The University of Minnesota Board of Regents voted unanimously to approve a new agreement between Fairview Health Services, University of Minnesota Physicians and the University of Minnesota at a special meeting held Friday.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced the deal Jan. 26. Under the agreement, which runs for 10 years, Fairview will be responsible for managing hospital operations, while the University will be responsible for academics and research.
University President Rebecca Cunningham praised negotiators for the deal and called it a “win-win-win” for all parties involved.
“Key elements of this agreement include academic support,” Cunningham said. “This affirms the University’s medical school’s critical role in medical education, research and discovery and clinical care, bringing the stability needed and commitments to academic support to the medical school.”
The agreement passed after limited discussion by a 12-0 vote.
Tensions between the University and Fairview have festered for months, with Essentia Health withdrawing from merger talks in September. The current deal was slated to expire Dec. 31, 2026.
Earlier in the meeting, Cunningham addressed federal immigration operations in the Twin Cities, describing the situation as “not normal”, but did not specifically mention or condemn any immigration agencies. She also praised students and faculty for looking out for one another.
“Together as one University of Minnesota, we can be a light in this time,” Cunningham said.
Immediately following Cunningham’s remarks, a student in the crowd shouted at Cunningham, demanding she meet with students to address their concerns.
“If you mean that statement, students have requested to meet you,” the student said. “We want to talk to you about the demands to keep our campus safe. We want to be partners in support of each other.”
The meeting was promptly recalled to order.
The Board also approved Carol Bradford as the interim executive vice president for health affairs during the meeting. The next Board of Regents meetings are scheduled for Feb. 12 and 13.
michael smith
Feb 11, 2026 at 11:48 am
“The meeting was promptly recalled to order.” What does that mean? Was the student ejected, did Cunningham acknowledge the need to meet with students where we are—on OUR campus? I don’t think so. As another reader mentioned, blowing off the legitimate concerns about justice and safety of university students with a simple, dismissive “it’s not normal” is an insult to all of us. Where do the Regents find these people to lead our Minnesota universities?
Woods Halley
Feb 10, 2026 at 3:35 pm
I note that this story on the Regents meeting is posted alongside a piece describing the censorship and police detainment of a university music professor who had composed and planned to perform at a memorial for the nurse murdered by ICE last month. It seems that the university censors were forbiding any mention of the murderers at the event, though the musician was not informed of that in advance.
This is so far from ” “Together as one University of Minnesota, we can be a light in this time,” as Cunningham was quoted as saying at the Regents meeting., that it defies belief. Cunningham’s craven censorship in the face of fascist violence does not reflect the “light” of free expression of ideas, viewpoints or even the mention of unpleasant facts which should characterize a university worthy of respect in times like this.
There are many worthy and talented individuals working at the university but the behavior of the socalled “leadership” at the top is making me ashamed.
Woods Halley
Appeasement is not the answer
Feb 6, 2026 at 6:13 pm
By describing our current situation–e.g., ICE killing constitutional observers–as “not normal,” President Cunningham once again attempts to diminish potential conflict with the Trump administration. Participating in the politics of appeasement with an authoritarian leader only serves to reproduce the status quo. Now more than ever, leaders of institutions like the U need to stand up against Trump and his cronies.
No Transparency
Feb 6, 2026 at 5:58 pm
The details of this deal with Fairview are opaque. If I recall correctly, Cunningham previously said the U needed $200 million from Fairview to run the medical school. Did the U get that amount? Part of that amount? Where is the transparency our state institution is expected to maintain?
MJ
Feb 5, 2026 at 9:51 am
“Not normal,” you say, President Cunningham? This is far from “not normal.” This is abhorrent, this is terrifying, this is wrong in every possible way. This is authoritarian fascism in our city streets. This is authoritarian fascism playing out on our city streets. This is federal agents kidnapping and killing without oversight, without accountability, without consequence. Students and faculty *have* to look out for one another because we know the university won’t, and because we can’t trust leadership to stand up to a federal government that has made clear its willingness to harm and kill us.