April 2, 2014

Honorable LeRoy A. Stumpf

Chair, Capital Investment Committee

75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Capitol, Room 122

Saint Paul, MN 55155-8660

Dear Senator Stumpf,

Our committee’s top priority this session was to evaluate the capital requests of both the University of Minnesota

(UMN) and the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities (MnSCU). We used our committee time to delve into each

project related to higher education to gain an in-depth understanding of the needs, as well as opportunities for

advancement, for both of these systems. This was in addition to many of our committee members having visited

campuses and facilities of our higher education institutions around the state last fall.

Committee members were tasked with completing a survey with questions on every project to further garner their

thoughts, concerns and support for the aforementioned projects. I am proud of the committee’s level of engagement

throughout this process and pleased to present to you the results of their hard work. The following represents our

committee’s overall thoughts and what we support.

The facilities at the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities comprise a large

percentage of our state’s infrastructure. Maintaining the quality of this infrastructure is critical to their mission, the

people they serve and to the vitality of our state. For this reason, our committee strongly supports the HEAPR

requests that both systems put forward. While the systems’ full requests for HEAPR funds may not be able to be

satisfied, our committee fully supports raising it to the greatest extent possible.

Beyond HEAPR, the committee supports the priorities as laid out by each system.

Personally, I support the Chemical Sciences & Advanced Materials Building at the University of Minnesota Duluth

and would put as much priority into this project as the Tate Laboratory Renovation at the University of Minnesota

Twin Cities. Our state has an opportunity to continue its leadership in STEM related degrees and research, upgrading

and diversifying our facility portfolio at the UMN will surely make this a reality. This position concurs with the MN

House of Representatives in regards to this facility.

I know the House has considered the Bell Museum as part of the UMN request; this is not consistent with their

objectives. I ask that you look at this project separately. I do believe we should at long last restore the Bell Museum.

This historical asset is on the verge of becoming extinct.

Thank you for allowing our committee to take part in the capital investment process and put forward a

recommendation of critical projects which are so vital to our state’s infrastructure.

Sincerely,

Sen. Terri E. Bonoff

Chair, Higher Education & Workforce Development Division

Cc: Committee Members of the Higher Education & Workforce Development Division