♪♪ >> ERIC: FORMER STATE SENATOR MELISA LOPEZ FRANZEN RAN THE CAUCUS THAT DELIVERED CONTROL AT THE CAPITOL TO DEMOCRATS, BUT REDISTRICTING DEALT HER A HAND THAT HAD HER LEAVE THE CAPITOL.

NOW THE SUBURBAN LAWYER IS TACKLING A TOUGH JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AS IT'S GOING THROUGH TRANSITION.

REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER CAUGHT UP WITH HER ON CAMPUS.

>> Mary: THIS IS YOUR BUILDING NOW WHERE YOU WORK.

MELISSA LÓPEZ FRANZEN IS USED TO A DEMANDING, HIGH-PROFILE POSITION.

THE FORMER DFL SENATE LEADER LED HER CAUCUS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER A DECADE AFTER BECOMING THE IRST DEMOCRAT TO WIN A SENATE SEAT IN EDINA.

>> THE CITY OF EDINA IS SENDING A DEMOCRAT TO THE STATE SENATE!

[ Cheers ] >> THERE'S A LOT OF AMAZING HISTORY AND WE JUST HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE OF WHERE WE CAME FROM.

AND THAT'S WHY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO BE STRONG.

IF THE "U" HAS ITS HANDPRINTS ON SOMETHING YOU TRUST IT'S GOOD WORK, YOU ZRUST IT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT, AND IT'S A GOOD RETURN ON OUR DOLLARS.

>> Mary: NOW SHE'S BACK ON THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CAMPUS AFTER EARNING A MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC POLICY HERE 20 YEARS AGO.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE NOW?

>> I THINK IT'S BEEN SIX WEEKS.

>> Mary: HOW HAS IT FELT?

>> IT'S BEEN LIKE SIX YEARS.

IT'S BEEN LITERALLY DRINKING FROM A FIRE HOSE, BUT I'M USED TO THAT.

THE PACE WE HAD AT THE LEGISLATURE.

SO I'M THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CAMPUSWIDE.

AND IT'S NOT A NEW ROLE, BUT IT'S STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY.

SO I REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE INTERIM PRESIDENT.

>> Mary: THE "U" IS IN TRANSITION, AND HAD TOUGH SLEDDING AT THE CAPITOL WITH THE DEPARTURE F A HIGH-PAID PRESIDENT AND COLLAPSE OF A HOSPITAL MERGER.

HOW ARE YOU ABOUT HELPING AND IMPROVING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE "U" AND THE LEGISLATURE?

>> WELL, PEOPLE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF THE "U," THAT'S WHY THEY CARE, THAT'S WHY THEY OPINE AND THAT'S WHY WE GET THE SCRUTINY THAT WE DO.

THE SCRUTINY IS FAIR BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN SORT OF DORMANT IN THE LAST YEAR, I WOULD SAY, AND NOW MY JOB IS TO REVIVE THIS FUNCTION AND REALLY SHOWCASE IT ABOUT MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY EXTERNALLY BUT ALSO INTERNALLY.

>> Mary: SO INSTEAD OF CHEERING AT THE HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME, SHE'S WORKING THE CROWD WITH LAWMAKERS AND POLITICAL LEADERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

AND HOW MUCH ARE YOU LEANING ON YOUR FRIENDS AND CONNECTIONS IN THE LEGISLATURE AND IN GOVERNMENT?

>> OH, ALL HE TIME.

EVERY SINGLE MINUTE.

IT'S CALLING A FRIEND OR CALLING A FRIEND WHO KNOWS A FRIEND, AND BY FRIEND, I MEAN COLLEAGUES IN THE ADMINISTRATION, COLLEAGUES AT THE LEGISLATURE, COLLEAGUES IN AN AGENCY.

SO, IT'S REALLY -- IT REALLY PAYS OFF TO KNOW WHO TO GO TO BUT ALSO TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS, NOT JUST A CONTACT.

IT'S FAST PACE, AS YOU KNOW, A BIG INSTITUTION LIKE THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA WITH FIVE CAMPUSES ALL OVER THE STATE, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING, AND THERE'S A LOT OF EYES ON THE "U," AND WHAT THE "U" NEEDS OR WHAT THE "U" IS DOING OR WHERE WE END UP IN THE MEDIA.

IT'S REALLY MAKING THE CASE OF THE VALUE OF THE INSTITUTION, NOT JUST IN RESEARCH AND ACADEMICS BUT ALSO THE OUTREACH THAT WE DO.

>> Mary: THE UNIVERSITY ALSO MADE NEWS FOR FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER AND REGENT SVIGGUM QUESTIONING THE AMOUNT OF DIVERSITY.

>> I RECEIVED A COUPLE LETTERS, TWO, ACTUALLY, FROM FRIENDS WHOSE CHILDREN ARE NOT GOING TO GO TO MORRIS BECAUSE IT IS TOO DIVERSE.

>> I'M A TRANSPLANT, I CAME FROM PUERTO RICO TO MINNESOTA BECAUSE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

THAT IS THE REASON I AM HERE.

SO I'M A TESTAMENT TO THE IMPORTANCE OF BRINGING THOSE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AND STUDENT BODY.

SO IT BECOMES A RICHER PLACE, TOO, TO WORK AND PLAY.

>> Mary: BACK TO POLITICS, WHICH KEEPS CALLING THIS SUBURBAN MOM, AN ATTORNEY, BUT FRANZEN TAMPS IT DOWN.

>> I AM SO HAPPY, I AM SO TIRED.

>> Mary: YOU WERE ON THE PRECIPICE OF AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.

YOU RAN THE CAUCUS THAT TOOK OVER THE SENATE AND CREATED ALL DFL CONTROL OF HE LEGISLATURE.

IS POLITICS STILL GOING TO PULL ON YOU?

>> WELL, I'LL SAY THE FIRST WEEK I TOOK THISSOR, I WENT BACK HOME, I SAID TO MY HUSBAND, I THINK I CAN RETIRE HERE.

IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE.

THAT IS MY FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO BUILDING THIS TEAM, LEADING IT.

>> Mary: BUT PEOPLE STILL WANT YOU TO RUN.

>> WELL, THIS IS ANOTHER PART OF MY PUBLIC SERVICE.

SO I THINK WORKING FOR A LAND GRANT INSTITUTION LIKE THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA HAS A LOT OF PROMISE.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO HERE.

AND I THINK I'M IN A GOOD POSITION TO DO THAT WORK.

>> Mary: EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH CONGRESSMAN PHILLIPS, HE JUST STEPPED DOWN FROM A LEADERSHIP POST, THERE WERE CRIES, YOU KNOW THX PI POLITICAL VIVISTS FOR YOU TO STEP IN AND RUN FOR THE SEAT.

ANY INTEREST?

>> NO INTEREST.

>> Mary: BUT SHE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO POLITICS, EVEN THOUGH REDISTRICTING DREW HER OUT OF A SENATE SEAT, FRANZEN CLOSELY WATCHED THE FIRST LEGISLATURE LED BY TWO WOMEN WHO DELIVERED HISTORIC RESULTS.

>> THIS WAS A TEAM EFFORT THIS YEAR.

>> WE MADE MASSIVE INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION OF HE KIND WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN THIS STATE SINCE THE FIRST MINNESOTA MIRACLE.

>> WE SAW TWO WOMEN UN TWO LEGISLATIVE CHAMBERS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AND DELIVER HISTORIC RESULTS.

AS A FEMALE LAWMAKER, LEADER, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THAT?

>> IT WAS ABOUT TIME.

WONDERFUL PEOPLE.

THEY ARE GREAT LEADERS.

I WAS VERY PROUD TO SEE GOOD, STRONG WOMEN LEADING CAUCUSES WITH A LOT OF GOOD MEN AS WELL.

>> Mary: STUNNING, THOUGH, TO SEE HOW MUCH THEY GOT DONE?

>> YES.

>> Mary: THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THE WORK.

>> EVEN I WAS SURPRISED, BUT I'M PROUD WE CAN SHOWCAS