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University of Missouri Facts (PDF 8.4 MB)
In his report to the University of Missouri Board of Curators, President Elson S. Floyd highlighted accomplishments that demonstrate the University’s success in working toward the goals and vision of the Strategic Plan.
The first theme in the Strategic Plan is access to quality learning and teaching. The University enrolled a record 63,384 students in fall 2005, approximately 1,000 more than the previous year’s record. Total enrollment increased 12 percent over the past five years. The University needs to continue to grow its enrollment, Floyd said.
“It is important to note that 81 percent of all students enrolled in fall 2005 at the University are Missouri residents,” Floyd said. “We have a strong, rich, deep commitment to Missourians first and foremost, and we’ll do everything that we can to make sure our University is the institution of first choice for those students.”
The enhanced admissions policy approved by the board at its December 2005 meeting means that even more high-achieving students can attend the University.
The University also continues to attract quality students. In fact, 59 percent of the Bright Flight students attending four-year public institutions in the state made the University of Missouri their first choice in 2004–2005. The Columbia and Rolla campuses ranked first and third, respectively, in the number of Bright Flight students attending Missouri institutions.
With the Missouri Endowed Scholarship Program, established with $4 million from FY05 state appropriations matched with private funds, the University created 266 scholarships for its neediest students. The University granted nearly 13,000 degrees in 2005. The University also provides the skilled graduates crucial for the state’s knowledge-based industries, Floyd said.
Floyd said the University will continue to actively work to achieve academic and research quality. He cited endowed chairs; life sciences research; growth in federal research and development funding; and technology transfer as examples of the University’s strengths.
The University is active in community- university engagement, the third theme. “If one were to think of the total budget associated with the University of Missouri, which is approximately $2.1 billion, and the number of employees we have, which total over 25,000, the University of Missouri would be the 21st-largest publicly-held company in the state,” he said. “We are continuing to make sure that we leverage the investment that Missourians make in our University to have the maximum return for Missouri.”
University of Missouri Health Care continues to be a priority in this regard and is in the midst of a fiscal recovery.
The President’s Academic Leadership Institute and the Administrative Leadership Development Program were mentioned as examples of the University’s investment in people, as consistent with the fourth theme of valuing people and creating a highperforming organization.
Improving core processes is the fifth theme. At the December board meeting, Floyd asked each campus to look at reducing administrative costs by 10 percent, or a total of about $12.5 million, in order to redirect funds to instruction, research and service.
The sixth theme, developing and managing resources, is demonstrated by the successful capital campaigns underway at each campus.
“We are a University on the move,” he said. “We will always focus on quality, excellence, affordability, accountability and making sure the doors of our University are open and accessible.”