MPR People


Alex Friedrich

Alex Friedrich

Reporter
Minnesota Public Radio
afriedrich@mpr.org


Alex Friedrich reports on higher education issues for MPR News. Before joining MPR in 2010, he was a Pioneer Press reporter for almost four years. He also worked as an investigative reporter and wrote about K-12 and higher education for five years for the Monterey County Herald in California. He lived in Europe for a decade, studying in Germany and Great Britain, and covering the post-communist transformation of the Czech Republic for The Prague Post. His work has appeared in USA Today as well as various American and European newspapers and trade publications. Among the stories he has covered: the fall of the Berlin Wall, aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, 2003 Moscow suicide bombing and 2004 presidential elections in the Republic of Georgia. His toughest assignment, however, was eating nothing but food on a stick for the 12 days of the 2006 Minnesota State Fair. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master's in European political economy from the London School of Economics. He prefers to settle disputes over cutthroat games of Risk.

Alex Friedrich Feature Archive

RSS

U's Rochester campus has first graduation

On Saturday the University of Minnesota - Rochester will graduate its first crop of students. It's a milestone for the city, which has long sought to establish a school offering four-year and advanced degrees. (05/18/2013)
University of Minnesota Rochester

Founding class of UMN-Rochester students set to graduate

When the first graduates of the University of Minnesota-Rochester receive their diplomas Saturday, they'll leave a campus that's still figuring things out. (05/16/2013)

Report: For-profit college grads perform as well as public university peers

Students at for-profit colleges in Minnesota are as likely to be employed one year after graduation as students from two-year public colleges, according to a report from the state Office of Higher Education. (05/03/2013)

Senate backs Minn. tuition for immigrants' kids

The Minnesota Senate has passed a bill that extends in-state public college tuition rates to children of people who are not in the country legally. (05/01/2013)

House passes tuition control higher-ed bill

The Minnesota House passed a higher education bill that drew bipartisan praise for its tough-minded approach to tuition and administrative spending. (04/25/2013)

MnSCU eliminates bonuses for executives

Trustees at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system have eliminated the executive bonuses that have upset unions and lawmakers in past years. (04/20/2013)

Proposed State Grant increase concerns MnSCU students

A proposed record boost in the state's main post-secondary financial aid program is drawing criticism from student leaders at Minnesota state colleges and universities, who say they wouldn't get their fair share of the increase. (04/18/2013)

A brief look at the Senate higher-education omnibus bill

The state Senate has passed a higher-education bill that increases funding by $263 million. (04/17/2013)

U general counsel leaving for Johns Hopkins

University of Minnesota General Counsel Mark Rotenberg is leaving the U for a similar position at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MinnPost reports. (04/08/2013)

Alan Page unveiling children's book at his foundation's gala

When Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page holds his foundation's annual gala on Saturday, he will officially release the children's book that he co-wrote with his daughter. Sales of "Alan and His Perfectly Pointy, Impossibly Perpendicular Pinky," will benefit the foundation. (04/06/2013)

What new UMN basketball coach Richard Pitino told reporters today

Newly chosen University of Minnesota basketball coach Richard Pitino made a confident debut Friday, telling reporters the U already has the resources it needs to have a successful basketball program. (04/05/2013)

Key DFLer: Tubby's buyout was 'obscene'

The House Higher Education Committee chairman is calling the $2.5 million contract buyout for fired University of Minnesota basketball coach Tubby Smith "obscene." (03/26/2013)

Dayton wants to alter titles of 2 in Cabinet

Gov. Mark Dayton is moving to change the titles of two state agency heads from director to commissioner. (03/17/2013)

Legislation would provide amnesty to underage drinkers in emergencies

People who've had too much to drink can sometimes wind up in dire situations -- beaten up, passed out from alcohol poisoning, or sexually assaulted. But when a young person is involved, many times no one calls 911 because underage drinkers are afraid police will cite them. An attempt to change that is being made in Minnesota. (03/14/2013)

Officials pleased by report on U of M administrative efficiency

A report released Friday shows the University of Minnesota is fairly efficient in how it staffs its management. Legislators had asked for the report after a December Wall Street Journal article painted the picture of a system with too many well-paid administrators. State officials who have seen the analysis say they're pleased. (03/08/2013)