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We have just wrapped up commencement season across the University of Minnesota's five campuses, and there has been palpable excitement in the air as we celebrated the accomplishments of our 14,675 graduates and the university. We also have taken time to acknowledge and honor the exceptional contributions of our faculty and staff as another school year closes. In short, there is no better time than now to shine a light on recent successes at the University of Minnesota.
- The university exists to educate and improve the lives of Minnesotans, and that's precisely what we're doing. This year, 70% of enrolled students across our five campuses — roughly 48,000 — were from Minnesota. At the Twin Cities campus, we received 30,000 more student applications last fall than we had space to accommodate, proving demand remains strong for the U among high school graduates.
- Systemwide, our Fall 2022 incoming class had the highest percentage of BIPOC students in our recorded history, representing nearly one-third of all freshmen.
- Thanks to historic investments in student health and success, students are graduating in record numbers. The four-year graduation rate at the Twin Cities campus has more than doubled in 20 years. This has helped reduce student debt, which is now about $2,000 below national averages. In fact, 40% of U students graduate with no reported debt at all.
- U graduates drive continued growth in Minnesota's workforce, where nearly three-fourths of our graduates work in the state. Systemwide, our grads are highly motivated and well-prepared for their next step, with 93% planning for their first job or continuing their education — almost 10% over the national average.
- Our researchers are more productive than ever, competing for and successfully earning more than $1 billion in research funding for the second year in a row, placing the university in the Top 10 among public institutions nationally. Their innovations helped launch a record number of startups in 2022, ranking sixth among public universities.
- Philanthropy is at an all-time high. In 2022, we celebrated over 90,000 supporters who collectively gave $453 million to support the university's work — another in a string of record giving years and the highest total in university history.
- The university is highly regarded nationally and globally. U.S. News and World Report ranks the Twin Cities campus the nation's No. 23 public university, our highest place in 12 years. Just last week, U.S. News ranked the Law School 16th nationally, the highest since U.S. News started ranking in 1987, and in the top five among public law schools in the country, and 72 of our graduate programs and schools earned places among the top 30 in their fields. The Medical School ascended to eighth among public institutions in the Blue Ridge Rankings, reflecting major increases in external research funding coming into Minnesota.
- The future of Minnesotans' health care — and the university's role in it — has fostered impassioned debate this legislative session for good reason. The U educates 70% of the state's physicians, 73% of dentists, 60% of pharmacists and 69% of public health professionals, and we offer the state's only Ph.D. in nursing. We are also addressing the challenges facing our health care workforce, particularly in rural communities, through new or existing programs in Duluth, St. Cloud, Rochester and through more than 3,000 clinical partnerships statewide.
As we say goodbye to President Joan Gabel and welcome our new interim president, Jeff Ettinger, the university is strong and positioned well. We are confident that Jeff will make an effective interim leader, working closely with our talented leaders at the U. Jeff is ready to engage and is already engaging across the university system and state as he prepares to officially take office in the coming weeks. He and all my regent colleagues are committed to continuing the university's momentum and service to our students and all Minnesotans.
As a regent, I am honored and humbled to help guide this extraordinary university. I also fully understand that our state's prosperity and health are inextricably tied to the U's success. Be assured, the people who make up Minnesota's only world-class research university — faculty, staff, administration and regents — are dedicated to making us all proud.
Janie Mayeron is chair of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.
