Legislators, critics zero in on higher-ed costs

The Minnesota House and Senate introduced higher education bills last week that are focused on keeping college costs in check. The $3 billion bills include a two-year freeze on tuition at state schools.

This comes at a time when the University of Minnesota is under fire for high administrative costs.

Former Gov. Arne Carlson has one of the highest profiles among recent critics of the university. He wrote an op-ed detailing what are, in his view, bloated administrative costs.

"You can't have a fundraiser [Joel Maturi] making more than the president of the United States and then come to the taxpayers and say, 'You've got to pay more taxes to afford us,'" Carlson told Kerri Miller on The Daily Circuit recently.

Linda Cohen, chair of the university's Board of Regents, fired back in her own op-ed, saying that Carlson's piece contained inaccurate information, omissions and contradictions.

"Just like any other business, the university recruits faculty and staff in a market," Cohen wrote. "Despite Carlson's wishes, market salaries are not calibrated to those paid to elected or appointed government officials, who should, arguably, be paid more."

Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, chair of the House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee, joins The Daily Circuit to discuss the higher education finance bill and the recent controversy over the university's "administrative bloat."