The following article summarizes the original event which is listed below the summary.
McMillan voiced optimism, great affection for the U
UMRA’s 2019 Annual Meeting on May 21 was highlighted by a presentation from Dave McMillan, chair of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. McMillan has been a regent since 2011 and has served as the board chair for the past two years. He gave an illuminating and educational description of the board and its work, and, for an extended period of time, answered questions on many current topics. His presentation was remarkable for its candor and sincerity. He was well received by the membership.
McMillan began with a discussion of the founding of the University in 1851 by an act of the Territorial Legislature, which was then perpetuated in the Minnesota Constitution when Minnesota became a state in 1858. He emphasized the three-part mission of the University—teaching, research, and outreach—and said the state-wide impact of the University is dramatically expressed not only through its campuses but also through numerous research centers, Extension offices, and health care programs.
McMillan also reviewed some familiar statistics about the size and scope of the University: 67,000 students across five campuses; 26,000 employees, making the U the fifth-largest employer in the state; and nearly 16,000 degrees granted annually, which is critical for workforce development. For more U metrics, see the slides of his presentation posted on the UMRA website.
He spent some time describing the structure of the board and how it works. He also reviewed the board’s priorities for 2018–19 and evaluated what had been accomplished.
Most important, McMillan expressed great enthusiasm about Joan Gabel as the University’s next president. He was clearly proud of the presidential search process, which was conducted last fall in a transparent and inclusive manner in the face of some stringent statutory requirements. As chair of the Board of Regents, McMillan was responsible for assuring the presidential search produced a dynamic leader who can build on the U’s many past successes.
In an extended question and answer period, McMillan addressed the months-long controversy over calls to remove the names of four former University administrators from campus buildings. He believes the board could have done better in its handling of the matter, and that the U needs to develop and implement better processes for addressing such situations which, undoubtedly, will occur in the future.
He also expressed a good deal of optimism for the future, and encouraged us to expect not perfection from the board but honesty and great effort to serve the U community.
The event was a great success because of McMillan’s forthrightness. As noted in UMRA’s May 2019 newsletter, he is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth and the U Law School, and his family proudly includes a very large number of U graduates. Our thanks to him.
—Bill Donohue, chair, Program Committee, and president-elect
Regent Chair to keynote UMRA’s Annual Meeting
Tue, May 21 2019, 4pm
Campus Club 4th Floor, West Wing Dining Room
David McMillan, chair of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, will be the keynote speaker at UMRA’s 2019 Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 21, to be held in the West Wing dining room of the Campus Club. We are pleased to welcome him. McMillan represents the 8th Congressional District on the board. He was elected for the first time by the Legislature in 2011 and reelected to a second six-year term in 2017.
He will speak about his extensive experience as a regent. We also expect to hear from him about the selection of the University’s new president, Joan Gabel.
McMillan has chaired several committees of the Board of Regents, and served as vice chair from 2015 to 2017 before being elected in June 2017 to serve a two-year term as chair.
A retired executive from Minnesota Power, where he worked in a variety of roles from 1989 to 2018, McMillan received a bachelor of arts degree in economics and history from the University of Minnesota Duluth and a law degree from the University of Minnesota.
After living in Duluth for more than 30 years, McMillan and his wife now call Palisade, Minnesota, home. McMillan’s father, grandparents, wife, children, and son-in-law are all University alumni.
McMillan has served on many boards, including as chair of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Goodwill Industrial Vocational Enterprises. He currently serves as chair of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Advisory Board.
McMillan has been an important voice in virtually all major decisions at the University for many years. He is respected by his peers and the administrators who have had the opportunity to interact and work with him. He has helped shape University policy and the major decisions that come before the board, such as tuition levels and budget allocations. And he had the good fortune to lead the regents as they choose a new president, the most important responsibility of the board.
Even more importantly, McMillan is a good guy who is well liked by almost everyone, including those who disagree with him. We have invited him to speak about his life and times as a regent and expect a candid and far-ranging conversation.
Please join us to learn about the experience of this extraordinary leader and ask questions about how the University is run at the top.
—Bill Donohue, chair, Program Committee, and president-elect
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.