University of Minnesota-Rochester

legislature as a future branch of the University of Minnesota system. This designation allowed the Rochester site to develop its own leadership structure and to begin to develop its own academic program independent of other campuses.
In 2000, the university heightened efforts to grow both the graduate satellite programs of the Rochester branch by adding a new provost to lead the campus and staff to accommodate this growth.
The current University of Minnesota Rochester began to take form in January 2005 when then-Governor Tim Pawlenty announced in his State of the State address that southeastern Minnesota was underserved by public higher education and announced a plan to initiate research into solving the problem. The governor formed the Rochester Higher Education Development Committee (RHEDC) and appointed local business owner Marilyn Stewart to lead the group. The committee consisted of representatives from other public and private education institutions, area business leaders, and leaders in health care. The …