February 24, 1999 - The Saint Paul school board has officially named its finalist for superintendent. A public interview of Patricia Harvey, a former Chicago school administrator, is scheduled Monday night. Board members say they're ready to offer her the job.
March 1, 1999 - Voters in the Pipestone/Jasper school district must decide soon whether to build a new school or repair the old one. The state fire marshall has set a deadline for action, and calls the situation serious. This is a scenario many school districts are encountering as their buildings age and the cost to update and improve increases.
March 2, 1999 - A year-long search for a superintendent has ended in the Saint Paul school district, and school board members say it was worth the wait. The board voted unanimously Monday night to hire Patricia Harvey. The urban education consultant and former Chicago schools administrator will replace Curman Gaines, who stepped down last summer after seven years on the job.
March 3, 1999 - State education officials and University of Minnesota researchers say they can now show a clear connection between breakfast and learning. They say results of a three-year study will add weight to Governor Ventura's proposal to boost funding for school breakfast programs by six million dollars.
March 8, 1999 - The legislature will soon debate Governor Ventura's proposal to reduce class sizes in elementary schools. Ventura wants one teacher for every 17 students in kindergarten through third grade. He's convinced smaller classes will improve student achievement. Ventura holds up Centerville Elementary School to prove his point. But the success of one school's experiment might be tough for other schools to copy.
March 11, 1999 - Howard Sinker, MPR sports commentator; and Jay Weiner, MPR sports commentator, discuss the allegations of academic fraud in the University of Minnesota basketball program. MPR reporters William Wilcoxen and Tim Pugmire contribute reports. Basketball coach, Clem Haskins, discusses big-time athletics in the University setting.
March 11, 1999 - University of Minnesota administrators and students are trying to make sense of the academic fraud allegations against four men's basketball players. U of M officials declared the players ineligible for today's NCAA tournament game, and an internal investigation is pending. University Regents tried conducting business as usual, and reserved comment about the scandal. But around the campus, students freely shared their opinions, and few are defending the accused players.
March 12, 1999 - The University of Minnesota's men's basketball team was eliminated yesterday in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Their season ended on a controversial note as four players -- including two starters -- were declared ineligible for the game after allegations of academic fraud surfaced earlier this week.
March 18, 1999 - Mark Yudof, University of Minnesota president, discusses the role of athletics at the University and the accusations of academic fraud in the Gopher men's basketball program. Yudof also answers listener questions.
March 18, 1999 - A "Talk of Minnesota" program, presenting the views of MPR listeners on the role of big time athletics at a university. Wendell Anderson, former Governor, University of Minnesota regent Gopher hockey player, joins the conversation.