It’s been a wonderful privilege to serve as president of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association this past year—and what a year it has been!

While every stretch of time is bound to have ups and downs, it seems to me that 2000–01 was especially marked by some historical highs and lows that deserve remembering.

First, the high points. What a glorious year we’ve had celebrating the University’s sesquicentennial, a 150th birthday party that seemed to touch all Minnesotans in some way. The festivities began last summer with Opera on the Farm in Lanesboro, Minnesota, and culminated in the grand finale extravaganza featuring the Minnesota Orchestra in Northrop Auditorium and fireworks over the Mississippi River. In between were birthday parties at local businesses, a president’s conference series, art exhibits, concerts, and a reenactment of the charter signing at the state capitol.

These events celebrated a university where progress is visible and remarkable: a campus that is beautiful and bursting with renovation; a university where state-of-the-art systems have made a once-formidable institution easy to navigate; a place with smaller classes, satisfied freshmen (94 percent of whom said last spring that they’d choose the University again if they had to do it over), and a retention rate well above the national average.

Some of the most memorable moments for me were in the small things: seeing the eager young faces of future students as they donned Gopher visors along the parade route for U of M Day at the State Fair; feeling pride swell in me as I marched in the academic processional during Founders’ Week; laughing (and sometimes tearing up) as I listened to stories about the U’s history told by John S. Pillsbury, brought to life by actor J.B. Eckert.; and witnessing an unprecedented, superlative grass-roots lobbying effort by dedicated University alumni, faculty, staff, and friends.

That leads to what has turned out to be the year’s most disappointing moment. Despite literally thousands of calls, letters, e-mails, and faxes to state legislators from constituents who care as much about the University as I do, we will receive less than half of the requested $221.5 million in increased funding for the biennium. This leaves our University with the enormous challenge of redefining how we will chart our course toward first-class excellence.

This is disappointing because without money to improve and compete, the University will lose its momentum a leader in public education. By raising tuition, the U may become too expensive for many of our sons and daughters. And if we must cut programs, the University’s rich and engaging curriculum will suffer. Most frustrating is that the state of Minnesota is in good shape financially and even has a budget surplus; our governor and legislators could have supported the University’s budget request.

This letdown is one of the memories that will stay with me long after I leave my post. Even so, I will not remain discouraged. I am heartened by the widespread support of the U, as evidenced by the many editorials, op-ed pieces, and letters to the editor in virtually every newspaper in the state. I am encouraged by the most vigorous, grassroots lobbying effort in the U’s history. I believe that most Minnesotans still have the lofty ambition for our University that its founders had 150 years ago, when they looked at the riverfront and envisioned a center of intellectual greatness. And I know that the alumni association remains firm in its resolve of advocacy for the University. Our goal is a pro-education legislature in a pro-education state.