Minn. public colleges must work for funding boost from DFL - Alex Friedrich, Minnesota Public Radio

DFL leaders say they'd like to make more higher education funding a priority when the legislative session starts next week. But public colleges and universities may have to work harder to get that money. After years of watching the state Legislature spend less and less money on higher education, Minnesota Private College Council President Paul Cerkvenik senses a change in attitude. "I think there's been much greater interest in higher education right now than there has been in two decades in Minnesota," said Cerkvenik. That opinion is shared by Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, who is the incoming chair of the Senate higher education committee. "The state has scaled back its investment in higher ed, and I don't think that's what we want to do," said Bonoff. "I hope that we -- and it's my intention to -- make a stronger investment in higher ed." http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/12/31/univ-of-minnesota-funding-in-new-legislative-session/