Getting to know the U of M regents and what they do
U of M Regents Mary Turner and Penny Wheeler provided an engaging and personal exchange about their roles as new members of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents during UMRA’s special forum on October 4. Both have been visiting the five U of M system campuses and spending many hours learning about all of the University’s functions.
Regent Turner said she is learning about higher education, but she knows politics and that the University has to do a better job communicating its value to legislators. She believes Minnesota is a leader in health care and the University needs to work in partnership with Minnesota providers.
Regent Wheeler emphasized knowing who we serve, supporting faculty and staff, communicating the U’s value, and being strategic. She will provide a strategic perspective as a member of the Governor's Task Force on Academic Health at the University of Minnesota, appointed by Governor Walz.
Both Regents were optimistic about undergraduate enrollment but acknowledged current challenges. They said the presidential search is an immediate priority, and they emphasized the importance of the advisory process shaping the search.
Do you want to help guide the search for a new University president? The Regents office has invited UMRA members to an in-person session at 9 a.m. on Friday, October 20, with Regent Mary Davenport, who chairs the search advisory committee, and Regent Chair Janie Mayeron. It will be held in Room 180 at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs on the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis. You will be able to share your thoughts on what makes a great U of M president, and show them that UMRA members have valuable insights to offer. Email Julie Sweitzer if you would like to attend this special, in-person meeting with Regents Davenport and Mayeron on October 20.
One UMRA member told me after our session with Regents Turner and Wheeler that, previously, the Board of Regents was an amorphous body to him, but now he felt like he knew two regents and something about what the regents do. Mission accomplished.
—Julie Sweitzer, UMRA president-elect and Program Committee chair
Meet the newest U of M regents
Wed, Oct 4, 2023, 10am
We have a special opportunity to engage with the four newest members of the U of M Board of Regents at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 4, via Zoom. Our informal, hour-long conversation will start with the regents introducing themselves and will include ample opportunity for UMRA members to ask questions.
Please register now for this Zoom webinar and save the date.
The purpose of our connecting with the new regents is to share our perspectives as former University employees. One of our earlier meetings was with Regents Mary Davenport and Jane Mayeron.
Regent Robyn Gulley (representing Congressional District 2) is a labor educator and founded New Brookwood Labor College to address racial, economic, and social imbalances of power. Her connections with the University include a master’s of public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She serves on the West St. Paul City Council.
Regent Tadd Johnson (District 8) actually started as a regent in 2022, appointed by the governor to fill a vacancy, and was reelected in 2023. He is professor emeritus of the Department of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota Duluth, and was the first senior director of American Indian Tribal Nations Relations for the U of M System. He is currently senior advisor for government affairs for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Johnson met with us, also via Zoom, for an UMRA forum in September 2021.
Regent Mary Turner (District 3) is a critical care registered nurse at North Memorial Medical Center and president of the Minnesota Nurses Association. She served as the only frontline healthcare worker on the national COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. She is also on the board of Isuroon, which advocates for Somali women.
Regent Penny Wheeler (At-large) retired as the chief executive officer of Allina Health and practiced medicine as a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist. She is recognized nationally as a leader in health care, and is a proud “triple Gopher.” She completed her undergraduate and medical degrees and her medical residency at the U of M.
Feel free to email questions in advance to Julie Sweitzer. You can submit questions during the Zoom webinar as well.
—Julie Sweitzer, UMRA Program Committee chair