Policy 5.07
Business Activities
Part 1. Purpose
In accordance with State of Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota State guidelines, Minneapolis College may offer products and/or services designed for student recreational, social, welfare, and educational pursuits supplemental or incidental to the regular curricular offerings or utilize college excess capacity.
Minneapolis College may also offer products and/or services resulting from part of an educational program. These products and/or services must be made available to the general public and must be in a self-financing manner to the extent practicable in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, Board policies, and system procedures. All accounting activities for products and/or services provided above must be properly recorded in the Minnesota State Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP).
Part 2. Definitions
Business Activities: Those areas of the College that are charged with producing revenue commensurate or above their associated expenses. At Minneapolis College, these include, but are not limited to:
- The College Store
- The Parking Ramp
- The Helland Center Student Union
- Food Services
Part 3. Responsibilities
Subpart A. Delegation
The College President delegates to the Vice President of Finance & Operations the authority to manage all enterprise or auxiliary activities, including but not limited to, food service, College Store, and printing shops, in a self-financing manner to the extent practicable in accordance with State of Minnesota Statutes, and Minnesota State Board policy and procedures.
Subpart B. Competition with the Private Sector
Minneapolis College has a responsibility to consider very carefully any decision to provide supplemental or incidental products and/or services to students, faculty, staff, or the public at large, particularly where the products and services to be provided might compete with similar products or services offered by the private sector. However, some degree of competition between the College and the private sector may be unavoidable, even when the College is engaged in the narrowest pursuit of its instructional, research, and public service missions.
Subpart C. Annual Review
Each business activity is subject to an annual review with the Vice President of Finance and Operations. Responsibility managers shall prepare reporting and discuss past performance and upcoming trends within their fields.
Owner(s) Title: Vice President of Finance and Operations
Date of Adoption: 2/27/2005
Date of Implementation (if different from adoption date): Changes approved on 3/24/2022 will be implemented with the approval of the full revisions of the College’s finance policies section in May 2025.
Date Last Reviewed: 5/1/2025 (Limited)
History and Subject of Revisions: 5/1/2025 (Limited Review), 1/13/2022 (Comprehensive Review. Part of revisions to all finance policies. Added definitions sections, added information regarding the annual review. Other minor changes.), 1/2/2019 (non-substantive changes), 2/27/2005 (Adopted)
Regulatory Authority (e.g. Minnesota State policy, federal or state law): Minnesota Statute 135A.13, Student Services Prices; Minnesota Statute 136F.50, Cooperative or Promotion of a State College or University; Minnesota Statute 136F.58, Bookstores; Minnesota Statute 136F.72, Funds; Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Annual Budget Accounting Guidelines