Republican-Eagle Editorial: Taking precautions pays off for Minnesota State system

Search for new president at MSCSE is under way 

Written By: Republican Eagle Editorial Board   
December 27, 2020

In the midst of a global pandemic that spanned the spring and summer sessions, students at Minnesota State earned 26,000 degrees, certificates, and diplomas, and perhaps most importantly, 5,500 of those awards were in the nursing and health professions -- 350 from Minnesota State College Southeast. The Red Wing and Winona campuses produced students in practical nursing, medical laboratory technician, radiography tech, medical support careers, massage therapy, biomedical equipment technology, and certified nursing assistant.

"These students are critical in meeting Minnesota's health care workforce needs," said Devinder Malhotra, chancellor of Minnesota State, a system of seven universities and 30 colleges on 54 campuses in 47 communities.

Malhotra is proud of those graduating students, as he should be, but he is also proud of how the entire Minnesota State system has faced the challenges of COVID-19 and maintained a safe environment for students, staff, and faculty.

"Our colleges and universities have made significant investments in mitigating the spread of COVID-19," Malhotra said during a conference call with the Republican Eagle Editorial Board. "We implemented class size limits, social distancing, and enhanced sanitation protocols as recommended by the Minnesota Department of Health and the CDC. We required face coverings for everyone."

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