April 20, 2005 - Plans to close the University of Minnesota's General College move forward despite deep controvesy over the proposal. For over 70 years, the U's General College has been a gateway to the U for under-prepared metro-area high school students, many of whom are immigrants and people of color. University officials say even with the proposed changes to General College, they are committed to recruiting and helping students of color succeed.Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
May 10, 2005 - Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and school Superintendent Thandiwe Peebles today assured Hmong community leaders they are working on school bus safety. The Minneapolis officials attended a gathering with Mai Chao Xiong, the mother of a kindergartner struck and killed by his school bus in April. The accident occurred shortly after the bus dropped 5 year old Kong Meng Vang at his stop. Peebles says she has been told such deaths have happened before in Minneapolis , but she says they won't happen again.
May 18, 2005 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports on how globalization has brought an increasing diversity to places like the St. Paul School District. Now officials are trying to spice up their lunch menu to satisfy the tastes of students from all over the world.
May 25, 2005 - A new report from a Twin Cities public policy organization suggests the St. Paul school district could do a better job pushing high school graduates toward higher education, especially students of color. The Citizens League says the goal of getting more students through college should be an urgent priority for not only the school district, but the entire state.
May 26, 2005 - Governor Tim Pawlenty signed the 2.8-billion dollar higher education funding bill today (THURSDAY) in Rochester. It's the first major budget legislation to pass in the regular session. Lawmakers continue to meet in special session to patch significant gaps in the remaining two year state budget. The state's college and university leaders say the recent session was much better for higher ed than past efforts. But students and others say the progress isn't enough. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
June 7, 2005 - Admission Possible is a nonprofit organization that helps disadvantaged students in St. Paul and Minneapolis get into college. This year, 100 percent of the program's 246 seniors are headed for higher education. Five Admission Possible participants talk about their future plans.
July 13, 2005 - MPR’s Marianne Combs reports that The MacPhail Center for Music is building a new home in Minneapolis…and a new future while breaking down old walls. MacPhail unveiled the design for an expanded music education center in the Mill District, in what's becoming a new cultural corridor.
July 15, 2005 - Advocates for 6000 Hmong refugees forced out of camp in Thailand rallied at the Minnesota state capitol today to ask the U. S. Government for help. Nancy Meyer, an english teacher at Hmong American Partnership a St. Paul advocacy group says the communist government of Laos is refusing to allow the Hmong back into their homeland and Thailand will no longer care for them.
July 20, 2005 - Dr. Jon Hallberg is a physician in family practice at the University of Minnesota. His article "11 books that might make a difference," appears in the July edition of Minnesota Medicine. Y
September 30, 2005 - All Things Considered’s Tom Crann talks with Abdisalam Adam, a community specialist with the St. Paul Public School district, about a group of teachers, librarians, parents and social service providers meeting to discuss some alternative curriculums that would more closely reflect the culture of the students in the room.