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College enrollment across Minnesota State system is up for first time in over a decade

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2 years ago

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College enrollment across Minnesota State system is up for first time in over a decade


College enrollment is up across the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system for the first time in over a decade, according to Chancellor Scott Olson.

The Minnesota State system consists of 33 public community and technical colleges and state universities around the state.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is comprised of 33 public colleges and universities.

Courtesy of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

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While enrollment has been declining at colleges nationwide for years, Olson credits recent state investments in higher education for reversing the trend.

“Increasing financial support for students through new programs like the North Star Promise, as well as the state grant program, the emergency assistance grant program, the Minnesota American Indian scholarship program, and other things you’ve invested in, all help students make decisions about attending college,” Olson said while presenting to the State Senate higher education committee on Tuesday.

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In a 2023 bill, the Minnesota Legislature allocated over $4 billion to higher education, then establishing two tuition- and fee-free pathways for Minnesota residents.

The North Star Promise Scholarship Program covers tuition and fees for an undergraduate education at Minnesota’s public two- and four-year colleges and universities. The program is available starting Fall 2024 for Minnesota residents with a family adjusted gross income below $80,000.

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An estimated 15,000 students will benefit from the North Star program in its first year, according to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

The American Indian Scholars Program is for Minnesota residents who are enrolled members or citizens of a federally recognized American Indian Tribe or Canadian First Nation or who are enrolled members or citizens of Minnesota Tribal Nations, regardless of residency. It provides full tuition and fee waivers for students pursuing an undergraduate education at Minnesota’s public two- and four-year colleges and universities.

Bemidji State University

Bemidji State University is one of 33 public community and technical colleges and state universities

John Enger | MPR News file photo

Olson reported enrollment improved 2 percent across the Minnesota State system in the 2023-2024 school year, for an estimated total of about 107,000 students across the system, with growth driven by increasing numbers in community and technical colleges. In comparison, Minnesota State had about 126,000 students in 2018-2019.

As of Tuesday, Olson said applications are up 18 percent in their system for fall 2024.

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Minnesota State’s success reflects a national trend towards community colleges and shorter credential programs. In January, the National Student Clearinghouse reported enrollment growth was highest at community colleges for fall 2023. Enrollment for both certificate and associate degree programs grew by about 2 percent, compared to less than one percent for bachelor’s degrees.

“There’s optimism that this trend of annual enrollment growth will continue into the near and far future,” Olson said.

Meanwhile, the University of Minnesota said at the meeting that enrollment declined minimally at four of its five campuses between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. Overall, total system enrollment has fluctuated nominally over the past 10 years, generally holding around 67,000 to 68,000 students.

Learning Resources Center appears

The James W. Miller Learning Resources Center at St. Cloud State University.

Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News | 2023

The two higher education institutions shared their enrollment numbers before making requests for millions of dollars in investments to improve aging facilities and supplement operating budgets.

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The University of Minnesota is seeking $500 million to preserve and replace buildings, and $45 million for operating costs. Minnesota State is seeking $541.4 million for building preservation and replacement, and $61 million for operational spending. 



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Minnesota

New strain of COVID detected in 25 states including Minnesota

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6 hours ago

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April 10, 2026

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New strain of COVID detected in 25 states including Minnesota


(St. Paul, MN) — State health officials are keeping an eye on a highly mutated new COVID variant called B-A 3-dot-2, or “cicada.” Minnesota Department of Health Epidemiologist Keeley Morris says, “With that many mutations it’s likely going to be pretty good at evading any immunity that people have from being vaccinated or also from prior COVID-19 infections.” She says the good news is that B-A 3-dot-2 doesn’t seem to be causing more severe illness. The C-D-C says the “cicada” variant has been detected in at least 25 states. Morris says Minnesota has detected three cases of either B-A 3-dot-2 or some of its descendants, and we also had one site that had a positive wastewater detection.



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Minnesota

Community members show up to support Mercado Central, businesses hit hard by ICE surge

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18 hours ago

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April 9, 2026

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Community members show up to support Mercado Central, businesses hit hard by ICE surge



Mercado Central on Lake Street in Minneapolis has been more than a marketplace; it’s a heartbeat, a place filled with food, culture and community. During Operation Metro Surge, that heartbeat slowed.

“We’re a co-op. We’re all business owners that just need support from our community,” Ajeleth Moreno with El Rincon Pupuseria said.

Many regular customers stopped coming and the change was impossible to ignore.

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“Our regulars would not be here at all in the beginning months, but we did get really good support for the community,” Joscan Moreno said.

That community is showing up with purpose.

“I think it’s important to set an example and to show other community members that we are still here. We still need to be showing up and there’s so many beautiful examples of resilience out here today,” Rose Gomez said.

Through a wave of community support, online donations, to simply having people walk into their doors again.

“These places are few and far between, I don’t know if I know of any place exactly like this,” Simon Fitzkappes said. “And for our community to lose such a great spot, it’s really detrimental. We all hope that doesn’t happen.”

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Because here, the business owners and diners alike say every visit and dollar matters.

“We’ve never got this many people here,” Ajeleth Moreno said. “We just hope it stays that way because we don’t want to be forgotten again.”

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Minnesota fraud scandal: Sixth family member who met with AG Ellison set to plead guilty

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1 day ago

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April 9, 2026

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Minnesota fraud scandal: Sixth family member who met with AG Ellison set to plead guilty


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Yet another member of a family within Minnesota’s Somali community is expected to plead guilty Thursday in the massive fraud scandal that has drawn national attention and prompted criticism of Attorney General Keith Ellison over a meeting he held with members of the family in question. 

Gandi Mohamed, 45, is expected to either plead guilty at a change of plea hearing scheduled for Thursday or choose to enter a plea of no contest, which would allow him to accept conviction and be sentenced without admitting guilt, according to court records.

Mohamed is the sixth member of his family who would be pleading guilty in the scheme prosecutors say fraudulently claimed to be serving meals while instead pocketing $14 million from the federal child nutrition program, Fox 9 Minneapolis reported.

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Center of the American Experiment policy fellow Bill Glahn told Fox News Digital that “it’s good that he and his co-conspirators have all been convicted in the case, however, a courtroom trial would have been a useful exercise to show the public the scope and scale of the fraud.”

TOM EMMER CALLS FOR TIM WALZ, KEITH ELLISON TO ‘SERVE JAIL TIME’ IF FRAUD COVERUP ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and AG Keith Ellison will testify before Congress on March 4. (Mandel Ngan/AFP; Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Mohamed family was present at the now infamous 2021 meeting between Ellison and members of the Somali community where would-be fraudsters could be heard asking the state’s attorney general to help them secure more funding, before the conversation turned to campaign donations.

“The only way that we can protect what we have is by inserting ourselves into the political arena. Putting our votes where it needs to be. But most importantly, putting our dollars in the right place. And supporting candidates that will fight to protect our interests,” one of the Somali community members says in the recording.

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“That’s right,” Ellison responds.

JOSH HAWLEY STANDS BY ACCUSATIONS AFTER FIERY SENATE HEARING CLASH WITH MINNESOTA AG ELLISON

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz testifies during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in the U.S. Capitol Building on March 4, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The committee held the hearing to examine the alleged misuse of federal funds intended for Minnesota social services and Medicaid programs. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Ellison has denied any wrongdoing regarding the recording, saying he was completely unaware of the fraudsters’ crimes at the time of the meeting. The meeting occurred before any convictions in the case and before President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice had indicted anyone. 

“I took a meeting in good faith with people I didn’t know and some turned out to have done bad things. I did nothing for them and took nothing from them,” Ellison wrote in an April 2025 op-ed for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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Following that meeting, Gandi gave the maximum $2,500 campaign donation to Ellison that the attorney general returned to the Department of Justice in 2025.

TRUMP ADMIN SCORES MINNESOTA COURT WIN IN MEDICAID FRAUD CRACKDOWN

“Our Attorney General, Keith Ellison, is not only looking the other way but doing so after taking donations from these very fraudsters,” Republican Dalia al-Aqidi who is running for Congress in Minneapolis against Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., told Fox News Digital. “This is a betrayal of every Minnesotan who trusted him with that office.”

Al-Aqidi explained that the voters in her district are “furious” about the fraud scandal.

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“Which is why I’ve rolled out a five-point plan to prevent fraud before it starts,” al-Aqidi said. “This isn’t just about taxpayers, it’s about people who really need food and housing. Preventing fraud isn’t complicated, it just takes the political will to stop this type of abuse. It’s clear that this scheme is being used to buy votes, and that has to stop.”

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report.

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.



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