A grass-roots network of faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members has launched a new effort to promote Minnesota's investment in higher education.
Supporters of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system have developed the Friends Action Network to advocate for the system during the 2007 legislative session.
Members of FAN will talk to their friends, family, neighbors - and especially their elected officials - about the value that the MnSCU system delivers to the state.
"Strong state support for MnSCU translates into an increased access to professional opportunities, a strong work force, and improved quality of life for all Minnesotans, now and for future generations," says MSUM President Roland Barden.
For more information and to become a member of FAN, visit www.fan.mnscu.edu .
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MLK reading today
North Dakota State University will host its second annual Martin Luther King Day Jr. reading today.
Volunteers will read King's work in 30-minute increments from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Last year the event, organized by Multicultural Student Services, drew 300 participants.
Hart a semifinalist
Sharon Hart, interim executive director of College Technical Education Council for North Dakota University System, is one of four semifinalists for a college presidency in Colorado.
Hart was scheduled to participate in a public forum Wednesday at Pueblo Community College.
Hart served as president of North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton from 2000 through September. Her contract with the university system is through June 30. She also was a finalist for president of Elgin Community College but was not hired.
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$150,000 awarded
Concordia Language Villages has received a $150,000 grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Innovation Fund.
The program supports international study and language immersion for high-achieving, low-income high school students. Of 100 language immersion organizations that applied for grants, seven received funding.
Concordia Language Villages will use the funding to offer need-based scholarships for students studying languages that have been identified as critical, including Korean, Chinese, Russian and Arabic.
Heritage learners, students who have been raised in a home where a non-English language is spoken, will be given special consideration.
UND accredited
The University of North Dakota has received accreditation from the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs.
The association is a nonprofit that works with organizations that conduct human research to raise the level of protection for research participants.
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To become accredited, organizations must be able to demonstrate that extensive safeguards are built into every level of their research operation.
Professor gets grant
Deborah White, a Minnesota State University Moorhead sociology professor, has received a $7,000 grant to support the Tri-College National Education for Women's Leadership Development Institute.
White is project director for the institute, which aims to engage women of all ages in developing leadership skills in community organizing and running for office.
The grant is from the Women's Foundation, the nation's first and Minnesota's only community foundation dedicated solely to growing equality for women and girls.
Readers can reach Forum reporter
Amy Dalrymple at (701) 241-5590
