Date sent: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 01:30:37 -0600 (CST)
From: LindaP (Texas)
Subject: BSU News- STW

http://info.bemidji.msus.edu/News/issues/issue3.html

Focusing on Education, the Economy, and Entrepreneurship

BSU News, President's Newsletter, October 11, 1996

In two weeks, individuals from three states and two Canadian provinces will converge on Bemidji to participate in the first ever Northern Tier Institute. Sponsored jointly by Bemidji State and the Honeywell Corporation, the October 28 institute looks at the future of the economy, education and entrepreneurship in northern Minnesota, North Dakota, northern Wisconsin, Manitoba and Ontario.

Sessions during the program are designed to initiate dialogue among business leaders, legislators, decision makers, educators, and community development specialists about the knowledge-based societal shift that is taking place across America as well as in many parts of the world.

Jeremy Rifkin, the author of the popular book The End of Work is one of three featured speakers during the day. His luncheon speech on the changing world of work will take a pointed look at the impact of computers, robotics, telecommunications and other information-age technologies on the human psyche. The author of more than a dozen books on economic trends and matters relating to science, technology and culture, Rifkin challenges his audiences to look deeply into the social and ethical implications of life today.

Joanne Benson, the lieutenant governor of Minnesota, will get the institute started with a 7:30 a.m. Campus-Community Breakfast. Her focus will be on future demographics for the state and how they will affect businesses and education.

Mary Carter, a vice president with Honeywell, will close out the day's activities with a dinner program on current human resource trends within that corporation.

Interspersed between the main sessions are a series of panels designed to add in-depth discussion on the issues relating to education, economics and entrepreneurship.

Morning programs start with John Mercer of the Department of Children, Family and Living joining George Copa of the University of Minnesota to give a status report on the governor's task force "School to Lifework." Before lunch, I will join a panel to discuss rural policy for a high value future that also includes Roger Moe, Minnesota Senate majority leader; Bill Ulland of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities board; and Jacques Koppel, president of the Minnesota Technology, Inc.

A series of roundtables follow the luncheon and address several topics:

business/education partnerships in rural communities, outlining short- and long-term agreements that can satisfy research, development, employment and community needs in northern Minnesota.

movement of information to knowledge, discussing issues and solutions to the most important problem facing America today, educating people for the 21st century.

cyberlabor, looking at how current technologies are changing the location of work and forecasting the telecommunications future of northern Minnesota.

new entrepreneurs, explaining the cycles of boom and bust in small town Minnesota and covering the promise and impact of enterprise development, including access to funds and other support needed for new business start-up.

the work ethic of Generation X, confronting the question, "Can employers afford to hire them?"

Hundreds of registrants are expected to participate, and it is the University's hope that the event will provide impetus to host additional Northern Tier Institutes on an annual basis.