Faculty Viewpoint 
Why Is the Center Important? Let Me Tell You a Story...
Several years ago, President Yudoff of the University of Minnesota convened a conference about the future of the State of Minnesota. At this conference, then-Governor Jesse Ventura got up and described the centrality of the University of Minnesota to the State's efforts to promote a technologically skilled workforce. Listening to this on the radio, I was somewhat astonished. As a graduate of the University of Minnesota I am well aware of that institution’s many contributions to the State and its workforce. Yet no mention was made whatsoever of Minnesota State College and University system (MnSCU), which educates a significantly larger number of students each year and focuses particularly on technology skills and other applied career skills!
The Centers of Excellence established in MNSCU by the state legislature enable the MNSCU institutions to amplify the already significant achievements these institutions make in developing a competitive and skilled workforce.
Our center of excellence, focuses on business, information technology and information systems security. These are critical areas for any state economy; particularly one like Minnesota's which is so geared to technology innovation in the manufacturing and service sectors. The Center amplifies the capabilities of its partner institutions, Inver Hills Community College, Minneapolis Community & Technical College and Metropolitan State University to develop "knowledge products": courses, learning objects, and applied research that better serve the real IT needs of Minnesota businesses.
The TAOSE initiative seeks to promulgate the adoption of open source in Minnesota IT enterprises through seeding a community/network of expertise (and a knowledge repository) on all aspects of open source software adoption (business technical & legal). I have personally learned much from my involvement in this initiative and it has significantly influenced the MIS curriculum that I teach and supervise in the College of Management of Metropolitan State University.
David Bahn
Metropolitan State University College of Management Faculty
