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 that quoted the state House higher education committee chairman calling the $2.5 million contract buyout for fired 

The chairman, Rep. Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona), has been tough on spending by the U and the 

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU)

 system. I called him up to see if he'd elaborate.

(What follows is a rundown of my radio reporting -- but also other quotes, tidbits and context.)

He stood by his words, and said the buyout could hurt the university's chances of receiving the state funding it wants for future sports facilities.

Pelowski said the buyout shows that the university can afford to pay more of the cost of construction.

The U often puts forth bonding requests for athletics facilities, he said, even though it's unclear whether we'll have a bonding bill this year.

One of the potential requests if for a basketball practice facility that Smith had long sought. The university has included it in a 

 that could cost as much as $125 million. Athletic Director Norwood Teague told reporters in February the university has considered asking the state to help pay for the project.

Pelowski said he'll be compiling a list of past buyouts and possibly other payments to get an idea of how much the U has been spending in total.

Recent payments that have raised eyebrows include:

paid more than $4 million in the past seven years 

Smith’s three-year extension signed last July raised his buyout after this season from $1.5 million to $2.5 million.

Pelowski said that suggests some cash is lying around at the athletic department -- and that he'll keep that in mind when officials are in front of him at hearings:

 in college sports. And Teague told reporters:

One other thing to keep in mind: The U has subsidized its athletics program in past years. The 

 that the figure was $2.3 million during the 2011 fiscal year -- and 

 it had poured in $26 million in the previous five. (I'll be calling the U to get an updated annual number.)

That subsidy may blur the athletic-academic division to some people.

Pelowski says many of his constituents are hurting, having lost jobs and houses to the recession. Some are seeing red:

He also questioned what the state is getting for the money:

State funding may be tight anyway, no matter how other legislators view the U's spending.

Earlier this year, Pelowski was skeptical that the state would be able to fund Gov. Mark Dayton's budget proposal of $240 million for higher education, which includes $80 million for the U. (That amount would ensure a two-year tuition freeze as well as support for research, among the major items.)

Indeed, he says the House bill now puts funding at $150 million, while the Senate has it at $250 million and the governor's proposal is still at $240 million.

I've got a call out to Pelowski's Senate counterpart, Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka). I'm curious to find out how she sees things.

Update: Although Bonoff said she is concerned with the payout, she says it won't color her thinking if the U asks for state for help with sports facilities. She said she has faith in the U's new leaders, and that Teague needs to put in his own people if he's ever to build a successful program. She said, however, she's meeting with Teague next week.

Education News

On Campus Blog

Alex Friedrich

Author

Yesterday I linked to a Rochester Post-Bulletin article that quoted the state House higher education committee chairman calling the $2.5 million contract buyout for fired University of Minnesota basketball coach Tubby Smith “obscene.” The chairman, Rep. Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona), has been tough on spending by the U and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU)…

Rep. Pelowski on how the buyout of Tubby Smith could hurt UMN

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