University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks met with Student Senate representatives Thursday to discuss the budget, the bonding bill and current University projects.

Bruininks, 18 days removed from surgery for prostate cancer, said repeatedly that he was in a fighting mood.  He was most riled over the House’s bonding bill that allocates $77 million for the University.

He said the House’s bill was “dismal” in comparison to the Senate’s $111 million bill and the Governor’s $100 million proposal.

When discussing the University’s current budget he said that “there’s not a low hanging apple,” meaning the University has done all the fat trimming it can and now faces the task of reducing important projects and programs, or eliminating them all together.

However, the president did boast about several upcoming projects at the University, with an emphasis put on two in particular.

The first project is a redesign of Northrop Hall.  The remodeling would make the building a focal point for students by increasing student study space on campus by about 50 percent.

The second project is the proposed University light rail.  Bruininks stressed that he is avidly working to resolve the tension that has derailed the light rail.

After receiving a card from a GAPSA representative at Thursday’s meeting Bruininks who is an avid horse rider said, “when you hear I am back riding again, that’s when you will know I am fully recovered.”