The University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents faced controversy during their June sessions on Thursday and Friday, as students and community members protested concerns for the university’s budget and tuition increases. 

Among many conversations surrounding the proposed budget, the regents are considering a tuition increase of 6.5% for the Twin Cities and Rochester campuses, the highest increases in over a decade.

Along with student outcries, some regents recently faced vandalism over the university’s involvement in selling land to North Wind, a defense contractor who plans to use the land for missile testing. Several regents had their homes spray-painted with the phrase “NO MISSILES,” and were left notes requesting that they vote against the planned budget outlining the sale.

Rebecca Cunningham addresses vandalism 

Following the vandalism of several regents’ homes early last Thursday morning, President Rebecca Cunningham called for a more orderly form of expression, insisting that the individuals responsible had many lawful avenues by which to express their views. 

“These individuals who committed criminal acts by violating the security and peace of mind with attacks in the middle of the night disagreed with the already approved sale of the university property to a private Minnesota company,” Cunningham said.

Campus community voices concerns about proposed budget

During the meeting, the Board reviewed the proposed budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.  

Late into the session, members of the campus community voiced their concerns about proposed budget cuts and tuition increases. Among the activists in attendance was Sima Shakhsari, a professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies at the university.

“I’m disheartened, but not shocked, to see that the administration suggests tuition hikes, making education more inaccessible to communities that have historically been dispossessed and excluded from attending the university,” Shakhsari said. 

She said that instead of taking meaningful steps to address inequity, the university boasts about its inclusion, equity, and diversity through meaningless initiatives, such as antisemitism and Islamophobia modules.

Other attendees expressed their apprehension about a potential 7% cut to academic programming, which could potentially result in mass layoffs of non-tenured faculty and fewer courses being offered to undergraduate students. 

Michael Gallope, an associate professor in cultural studies and comparative literature, was one of many who voiced their concerns.

“A 20% cut in a comprehensive flagship university that has social sciences, arts … means we have to fire hundreds of instructors and our students will lose,” Gallope said.

But Gallope said it is even harder on students.

“The most tragic part about this is that we’re charging our students more,” Gallope added. 

The Regents will vote on the budget on June 18. 

Protesters disrupt the session 

The second session, held on Friday, was interrupted by student and staff activists, who called for the Board to divest from investments in defense and warfare engineering corporations and more closely consider the feelings of students. 

SDS members criticized the university for not listening to the concerns of students as they began their protest mid-session. 

After the meeting, Shakhsari, who is also a member of Educators for Justice in Palestine, said she attempted to highlight the amount of money spent on hiring administration members.

“I tried to make the connection why budget is cut from academic programs, why tuition hikes are happening,” Shakhsari said. “We are hiring a fascist for our vice president.”

During the disruption, Board of Regents members left the room. 

SDS members left the board room as warning information appeared on the projection board, calling for order in the assembly room

“If your disruptive behavior does not cease, we will proceed with charges under the University of Minnesota Board of Regents Student Conduct Code, which could lead to outcomes up to and including suspension or expulsion and may proceed with arrest for trespassing or other violations of Minnesota Law,” the warning read.