Minnesota Public Interest Research Group

Filing Period

Jul 1, 2011 to Jun 30, 2012

Signed

Sep 10, 2012

Return Version

2011v1.2

Gross Receipts

$1,026,378

Major Activities

Activity 2

Campus organizing local initiatives - mpirg campus chapters mpirg's chapters work on both statewide as well as local campaigns. Each chapter chooses their issue priorities on an annual basis, with a focus on statewide priorities. In total, mpirg has over 300 active student members with over 600 that are engaged at some point over the course of the year. University of minnesota - twin cities 31 events, 5120 reached, and 543 volunteer hours. Green economy mpirg students actively supported the transition to a green economy. They held numerous events to engage the student body in utilizing transportation alternatives, such as biking, walking and transit, promoted green cleaning supplies, energy efficiency, sustainable living, and the green job revolution. Students worked aggressively to see the university of minnesota become a supporter of securing state bonding support for solar projects. While progress was made, we came up short of obtaining official support for solar in minnesota. At the capitol, students supported a solar electricity standard of 10% by 2030 by lobbying their elected officials as well as delivering 100s of postcards in support of the policy. Students also worked to "ban the bottle" at the university of minnesota by drawing attention to the waste of plastic bottles as well as the extremely high quality of minneapolis water. Mpirg students also worked to expand recycling by fraternity and sororities at the u. Fair trade mpirg students provided numerous educational opportunities about fair trade issues, including human rights abuses, fair trade practices, fair trade products, and volunteer opportunities. The bulk of this work took place during fair trade week in october. Democracy mpirg students were active in promoting student participation in the senate district 59 senate special election. This nonpartisan election effort involved voter registration, voter education events, and a push to get young people to the polls on election day. Students then held an in-district meeting with the elected senator dziedzic to discuss students' legislative priorities. At the same time, mpirgers worked to establish a policy that would provide for an excused absence from class for voting, which was adopted by the political science department and resulted in many professors promoting active student engagement in the democratic process. Students in this chapter we very engaged in mpirg's efforts at the capitol to oppose voter id constitutional amendment, including testimony and rallies. On campus, students worked to form key alliances with other student groups in opposition to the anti-marriage amendment and began pledging students to vote "no" on this harmful amendment. University of minnesota - duluth 26 events, 3112 reached, and 658 volunteer hours. Green economy mpirg students actively supported the transition to a green economy. They held numerous events to engage the student body in utilizing transportation alternatives, such as biking, walking and transit, and promoted sustainability through educational events and materials. Because of a grant from the duluth superior area community foundation, mpirg formed a partnership with the duluth transit authority and the city of duluth to conduct a survey of students and propose improvements to transit system that better serve this population. The first phase is complete and involved 1) an on-bus survey of transit riders and 2) a survey of students living in campus housing. This work is ongoing and will enter the second phase in the next academic year. Democracy mpirg students were active in forming key alliances with other student groups in opposition to the anti-marriage amendment and began pledging students to vote "no" on this harmful amendment. They produced a video encouraging their peers to vote "no" that was well received via social media. The chapter also worked aggressively to stop the passage of the voter id constitutional amendment, including testifying at the state legis

Activity 3

Issue advocacy chemical policy reform mpirg was represented in high level discussions on potential consensus items in chemical policy management in minnesota through a stakeholder process hosted by the environmental initiative. While consensus was never reached, the effort served an important conversation on how public and private partnerships can be forged to determine potential collaboration to achieve safe products that also meet private sector needs. Green economy this past year, mpirg has worked actively to establish curbside collection of compostable materials in minneapolis and st. Paul. Mpirg has engaged thousands of community members in the twin cities in support of these policies. In st. Paul, mpirg has worked to see curbside collection of compost put into the city budget. In minneapolis, mpirg has worked to encourage city council members to establish an ordinance to begin curbside collection of compostables. In addition, mpirg and our student leaders have been working to oppose the proposed expansion of garbage incineration at the hennepin energy recovery center (herc) and have report forthcoming outlining concerns of such an expansion. At the capitol, mpirg students supported a solar electricity standard of 10% by 2030. At the federal level, mpirg's chapters collectively garnered over 1,500 signatures from students in opposition to proposed rollbacks of clean air act protections to public health. These rollbacks were never passed. Affordable higher education mpirg's chapters are working to finalize debt yearbooks, which contain the testimonials of hundreds of students burdened with higher education debt. Mpirg continues to work to provide an economic analysis of a proposed policy that increases college access and decreases higher education debt burdens. Our goal would be to release that report and reach out to elected officials in support of that policy during the 2013 state legislative session. Civic engagement during the 2012 state legislative session, mpirg worked to prevent passage of a proposed constitutional amendment on voter photo id. Mpirg opposed this because of its negative impact on student voters, many of whom would be unable to cast a ballot in minnesota if the proposed changes were adopted. In addition, the constitutional amendment would have a similar impact on thousands of seniors and low-income minnesotans. Students testified on several occasions on the negative impact to students and the failure of the policy to address fraud as the authors suggested. In the end, the bill was passed and voters will decide on november 6, 2012 whether it should be put in the minnesota constitution. Mpirg's field canvass, phone canvass, and campus organizing program have all transitioned to an effort to defeat this constitutional amendment, as well as one banning same sex marriage, as both of these amendments would negatively communities across minnesota. Research and public education in may of 2012, mpirg conducted a student public policy opinion poll on eight college campuses statewide. The poll examined students' perspectives and opinions on a wide variety of public policy issues. The results of that survey have been shared with the media, candidates for public office, and other decision makers and opinion leaders to better inform them and the community of the issues most important to the youth of minnesota. Mpirg has been working for a year and half on an economic analysis of the costs and benefits of a policy proposal known as "opportunity minnesota" with a professor of applied economics at the university of minnesota - twin cities campus. The policy provides for student debt relief for college graduates who stay and work in minnesota. The results of that economic analysis, when finished, will be used to produce a report that mpirg's student leaders will share with state legislators to relieve the increasing burden of student debt. Finally, mpirg is nearing completion on a report which outlines the challenges r

Filer

EIN

23-7389068