Keeping the doors open to an extraordinary education for all Minnesotans is and will remain the top priority of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Steven Rosenstone said during an installation ceremony Wednesday in the Capitol Rotunda. He was formally installed as the system’s fourth chancellor.

Minnesota’s 31 state universities and community and technical colleges serve more than 420,000 students each year in credit and noncredit courses across the state.

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities announced today that students may now consent to receive their 2011 1098-T Tuition Statement and W-2 Wage and Tax Statement electronically rather than by U.S. mail.   To sign up for electronic tax forms, the student must log in to Student e-Services.  On their e-Services dashboard in the Action Items area, the student will find a link to consent.

With Minnesota's need to prepare more skilled and educated workers, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the Minnesota Department of Education have launched a campaign to encourage more students to explore and enroll in career technical programs.

A radio campaign, “Learning that works,” is underway to showcase technical education programs offered by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the state’s public high schools. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities alone have more than 3,000 career technical education programs that can be completed in two years or less.

Minnesota’s working adults who have earned some college credits are being urged to re-enroll and complete their two- or four-year degrees at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to boost their job prospects and help meet the state’s workforce needs.

The message is part of a new statewide outreach initiative called “Graduate Minnesota – Complete your degree. Anytime. Anywhere.” The initiative is designed to connect former students with advisers who can help them find the best and fastest route to complete their associate or bachelor’s degree.

The Riverland Community College Theatre 2011-2012 season continues with the comic drama Be Aggressive, Nov. 16-20 at the Frank W. Bridges Theatre on the Austin campus.

Called “a new, exciting, and unique voice in the American theatre,” Annie Weisman’s poignant satire paints a resonant picture of adolescence and its challenges. The story begins in the California Paradise of Vista del Sol. However, when seventeen-year-old Laura’s mother is killed in a car crash, her world turns upside-down. Struggling to both take care of her family and keep her spot on the varsity cheer squad, Laura turns to a new friend, Leslie, who thinks she has the answer: driving cross-country to attend an exclusive cheerleading camp.

Steven Rosenstone, chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, recommended on Monday that the Board of Trustees appoint Douglas Knowlton to be vice chancellor for academic and student affairs and Michael Dougherty to be vice chancellor for advancement.

“I selected these two exemplary candidates to complete my leadership team from exceptionally strong applicant pools,” Rosenstone said. “I am confident they will be superb leaders.”  The Board of Trustees is expected to vote on the recommendations at its Wednesday board meeting.

On October 19, the system installed Steven Rosenstone as its fourth chancellor to lead our public colleges and universities. He succeeds James H. McCormick, who retired after ten years of superlative service.

During his installation ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda last month, Chancellor Rosenstone shared his vision for what he calls an “extraordinary education” for our students.

Riverland Community Gay-Straight Alliance (RCGSA) will present the award-winning "STAGE LEFT,” a performance of drama, music, and discussion dealing with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) issues. The presentation includes drama, music, poetry, and personal stories performed, primarily, by Riverland students and alumni.

Riverland Community College Farm Business Management Program is one of only six programs nationwide who received the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Agricultural Education Program Award on November 16 at the NAAE annual convention in St. Louis.

Riverland Community College President Terry Leas announced today that a community Early Childhood Education Center valued at more than $3 million would be added to Riverland’s Austin campus. This capital project, scheduled for completion next summer, addresses one of the top ten needs cited in recent United Way survey results.

The holiday season is a special time for giving. During these difficult financial times, however, many organizations compete for that extra boost that helps them get through the year and supports the many needs in our communities. As you consider ways to make a difference for others this year, please consider a tax-deductible financial gift to the Riverland Community College Foundation.

Recently, Riverland Community College announced a more than $3-million addition of a community Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) to Riverland’s Austin campus. This capital project, scheduled for completion next fall, addresses one of the top ten needs cited in recent Mower County United Way survey results.

Doherty Staffing Solutions recently presented Riverland Community College Foundation with a check for $23,615.17. The money, raised at the Fifth Annual Doherty Scholarship Golf Classic held last June, provides scholarships to students attending Riverland.

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Associate Degree Board of Commissioners recently awarded Riverland Community College, in Albert Lea, Austin, and Owatonna, Minnesota, initial accreditation for its five business degree programs.

Riverland Community College is pleased to announce the students whose academic achievement placed them on the 2011 fall president’s and dean’s lists. Riverland congratulates these individuals for their outstanding academic accomplishments.

The Riverland Community College Theatre 2011-2012 season continues with the comedy Ring Round the Moon, Feb. 15-19 at the Frank W. Bridges Theatre on the Austin campus.

Ring Round the Moon, by Jean Anouilh and adapted by Christopher Fry, is filled with glamour, romance, intrigue, and laughs!  This enchanting and witty comic tale centers on wealthy twin brothers: Frederic, who is shy and sensitive, and Hugo, who is aggressive and scheming.  To prevent Frederic from entering into a loveless marriage, Hugo devises a plan to save him. The result is a clever mix of comedy and drama, filled with mistaken identities, misguided love affairs, and an unexpected happy ending.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) requested $110 million for its Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) fund for 2012. Typically, the Legislature has appropriated $50 to 55 million biennially to the entire MnSCU system, which includes Riverland’s three campuses in Albert Lea, Austin and Owatonna, and serves about 420,000 students.

Steve Bowron, dean for institutional advancement and Laurie Minehart, associate director of the Riverland Community College Foundation, recently met with Shirley Wright to thank her and her sons George and Charlie for the recent $50,000 donation to the Riverland Community College Foundation to establish a scholarship to honor the memory of Shirley’s husband and their father, Stephen C. Wright.

Stephen C. Wright was Valedictorian of the first graduating class of Riverland Community College (then Austin Junior College) in 1942.