U.S. Senator Al Franken, DFL- Minn., visited with the Leadership Council of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Monday, August 31. The focus of the discussion centered around serving students. Campus presidents told Senator Franken what was unique about their institutions and explained that Minnesota State Colleges and Universities serve students differently- some students may transfer between two year and four year institutions, others are taking classes at multiple locations and many are non-traditional, some going back to school after facing unemployment. There was also discussion about how the federal government could better structure financial aid to serve the system's unique learners. Senator Franken said he learned valuable information at the session, which he hopes to bring back to Washington, D.C. He is a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee; the Judiciary Committee; the Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Special Committee on Aging. After the August recess, the HELP committee is expected to begin work on higher education legislation.
