MANKATO — Minnesota State University President Edward Inch addressed the institution’s budget strategies, roadmap goals and new academic opportunities in his annual convocation speech as he welcomed faculty and staff back to campus Monday.
“We do incredible work,” the president said. “This new year promises to build on these successes and extend our university’s reach in new and innovative ways.”
Inch talked about the university’s financial situation and said campus leaders met recently to discuss short- and long-term strategies to address shortfalls.
“For this fiscal year, we’ll use a combination of general and non-general one-time funds to backfill gaps and pause hiring for some positions that will be delayed until the next biennium,” he said.
“This year will be tight. I’m confident we can be successful as long as we remain disciplined, we remain focused and we remain committed to the outcomes our students expect.”
Inch said the university also will continue to advocate for Armstrong Hall after the state Legislature failed to pass a bonding bill this year, thus not funding the second phase of the project.
That phase would’ve been Armstrong Hall’s replacement building, which the university was hoping to get $83 million for.
Inch said the institution will continue to seek funding for the replacement of the Taylor Center roof, which has reached the end of its serviceable lifespan.
“Moving forward with these projects is critical, and they will be at the top of our advocacy.”
Inch’s speech also highlighted anticipation for the university’s new School of Applied Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, which will launch this year.
“This is a powerful example of meeting workforce needs in high demand areas and partnering with others to achieve the goal that can be done.”
It’s been a year since the university launched its Destination 2030 strategic plan.
“Destination 2030 commits us to taking concrete steps towards a transformative future,” Inch said as he reflected on the university’s work so far.
“Decreasing barriers to transfer is a significant long-term goal.” Inch said he remains confident in his goal to reach 30,000 students by 2030.
He also said the university wants to be a leader in transformational learning. “Part of that goal is offering every student equitable access to high impact learning.”
Provost and Senior Vice President David Hood also addressed faculty Monday. He outlined the university’s equity work, among other topics.
“We are approaching a significant milestone where 30% of the students we serve will be students of color when we consider the combined demographics of our domestic students and our international populations,” he said, adding that the students of today and future students are not the students for whom the American higher education system was designed.
“If you agree that the game has changed and we are called to inspire action, then we must remain vigilant and actively engaged in working collaboratively across the university to deconstruct the barriers that prevent students from achieving their goals,” he said.
Student government President Roshit Niraula outlined his priorities during the convocation, including mental health, equity and student wages.
“A healthy mind is essential to classroom success, and we’re committed to prioritizing mental health,” he said.
“It’s only fair that our students can still cover essentials. This year we’ll build on the work of our predecessors to continue to advocate for all on-campus job opportunities.”
MSU’s enrollment is about 14,000 students.