This discussion of the special legal status of the University of Minnesota, known as constitutional autonomy, defines this status, states the rationale for the principle, and describes the relevant territorial act and constitutional provision. The main part of the legal analysis examines Minnesota court cases which addressed the issue of the university's autonomy. The discussion is organized around four major principles: (1) the Board of Regents alone is empowered to manage the university, with certain qualifications; (2) judicial relief is available if the Regents abuse the management powers granted by the constitution; (3) the legislature may place conditions on university appropriations, if the conditions do not violate university autonomy; and (4) the university is subject to the state constitution and is not above the legislature's lawmaking power. Two appendices list Minnesota statutes that regulate the university in some way and other states whose universities have a special constitutional status similar to that of the University of Minnesota. (Contains approximately 70 references.) (CK)