; and
• For fiscal year 2014, decrease by $15 million the university’s total operating budget expenditures to administration oversight and mission support and facilities.

• Appropriates the following amounts to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (Art. 1, Sec. 4):
• $577.62 million for fiscal year 2014; and
• $593.12 million for fiscal year 2015.

• Requires the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to conduct a study comparing the number, salary, and benefits of its faculty and staff employed and the salary and benefits of faculty and staff employed in “comparable” non-Minnesota institutions (Sec. 14). 

• Requires the Director of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to award competitive matching grants to postsecondary institutions offering research-based high school-to-college developmental transition programs that provide certain instruction to eligible students including, but not limited to, the following instruction (Art. 2, Sec. 1):
• Summer developmental courses in academic areas requiring remediation;
• Academic advising, mentoring, and tutoring; and
• Interaction with student support services, admissions, and financial aid offices.

• Specifies that eligible students include students who earned a high school diploma during the academic year immediately preceding the summer program and who meet certain criteria including, but not limited to, 1 or more of the following criteria (Art. 2, Sec. 1):
• Are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch;
• Are a member of a group traditionally underrepresented in higher education; and
• Receive assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Law.

Full Bill Text