DETAILS, HASN'T BEEN TO THE SENATE FLOOR YET SO I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION AT THIS POINT.

>> Barry: LET'S MOVE ON TO HIGHER EDUCATION.

AND WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM VIEWERS CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATUS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

WE HAD GUESTS ON IN THE PRECEDING WEEKS WHO TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ENROLLMENT DECLINES IN THE MINNESOTA STATE SYSTEM AND ALSO AT THE UNIVERSITY.

IT HAS A VERY LARGE BUDGET REQUEST AND OF COURSE WE ALSO HAVE THIS ISSUE OF WHAT TO DO IF ANYTHING WITH UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SYSTEM AS A RESULT OF THE POTENTIAL, ALTHOUGH NOT GET CONSUMMATED, MERGER WITH THE SANFORD HEALTH SYSTEMS IN FAIRVIEW.

SENATOR LUCERO, BUDGET ISSUES, PRIORITIES, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>> SURE.

ABSOLUTELY.

MULTIPLE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, OVER 12 YEARS MYSELF, AND THEN I TAUGHT COLLEGE FOR 7 YEARS PRIOR TO GETTING INTO THE LEGISLATURE HERE.

HIGHER EDUCATION IS DEFINITELY A PASS, EDUCATION, WHETHER IT BE K THROUGH 12 IS CERTAINLY A HIGHER PRIORITY FOR ME.

THE THING WE ARE WITNESSING ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE DECLINE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DIRECT CAUSE, BUT WHAT THE LARGER CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE HAD OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN SKYROCKETING COSTS, RELATIONSHIP OF THE COST OF EDUCATION VERSUS THE REWARD.

SO THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF CAREERS THAT UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES OFFER THAT DON'T HAVE A VALUE OR AREN'T MARKETABLE IN THE REAL WORLD.

WHEN STUDENTS GO FOR THESE, WHETHER IT BE A MAJOR OR MINOR, AND THEY HAVE BEEN THERE, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND SOMETIMES OVER $100,000 IN DEBT, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A DEGREE THAT'S MARKETABLE OR STILL THAT THEIR EMPLOYER IS WILLING TO PAY FOR, THAT'S A CONCERN.

THERE IS AN AWARE NERVOUS THAT SKILLED POSITIONS ARE HIGH PAYING AND IN HIGH DEMAND, AND MANY OF THESE ROLES CAN BE OBTAINED WITH A SIMPLE TWO-YEAR DEGREE.

THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE ARE GRAVITATING TO AS THE DEMAND FOR THESE ROLES CONTINUE TO INCREASE, HIGH PAYING SALARIES THAT ACCOMPANIED THEM.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR MANY OF THESE UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, AND I CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN A BRICK AND MORTAR SENSE.

THERE'S ANOTHER FACTOR WE HAVE SEEN WITH COVID.

I DO TECHNOLOGY FOR A LIVING.

WE MOVE DOWN THE CURVE OF REMOTE AND CAPABILITIES OF AN EDUCATION AS AMONG THOSE, AND I HAVE HAD -- THERE IS GOING TO BE A LEARNING CURVE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THESE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION OF OFFERING SERVICES IN A REMOTE CAPACITY RATHER THAN THE BRICK AND MORTAR.

BRICK AND MORTAR IS EXPENSIVE.

YOU HAVE THE HVAC, AND YOU HAVE UPKEEP.

THERE IS, I THINK, A CHALLENGE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ACCOMPANY.

>> Barry: SENATOR BOLDON, HIGHER EDUCATION ISSUES.

>> I APPRECIATE THIS TOPIC.

EDUCATION IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

I HAVE A DEGREE IN NURSING EDUCATION.

I TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY, AND WHAT I OFTEN HEAR IN TERMS OF HIGH COST, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND NOT WANTING TO TAKE ON A MASSIVE STUDENT LOAN DEBT THAT WILL HANG ON WITH THEM FOR YEARS AND DECADES TO COME.

I ALSO WILL NOTE, AS WE TALK ABOUT DECREASING ENROLLMENTS, IN MY COMMUNITY THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THAT.

THEY HAD SEEN AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT.

THE REASON FOR THAT THEY HAVE CREATIVE PROGRAMS, AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS, PROGRAMS SPECIFIC TO LARGELY HEALTHCARE CAREERS, WITH WHICH THERE'S A HUGE NEED FOR THAT, AND SO THEY ARE ABLE TO GET INTO THE FIELD AND GET TO WORK AND MAKE A GOOD WAGE.

MOVING FORWARD, I THINK WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE HIGH COST OR WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE DECLINING ENROLLMENT.

THERE'S A BILL IN THE SENATE AROUND FREE TUITION, AND THE DETAILS HAVE CHANGED SINCE IT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED.

THE CONCEPT IS REALLY ABOUT MAKING EDUCATION MORE AFFORDABLE FOR MORE FOLKS.

THE LAST THING I WILL SAY JUST AS YOU MENTIONED, THE MERGER SANFORD IN THE HHS COMMITTEE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, WE HAD AN EXCELLENT HEARING ABOUT THIS, AND IT WAS A PACKED ROOM.

WE ACTUALLY HAD SEVERAL FORMER GOVERNORS COME TO TESTIFY, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE AND BROUGHT OUT, I THINK, FOR PROBABLY NEARLY ALL OF US ON THE COMMITTEE FROM REALLY SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THAT.

THERE WILL BE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT REALLY WHAT CAN BE AND SHOULD BE DONE WITH THAT.

>> Barry: I THINK IT'S FAMOUS FOR THE RECENT OPPORTUNITY THAT FORMER GOVERNOR DAYTON AND FORMER GOVERNOR PAWLENTY SPOKE AT THAT SAME HEARING, DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY.

REPRESENTATIVE HEINTZEMAN, EDUCATION ISSUES, ALSO THE MERGER QUESTION, SANFORD UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTERPIECE TO THAT.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON ALL OF THAT.

>> IT'S A LARGE SUBJECT AREA, AND I WILL TRY TO COVER SOME OF THE GROUND THAT MAYBE HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSED.

AFFORDABILITY IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND WITH 6 KIDS RANGING IN AGE FROM 21 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 6, THIS IS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, NO QUESTION, IN MY HOUSE, AND ALL THREE OF MY OLDER CHILDREN HAVE REALLY APPRECIATED THE PSEO PROGRAM.

THAT'S YOUR POST SECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTION.

HERE IS A NEWS FLASH.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO WORK ON A FAMILY LEVEL, WORK ON AFFORDABILITY, YOUR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR, YOUR STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND A MINNESOTA STATE CAMPUS AT NO CHARGE RATHER THAN THOSE K THROUGH $12 FOLLOWING THE STUDENT INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, THEY CAN FOLLOW A STUDENT OVER TO A MINNESOTA STATE CAMPUS.

ON THE OTHER PART OF THAT THAT'S INTERESTING IS NOT ONLY CAN THEY APPLY THOSE DOLLARS TO THE MINNESOTA STATE CAMPUS, THEY CAN APPLY THEM TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO MENTION SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD THE HIGHER ED BILL MOVING ALONG AND WAS HEARD YESTERDAY, AND THERE WAS UNFORTUNATELY LANGUAGE THAT PIVOTED THOSE DOLLARS FROM FOLLOWING KIDS INTO AN INSTITUTION AT A STATEMENT OF FAITH.

AND IF THAT IS BRINGING ANY KIND OF QUESTION MARKS IN TERMS OF A CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION, YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

I GUARANTEE YOU IF THAT LEGISLATION MOVES THROUGH OUR CURRENT PROCESS AND BECOMES LAW IN MINNESOTA, THAT WILL BE CHALLENGED ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED OF THAT.

YOU CAN'T EXCLUDE AN INSTITUTION SIMPLY BECAUSE IT HAS A STATEMENT OF FAITH.

THINK ABOUT THIS.

IF FOR EXAMPLE YOU HAVE A STUDENT THAT WALKS ON TO A CAMPUS THAT MAY BE ONE OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS AND THEY NEVER TAKE A CLASS THAT EVEN TOUCHES, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE THE INSTITUTION HAS A STATEMENT, THEY ARE NOW EXCLUDED FROM RECEIVING DOLLARS, AND THAT'S SHOCKING TO ME.

SO THAT'S A CONCERNING AREA.

ON THE POSITIVE REPRESENTATIVE PELOWSKI WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE HIGHER ED COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF GETTING AT SOME OF THE NEEDS IN THE MINNESOTA STATE PROGRAM AND THEN ALSO ADDRESSING ISSUES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND WE DO HAVE A SURPLUS, SO RIGHT NOW MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, AND WE WILL SEE IF THE LANGUAGE COMES THROUGH IN CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS AFTER THE FACT.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THINGS CURRENTLY LAY, AND FUNDING AND SOME OF THE PROS AND CONS AS I SEE IT.

>> Barry: GO AHEAD, SENATOR BOLDON.

GO AHEAD FIRST.

>> I WANTED TO CHIME IN ON THE PSEO.

THE PSEO DOLLARS CANNOT BE USED -- STUDENTS CAN STILL ATTEND ENTITIES THAT ARE RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS.

IT'S JUST THAT THOSE SCHOOLS CANNOT USE A STATEMENT OF FAITH AS PART OF THE ADMISSION PROCESS.

WHAT IT KEEPS FROM HAPPENING IS DISCRIMINATION ACTUALLY AGAINST FOLKS WHO MAY NOT SHARE THE FAITH OR CAN'T ATTEST TO THAT, AND AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS ARE TELL US ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.

A STUDENT WHO IS JEWISH OR MUSLIM IS NOT GOING TO HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, AND IT CAN'T BE USED.

IT REALLY IS A MECHANISM TO NOT ALLOW DISCRIMINATION FOR THOSE STUDENTS, AND THEY STILL CAN GO TO THE SCHOOLS BUT CAN'T BE A BARRIER AS THE ACCEPTANCE PROCESS.

I WANTED TO CLARIFY.

>> Barry: REPRESENTATIVE HEINTZEMAN, I WANTED TO BACK TO YOU BRIEFLY.

SENATOR BOLDON TOUCH ODD ACADEMIC BUSINESS, AND WE HAD TWO FORMER GOVERNORS TESTIFYING, THAT WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, WHETHER IT'S A BILLION DOLLARS OR 500 MILLION.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY PROGRESS ON THAT FROM A LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT?

ANY NEWS ON THAT THAT WE CAN TELL OUR VIEWERS.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO RESPOND, BARRY, AND ON THAT SPECIFICALLY, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT BEYOND WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED AND YOU MIGHT HAVE COVERED A FEW OF THE HIGH LEVEL HEADLINES IN TERMS OF THOSE ATTENDING AND SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS.

I WOULD MENTION, THOUGH, WHEN WE ARE GETTING BACK TO THE PSEO DISCUSSION, THERE ARE THINGS STUDENTS OF FAITH MAY FIND OBJECTIONABLE IN A SECULAR INSTITUTION, BUT WE DON'T EXCLUDE THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE OFFENSIVE IN ONE FAITH OR ANOTHER.

WE ALLOW PEOPLE TO HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE ABOUT THESE TYPES OF THINGS.

RATHER THAN EXCLUDING AN INSTITUTION, IT'S BETTER TO LET EVERYONE KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY LAY ON THESE ISSUES