The Board of Regents had its first chance to meet with the four newly appointed members Thursday and Friday.

Regents, during the two-day retreat at the St. James Hotel in Red Wing, attempted to create a work plan for the next 12 to 18 months.

Rather than tackling the issues, regents discussed which issues were most important and which will most need to be addressed in the coming year.

“We tried not to come up with solutions,” Regent David Metzon said.

The lower-than-expected allocations from the Legislature will force the University to make adjustments in the coming months.

Much of the responsibility of deciding how and where to make those cuts will fall to the Board of Regents.

Yudof has discussed options for change, such as narrowing the University’s goals and making changes in areas such as the outreach programs.

The University is considering a closer partnership with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

“We’re always looking for efficiencies,” Metzon said. “There may be some things (MnSCU and the University) can do together.”

The retreat was one of the first events attended by the board’s four most recent appointees. The regents were appointed by the governor, and their terms will expire in 2002.

Regent Jean Keffeler is back for her second term on the board. She was a member from 1989 to 1996, when she resigned.

Keffeler said she was not available for comment.

“The timing (of the retreat) couldn’t have been better with the four new regents coming on,” Metzon said.

Metzon said he was excited about the new appointees and feels they will work well with the goals of the board.

“The new members added a new dimension,” he said. “We had a fabulous retreat.”

Metzon has been a regent since 1997.

Overall, Metzon said, “it was the most productive retreat in four years.”

Justin Ware welcomes comments at [email protected]