The St. Paul
campus has approximately two acres of greenhouse facilities
that support the University of Minnesota's tripartite mission of
research and discovery, teaching and learning, and outreach and public
service. The greenhouses, support head houses, teaching
rooms, environmental chambers, and a high security containment facility
for insects are collectively referred to as the Plant Growth Facility
(PGF). Though the PGF is available to the entire UMN community and
collaborators, primarily the College of Food, Agricultural, and
Natural Resource Sciences and the College of Biological
Sciences use it. The Minnesota Agricultural Experiment
Station (MAES) serves as the administrative support unit for
the PGF.
A staff of five are the primary
contacts for services, most of which have additional
responsibilities in academic departments, and manage the greenhouses.
An oversight
committee consisting of faculty and staff from departments
that routinely use the greenhouses, direct the staff, suggest
improvements, and serve as a liaison to faculty and administration. The
committee is appointed by the Assistant Director of MAES.
Service
charges are assessed to all greenhouse users. MAES
maintains a database that tracks all use, revenue, and expenses for the
greenhouses. Detailed reports are available upon request. The
greenhouse operation is an Internal Service Organization as specified
in UMN financial policy. | 
