MANKATO — Technology was the talk at a Minnesota State Colleges and Universities-sponsored listening session at Minnesota State University Monday.

A half dozen students and faculty spoke about the necessity for technology (more funding should be allocated to enhance the distance learning infrastructure, one man said), and of the sometimes-negative impact it has on education and the learning environment (not all students excel in online classes, said several people.)

Beyond that, the event was, well, over long before it was scheduled to be. The session was planned for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. but the room cleared out by 7:10 p.m. or so.

The forum was among four listening sessions held around the state. A panel made up of MnSCU Board members Christine Rice, David Paskach, Dan McElroy, Dwayne Benson and Chris Frederick listened and took notes while people addressed the following questions:

n What are the most significant changes/challenges affecting public higher education in Minnesota?

n How can the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system add value and better meet your needs now and in the future?

n Given the fiscal and demographic challenges facing post-secondary education, what should the system’s priorities be for the next 5 to 10 years?

Perhaps the most compelling thoughts came from a student fairly well-removed from the budget crisis.

Zemfira Khusnutdinova of Russia, an exchange student, said that while colleges and universities contemplate how best to beef up the number of classes available online, some thought should also be given to maybe removing some technology inside the classroom.

“Access to technology can have a downside,” she said, taking the microphone at the front of the room and sitting on the stage to face the hundred or so people in attendance.

She recalled being in an accounting class where, after an instructor delivered a lecture, he asked if anyone had any questions. No one had any questions, but plenty of them had taken the opportunity during lecture to check in with Facebook or their personal e-mail accounts.

“Maybe a solution would be to disconnect online access,” she said.

History professor Margaretta Handke said online classes are OK but some students don’t do well with online classes and need the personal connections traditional classes offer.

And Anna Fellegy, an administrator from Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College (she was visiting family nearby and only spoke, she said, because there seemed to be a lack of people who wanted to have their say), said it would behoove MnSCU to be mindful of the bodies in the rooms at our state colleges and universities.

“In a state of fiscal challenges, it is tempting to think technology is going to be the magic bullet that’s going to bail us out,” she said. “It’s important to remember who we’re building a future for. For some (including Native Americans) online just doesn’t appeal to them.”

Dennis Siemer of V-Tek, Inc., on the other hand, wants online learning to be enhanced and wondered whether MnSCU could help improve its bottom line by delving further into online learning and broadening the kinds of classes offered.

Jonathan Zierdt, executive director of Greater Mankato Growth, suggested making a more substantial investment in the online infrastructure. He also said he favors maintaining the integrity of the in-class experience.

Freshman Tamiyah Lewis lamented the changes that have befallen the College Access Program.

English instructor Don Larsson, in response to the first question, said MnSCU needs to clarify to the state universities what the missions will be and figure out what the meaning of a four-year or graduate degree will be.

Modern languages instructor James Grabowska supported the idea of a stronger focus on traditional classroom experiences, and said the state should consider a funding approach where K-12 funding and higher education funding are combined.

He also said MnSCU should take a different approach to evaluating student achievement and move toward a system where collegiate success is based not merely on the accumulation of credits but on the acquisition of knowledge.