I suggest an external auditors examine each department. I suggest the auditor look at the administration and faculty; what they do on a monthly basis and whether their salaries are appropriate for what they do. I believe it would be revealed that 10-50% could be eliminated without harm to the mission of teaching and research. I am sorry but too many tenured faculty members and administers have taken advantage of their enviable (impossible to lay-off or fire) positions. Dismissal of these individuals would save the University a tremendous amount of money and would make it a more highly functional organization.

Might be entertaining to have business major students examine the system and suggest ways to streamline. External consultants are pricey and will produce reports that will be quietly buried in lieu of another consultant producing a more favorable report. I wonder what kinds of cuts are going on at the top, versus workers at the bottom who will lose positions and experience a reduction in hours.

How about a 30% reduction in the wages and benefits of Professors.

For Minnesota to succeed, the "U" needs to be made as strong an institution as possible.

The professors are all liberal whiners. Let them eat cake.

The U-MN has certainly not portrayed itself well in the media the past four or five years. If they are considered our states "flagship" institution, it's pretty embarrassing. From the Board of Regents refusing to listen to a request from their own Bioethics department, to the General Counsel's "denial" stamp of information requests and the Vice-President of Research publishing an editorial in the University's own paper claiming the U doesn't make any money doing research. Then why are they doing it, perhaps it's revenue draining. Just for once, I'd like to read something about the University of Minnesota that was positive, and most importantly, beyond reproach. They just can't seem to get it right over there.

New regent and former GOP legislator Steve Sviggum questioned why the U does not cut more employees.New regent and former GOP legislator Steve Sviggum questioned why the U does not cut more employees."We've got to recognize reality, folks," said Sviggum, who said he opposes the budget's growth over the past decade. "I think I've seen from my own perceptions that we can make significant reductions in non-teaching and non-research positions." ############# Wow, I bet the UofM hoped they would get a Republican lapdog instead of a bluntly honest new regent. Should have hired Arne I guess. GO STEVE!

"It has not been the intent of the university to reduce its overall budget," said Richard Pfutzenreuter, the U's chief financial officer. "This institution has been trying to grow its budget in any way it can."######## This is a telling statement. The UofM has no interest in being efficient with taxpayer money.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Steve Swiggum has absolutely no business making decisions at the University. None. He is not there to help it; he is there to destroy it. I thought we were finally rid of this guy when he didn't run for re-election. I was wrong.

Yes, employment grew in ten years. That's the sign of a healthy company. They're expanding. Swiggum wanted the Regent spot for one purpose: to fire people. That is the only reason he's there. He should start with himself and resign. Now.