Survey Commission Reports

On January 15, 1920, the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota adopted a resolution that “a Special Committee be appointed by the President of the Board to make a survey of the University and state educational activities, and investigate and report its findings and recommendations upon the following illustrative questions and upon such other questions as may seem advisable, to wit…”

• What may be considered the growth of the University in the next 25 years?
• What in the nature of extension of grounds, construction of buildings, in the various departments and sub-stations of the institution, if no change is made in the present four-year period, will be required to meet the growth?
• Should the situation be relieved by the adoption of the principle of Junior Colleges to take over the work of the freshman and sophomore classes in the University?
• Should agricultural schools, such as the schools at Crookston and Morris, be multiplied?
• Should certain technical work now done in the Department of Engineering and in the School of Chemistry be also taught in the Junior Colleges and Agricultural Schools?
• Are our professional courses too long?
• May not requirements for higher mathematics and other cultural things be somewhat lessened in preparation for medical degrees?
• What internal administrative adjustments could be made to improve and increase the amount of instruction?

The group was referred to as the Survey Commission or Survey Committee, and their first Report was published in June 1920, and the last was published in August 1931.