ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 5, 2001 -- The chief lobbyist for the Inter-Faculty Organization, which represents profs at Winona State and other state colleges, predicted tough battles for state higher-ed funding. Russ Stanton noted that Gov. Jesse Ventura hardly mentioned higher ed in his State of the State address. Too, Stanton said, the governor has told his staff not to include even inflation adjustments in the budget that he will propose Jan. 23. Said Stanton: "The state has a projected budget surplus of nearly $3 billion. Normally this would bode well for higher education, but the governor made it clear in his State of the State address that he wants to spend almost all of this money on tax reforms, tax rebates and permanent tax cuts. The governor wants to restrain state spending." Is there any hope for higher-ed? "It appears we will have to fight tooth and nail for every dollar of support we get this session," Stanton said. Stanton's overview: "This is likely to be a very contentious session. Three different parties control the House, the Senate, and the Governor's Office, and by narrower margins than prevailed during the last session. This is a redistricting year, and all 201 legislators will be up for election in new districts, adding to the tension this session. This is a prescription for political gridlock."

New WSU prof plans trumpet recital

WINONA, Minn ., Jan. 5, 2000 -- The Winona State University band director, Donald Lovejoy, is presenting a mid-January horn recital. Lovejoy plans to perform Trumpet Concerto by J.B.G. Neruda. With him will be fellow profs Gloria Chuang, James Wheat, Sandra Wheat, Natalie Filipovich and Paul Vance. Lovejoy, new to the Winona State faculty in August, formerly was band director at Saint Xavier University in Chicago. He holds a doctorate in music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

VENTURA.
Legislators received the scolding they expected in the governor's State of the State address. Although toned down, his rhetoric still pricked sensitive skins.