Last Wednesday members of the Minnesota State Board of Trustees were on the Southwest Minnesota State University campus to hold meetings. This was the first time ever that the trustees met in a non-metro location.

This was an important development for SMSU and all of the Minnesota State schools. Interim Chancellor Devinder Malhotra stated that all the regions of the state are important. Malhotra also recognized southwest Minnesota’s large agriculture base involving many ag-related businesses, as well as manufacturing.

The bottom line is that southwest Minnesota plays an important role in the Minnesota economy. And Southwest Minnesota State University, as well as Minnesota West College are considered “anchors” of the region.

Just ask SMSU President Connie Gores.

“We’re also pleased because it (the meetings) demonstrates the importance of SMSU to the region. And the importance of SMSU to the entire system,” she said in welcoming the trustees to the campus.

Malhotra should be applauded for making the effort to visit all 37 institutions since being named interim chancellor in February.

“The transformative power of our institutions is just amazing,” Malhotra also said during last week’s visit.

A question, however, remains unanswered. Why did it take so long for the board of trustees to recognize that and hold some meetings on the SMSU campus and the other institutions within the Minnesota State system?