1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to higher education; establishing a 
  1.3             commission on University of Minnesota excellence to 
  1.4             identify centers of excellence; requiring a report to 
  1.5             the legislature; providing appointments. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [COMMISSION ON UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA 
  1.8   EXCELLENCE.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] The commission on 
  1.10  University of Minnesota excellence is established to: 
  1.11     (1) review the university's current nationally ranked areas 
  1.12  of excellence; 
  1.13     (2) review major investment efforts in interdisciplinary 
  1.14  initiatives identified by the university in 1998, including 
  1.15  digital technology, design, new media, molecular and cellular 
  1.16  biology, medical science, and agriculture; 
  1.17     (3) evaluate and make recommendations on how the university 
  1.18  can develop centers of excellence that will achieve a national 
  1.19  ranking in the top ten within the next ten years and identify 
  1.20  centers of excellence which are best positioned and have the 
  1.21  best potential to achieve this goal; 
  1.22     (4) examine the university's mission, scope, and financing 
  1.23  of programs and propose possible ways in which the university 
  1.24  can refocus or refine its mission and offerings; and 
  1.25     (5) examine the regent selection process and make 
  2.1   recommendations on how the selection process can be improved.  
  2.2      Subd. 2.  [MEMBERSHIP; STAFF.] (a) The commission on 
  2.3   University of Minnesota excellence consists of 15 members.  Five 
  2.4   members must be appointed by the governor.  Five members must be 
  2.5   appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.  No 
  2.6   more than two members of the house of representatives may be 
  2.7   appointed with one of the members designated to serve as a 
  2.8   cochair of the commission.  Five members must be appointed by 
  2.9   the subcommittee on committees of the senate committee on rules 
  2.10  and administration.  No more than two senators may be appointed 
  2.11  with one senator designated to serve as a cochair of the 
  2.12  commission.  Members appointed to the commission must be 
  2.13  selected for their expertise in complex organizational structure 
  2.14  and should include leaders of business, industry, or 
  2.15  post-secondary institutions, except that no members of the 
  2.16  current board of regents of the University of Minnesota may be 
  2.17  appointed to the commission.  The president of the University of 
  2.18  Minnesota or the president's designee is an ex officio, 
  2.19  nonvoting member of the commission. 
  2.20     (b) Members of the commission serve without compensation 
  2.21  and are not eligible for expenses under Minnesota Statutes, 
  2.22  section 15.0575, subdivision 3. 
  2.23     (c) The board of regents of the University of Minnesota is 
  2.24  requested to make University of Minnesota staff available to the 
  2.25  commission.  The legislature must provide additional staff 
  2.26  support for the commission. 
  2.27     Subd. 3.  [CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.] The commission must, at 
  2.28  a minimum, identify five centers of excellence at the University 
  2.29  of Minnesota in which to focus resources and policy initiatives. 
  2.30  The goal for these centers is to have them develop national 
  2.31  stature and achieve a national ranking in the top ten within ten 
  2.32  years.  Centers of excellence must be chosen from a group of 
  2.33  potential centers of excellence that includes the programs and 
  2.34  departments in which the university is currently considered a 
  2.35  national or regional leader and from existing or potential 
  2.36  interdisciplinary initiatives at the university. 
  3.1      Subd. 4.  [REPORT.] The commissioner must report to the 
  3.2   legislature by January 15, 2002, on recommendations for changes 
  3.3   in the regent selection process.  The commission must report to 
  3.4   the legislature by July 1, 2002, on areas of excellence, 
  3.5   mission, and focus of the University of Minnesota.  In preparing 
  3.6   its report on areas of excellence, the task force is encouraged 
  3.7   to consider operation and capital financing needs, Minnesota 
  3.8   economic needs, federal research priorities, and opportunities 
  3.9   for private financial support.  
  3.10     Subd. 5.  [EXPIRATION.] The commission on University of 
  3.11  Minnesota excellence expires on December 31, 2002. 
  3.12     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.13     Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.