New President Takes Office At U Of M This Week
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The University of Minnesota gets a new president this week when Eric Kaler officially takes the top job on Friday.
The regents selected him in November to take over from President Robert Bruininks, who will return to teaching after nine years as president. Bruininks' last day is Thursday.
The 54-year-old Kaler comes to the university from the Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York, where he is provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.
Kaler is taking over as the university implements another round of cost-cutting projected to trim $40.5 million from last year's budget.
The university regents approved a budget earlier this month that anticipates a $71-million drop in state aid and includes a 5 percent tuition hike for most resident undergraduates.
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