 | ||||||||
| Alumni Association Home | ||||||||
| ||||||||
In keeping with its 101-year mission of advocating for the University, the alumni association has formally endorsed the University’s vision of becoming one of the top three public research institutions in the world. At its May 7 meeting, the UMAA’s national board of directors passed a resolution on a 33-to-2 vote supporting President Bruininks’ strategic positioning recommendation. Twenty-one past national presidents of the association have since added their signatures to the statement, which reads:
“The University of Minnesota Alumni Association strongly endorses the University’s vision to be one of the top three public research institutions in the world. To achieve this transformation, the University must think creatively, act boldly and look beyond traditional academic and administrative structures. We have confidence in President Bruininks’ wisdom, leadership and courage, and we urge the Board of Regents to support his recommendations.
“As the strategic positioning process moves into implementation, we encourage University leaders to continue to engage a wide array of people within the University and greater community, and to establish and monitor measures of success. As representatives of the University’s alumni, we pledge our support and assistance. We share the University’s goal to continue to embrace change and to build a campus culture centered on excellence, diversity and access to success.”
Over the years the association’s leaders have spoken out on many important issues, including academic freedom and faculty tenure, the regent selection process, the merger of men’s and women’s athletics, the Extension Service plan for change, University presidential searches and earlier plans to restructure the University.