University of Minnesota - Gopher Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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The University of Minnesota

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State Appropriations. It can l)c said to the glory of the eoniiiioinvealth that whenever called tipon by the Regents, aid has been voted without comi)laint and with practical unanimity, to the full extent of the re(|ucst or to the last dollar the state could properly command in support of the institution. Some of the more important special appropriations may be summarized : Between 1867 and 18S1 for construction : 1867. Repairing the I ' niversity building .$15,000 1870. Further repairs on the building 10,000 1873. Appropriation for erecting a front part to the same, and a building for College of Agriculture 30,000 1881. A si. years ' appropriation, of $80,000 per year 180,000 .$255,000 Owing to calamities which liclcll the state, the last appropriation was not drawn upon until 1883 and following years. Between 1891 and 1895 for construction; 1891. . ppropriation for Itcpartnients of Law and Medicine $ 80,000 1893. •• Library and Assembly Hall 175.000 1893. ' ■ ■■ Workshops at the Karni. 30,000 1895. ■• •■ Dining Hall at the Farm 42,000 1895. ■■ ■ Hairy Hall 15,000 1895. ■■ Blacksmith Shop 7,000 1K9S. ■• ■• Laboratory of the Medical Sciences 40,000 1895. Astronomical Observatory 10,000 1895. ■• The Armory 75,000 Total, $474,000 It will he noted that there was appropriated for new buildings between 1891 and 1895 more than twice as much as during all the preceding years. If 1884, the year in which the change in administration occurred, be taken as the divide, only $114,000 had been actually expended, while since that date $620,000 represents the state ' s investment in buildings alone, or more than five times the earlier amoimt. For the libraries : 1891. Appropriation for the several libraries - $10,000 1895. •■ General Library 20,000 Total, $30,000 Some special appropriations: 1S9I. . ppropriation for establishing the School of Mining and Metallurgy $6,000 1891. ' opening a Department of Pharmacy 5,000 1891. salaries, Electrical Engineering and Mining, annually.. 4,500 1895. maintenance. School Mining and Metallurgy, .. 5,000 Some points to he noted in the approjjriation by the State from year to year are as follows: In 1878 an annual tax of one-tenth of a mill was voted with an assessed valuation that year of nearly $230,000,000. But in 1881 the income was insufficient, and there was added $ 23,000 1885 The sum appropriated was increased per year to 35,000 1887 the sum appropriated for annual support was changed to 50.000 1889 there was voted for additional allowance 25,000 1893 a tax of 3-20 mill was voted; assessed valuation for that year about 635,000,000 1895 an urgent deficiency bill added 60,000 The significance of the foregoing lies in the fact that the University has grown at such a rapid and unintennipted rate that even the oldest legislator has not — 21 — The University of Minnesota

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been able since 1880 to ap])r()priatc enouj li for its needs, even by voting at tlircc different times a special additional amount At the present time a deficiency is throwing its shadow across the path of the Regents. The total of all current ex- penses from 1867 to the close of the year 1895-6, a ])eriod of thirty years, will not be far from if 2,700,000. The total yearly enrollment for the same time will reach 19,139. The average cost per student, jier ;innnm, to the State is, therefore, $14-1.12. If the ' ear 1884- again be taken as a dividing line between two groups of figures, we shall have: Current expenses of the University, 1867-188 ... $ 65fi.s3;).r.5 Total yearly enrollment, 1867-1884 . ' j.lfin Average annual eost per student 126.4-4- Current expenses, 1885-1896 2, 043, 777. HO Total yearly enrollment, 1885-1896 13,976 Average a tinual eost per student 146.27 The ' ji ' jn ' jt University of Minnesota dt The Students ' Christian Association Building. It may properly ))e mentioned that over forty-two per cent of the total enroll- ment up to 1884 consisted of preparatory students. Absolute accuracy in the above calculations is impossible, because some of the early current expenses were mingled with building and repair accounts, and some of the Geological and Nat- ural History Survey expenses cannot be separated from University items. Again, many students are here for only a portion, great or small, of the University vear. In 1851, when the University was first thought of as a possible power in the development of the future commonwealth, the size and cost of such an institution were not dreamed of State universities were .scarcely known at that time, and none of them were expensive. Michigan was only a few years old and thus seemed chiefly a jjromise. Ouaiitiim tenipora miitavcrunt. ' The Universitj- was originally