♪♪ >> Cathy: IN SEPTEMBER WE MET THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S NEW PRESIDENT REBECCA CUNNINGHAM.

WE TALKED AT THAT TIME ABOUT ENROLLMENT AT THE U, A POSSIBLE FAIRVIEW/U OF M HOSPITAL DEAL, AND THE LEGISLATURE.

WITH A FEW MORE MONTHS UNDER HER BELT AND THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE LOOMING WE THOUGHT IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD TIME TO CHECK BACK IN WITH PRESIDENT CUNNINGHAM.

WELCOME BACK.

>> GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> Cathy: SAY, MPR HAD A STORY ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA PREPARING FOR POSSIBLE MASS DEPORTATIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY LATINO STUDENTS AND I'M WONDERING WITH THE NUMBER OF INSURANCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, ARE YOU PREPARING FOR MASS DEPORTATIONS?

WHAT'S THE PLAN IF THAT HAPPENS?

>> INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND FACULTY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A VIBRANT PART OF OUR UNIVERSITY IN SHARING AND EXCHANGES IDEAS AND WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD RESOURCES, EXISTING RESOURCES IN HOW TO HELP OUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NAVIGATE THE POLICIES AND RULES OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

>> Cathy: AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE, THOUGH?

ARE YOU HEARING FROM STUDENTS WHO MIGHT BE CONCERNED OR FACULTY?

>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN WHAT WILL HAPPEN, WHAT CHANGES WILL COME, AND WE HAVE RESOURCES TO HELP PROVIDE OUR FACULTY AND STUDENTS WITH THOSE AS THINGS CHANGE AND HELP UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THEM, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.

>> Eric: U OF M DOES HAVE A POLICE FORCE AND DO YOU HAVE AN ABILITY TO SAY DON'T COOPERATE WITH THE FEDS WHEN THEY COME IN AND DEPORT PEOPLE, OR?

>> THE UNIVERSITY POLICE FORCE IS FOCUSED ON CAMPUS SAFETY, WHICH SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CAMPUS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ALWAYS WORK ON HOW WE CAN ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR CAMPUS, BUT THESE THINGS THAT WE'LL ALL HAVE TO LEARN TOGETHER IN A NEW ADMINISTRATION.

>> Cathy: SO WHEN YOU WERE HERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY WORKING TO REACQUIRE THEIR TEACHING HOSPITALS THAT FAIRVIEW HAS BEEN -- OWNS AND HAS BEEN RUNNING WITH THE U OF M, RIGHT?

SO I'M WONDERING, HOW ARE THOSE TALKS GOING?

ON CFSS I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THEY'RE PROBABLY PRETTY INTERESTING.

>> TALKS ARE REALLY INTERESTING AND ONGOING, WE'RE CERTAINLY WELL WITHIN THE DEEP PHASE OF NEGOTNEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR FAIRW PARTNERS.

I'LL HAVE MORE UPDATES WHEN THE RESULTS OF THOSE TALKS CAN BE PUBLIC.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME THE UNIVERSITY CONTINUES TO PROVIDE AMAZING HEALTH CARE, YOU HEARD EARLIER FROM YOUR EARLIER GUEST ON THE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES AROUND THE STATE.

THE UNIVERSITY IS POISED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE 70% OF THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE THAT WE DO ACROSS THE STATE NOW.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR STATE BUDGET REQUEST THIS YEAR IS INDEED AROUND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF MINNESOTA.

AND WE HAVE IN THAT REQUEST WE HAVE THE ABILITY WITH GOOD STATE PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 3,000 HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, NURSES, PHYSICIANS, VETS, TECHS, ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, AND TO TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF MOBILE HEALTH AND TELEHEALTH PROVIDERS TO REALLY REACH ACROSS GREATER MINNESOTA.

SO WE'RE WORKING ON LOTS OF WAY THAT'S WE CAN IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF MINNESOTANS.

>> Cathy: YOU ENTIONED YOUR LEGISLATIVE REQUEST.

LAST SESSION YOU WERE ASKING FOR $950 MILLION.

IS THAT THE PRICE TAG TO REACQUIRE THE HOSPITALS FROM FAIRVIEW?

>> NO THE STATE REQUEST WE HAVE IN RIGHT NOW, THAT'S A SEPARATE NEGOTIATION AN CONVERSATIONS.

>> Cathy: OKAY.

>> Eric: ARE YOU DOING SOME MISSIONARY WORK AT THE LEGISLATURE?

I KNOW YOUR PREDECESSOR DIDN'T ACTUALLY LIGHT IT ON FIRE OVER THERE.

>> I'M HAVING A GREAT TIME AT THE LEGISLATURE.

I'M GETTING TO KNOW -- >> Eric: WHAT KIND OF RECEPTION ARE YOU GETTING?

>> I THINK PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THE GREAT WORK THAT THE UNIVERSITY DOES AND I'VE BEEN HAPPY TO SHARE WITH THEM MY IMPRESSIONS COMING INTO THE STATE FOR THE GREAT ASSET THAT WE HAVE, WHAT AN AMAZING, WHAT THE VALUE IS FOR THE PUBLIC INVESTMENT THAT THEY PROVIDE AND TAXPAYERS PROVIDE FOR THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND HOW WE PROVIDE THAT.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN REALLY CLEAR, WE WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE WE STRETCH EVERY DOLLAR.

WE LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES ALL THE TIME, JUST THIS PAST YEAR WE LOOKED AT, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW WE LOOK AT THE CONTENT THAT'S BEING PUBLISHED IN OUR LIBRARIES AND HOW WE'RE MANAGING THAT AND REPURPOSE THAT OVER A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS REALLY EFFICIENTLY.

BUT THE VALUE THAT WE HAVE FOR THE STATE IS CERTAINLY BEYOND THAT, I TALKED ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE COMPONENT AND HOW WE IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF MINNESOTA.

YOU KNOW, I'LL REMIND YOU WE PROVIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYO DOWN THE ROAD PROVIDES GREAT CARE TO A MILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE.

WE PROVIDE GREAT CARE TO A MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS MINNESOTA WITH UNIVERSITY -- WITH UNIVERSITY SERVICES AND PROVIDE THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE ALSO FOR THE STATE.

I THINK THE -- WE'RE ALSO THE OTHER PARTS OF OUR STATE REQUESTS ARE ALSO AROUND RESEARCH, HOW WE REALLY MAKE, PARTNER WITH INDUSTRY AND MAXIMIZE THAT INDUSTRY RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP TO BRING FEDERAL DOLLARS TO THE STATE TO PLACES LIKE INDUSTRY AROUND GREEN STEEL AND SUSTAINABLE STEEL ACROSS THE IRON RANGE IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA.

>> Eric: WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE THIS, GETTING THE HOOK HERE.

WE GOT TO GET ROLLIN'.