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Vol. 19, No. 3 - Summer 2003
President Bruininks announces new initiative
 Citing Minnesota’s changing demographics and increasing needs of
its children, youth, and families, University President Robert
Bruininks has launched the President’s Initiative on Children, Youth,
and Families. The initiative is being chaired by Rich Weinberg,
professor of child development in the college. To engage both
University and community leaders from throughout Minnesota in
sustained partnerships for the benefit of Minnesota children,
Bruininks will convene a series of three yearly summits. The first
invitational summit, “Starting Strong,” took place May 30 and
emphasized the early foundations of healthy development and learning,
and the programs, policies, practices, and conditions that enable
children and their families to thrive and succeed. Subsequent
summits will focus on what needs to happen in families, schools,
communities, and the society at large to promote good outcomes for
children and youth. The President’s Initiative has five major goals:
- Enhancing public awareness of challenges facing children, youth,
and families
- Advancing knowledge and finding solutions to challenges facing
children, youth, and families through strong, ongoing
University-community partnerships
- Improving outcomes for Minnesota’s children, youth, and families
through the application of knowledge created by these partnerships
- Expanding and sharing the intellectual vitality, leadership, and
resources available at the University through basic research,
publications, and outreach
- Establishing a model for future Presidential Initiatives in
other areas
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