Minnesota Public Interest Research Group

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Established 1971
Exec. Dir. Jamison Tessneer
Chair Thomas Boik
Vice Chair Bridget Ulrich
Treasurer Peter Andrews
Secretary Alida Sorenson
Headquarters Minneapolis, MN, USA
Homepage www.mpirg.org

The Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (also known as MPIRG) is a grassroots, non-partisan, nonprofit, student-directed organization that empowers and trains students and engages the community to take collective action in the public interest throughout the state of Minnesota. [1]

Contents

[edit] History

MPIRG was incorporated on February 17, 1971. Students at the University of Minnesota collected 25,200 signatures that year to start the first MPIRG chapter in Minnesota and start the first PIRG in the nation. College students collected more than 50,000 signatures in all to start chapters at college campuses across the state. The motivating idea was for students to join together in collective action to advocate in the public interest, and to use the activity fees they collected from each school to support a staff of professionals that could train them to become powerful advocates in the public policy arena. MPIRG's unique strategy to empower students has led to an impressive list of accomplishments, including protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota from environmental damage and championing strict ethical standards for lobbyists. [2]

[edit] Accomplishments

  • 1972: Conducted a joint study with local unions and state AFL-CIO that resulted in a ban of the use of asbestos in new building construction.
  • 1974: Helped pass legislation requiring lobbyists to register and disclose spending and contributions.
  • 1977: MPIRG research and legislation created a state ban on fluorocarbons.
  • 1978: Passed the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act to create the nation's sole 'paddle-only' wilderness area.
  • 1983: Sued Northwestern Bell to reduce telephone rates by $69.1 million.
  • 1984: Mobilized 10,000 citizens statewide to stop the siting of a high-level radioactive waste dump in Minnesota.

[edit] Chapters

MPIRG has chapters at 9 colleges and universities across the state of Minnesota. They include:

[edit] References

[edit] Other external links