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Selected Accomplishments During the Tenure of University of Missouri System President Elson S. Floyd

Contact: Jennifer Hollingshead

Office: (573) 882-0601

E-mail: hollingsheadj@umsystem.edu

Improved enrollment:

  • Total enrollment on the four campuses set a record of more than 63,700 in 2006, some 7,000 more students than five years ago.
  • Minority student enrollment increased on all four campuses.
  • Graduate and professional enrollment is up 8.8 percent in the past two years.

Created scholarships to enhance student access:

  • Endowed 266 new need-based scholarships created by leveraging private support with state appropriations.
  • Announced new scholarship program for families using Missouri's 529 College Savings Plan. The program provides 80 scholarships for students of families who have invested in the plan.
  • University of Missouri students now receive nearly $550 million annually in various forms of student financial aid.

Guided the University through a period of unprecedented state appropriations cuts and recent state reinvestment:

  • Implemented a $20 million reduction in administrative expenditures. Resources freed were primarily reinvested in academics.
  • Developed tuition guidelines aimed at holding increases to the inflation rate.
  • Consolidated government relations activities of the four campuses and the system under a single vice president.

Reinvigorated University of Missouri Health Care:

  • Placed direct responsibility for UM Health Care with the President's office.
  • Hired a new UM Health Care CEO (James Ross).
  • Subsequent financial turn-around resulted in positive cash flow while UM Health Care continued to provide $47 million annually in uncompensated care.

Added Economic Development to the mission statement:

  • Established a foundation to encourage creation of businesses based on accelerating the transfer of University research discoveries to the marketplace.
  • Established two new University research parks.
  • Reorganized the University's technology transfer procedures to better link faculty research with economic development.

Improved research and research funding:

  • The University's federal R&D funding grew from $159 million in FY96 to more than $302 million in FY 2005.
  • Placed special emphasis on developing and coordinating a University wide initiative to enhance life sciences research and development.
  • Began formal recognition of student and faculty entrepreneurs.

Improved benefits for, and relations with, faculty and staff:

  • Introduced an educational fee reduction plan for employees' spouses and children to improve recruitment and retention.
  • Addressed faculty concerns by eliminating a backlog of grievance appeals.
  • Initiated a leadership program to enhance faculty and staff development.

Improved communication:

  • Facilitated interactive communication not only within the university family but with elected officials and the public.
  • Interacted one-on-one with students whenever possible, and, toured the state to host public forums and gather feedback.
  • Established a close working relationship with elected officials and legislators.

Building consensus:

  • Worked jointly with the presidents of other Missouri public colleges to spotlight the benefits and needs of public higher education.
  • Lead unprecedented process to present state government with a unified funding request involving all Missouri public universities.
  • Received a unanimous vote of support from the Intercampus Faculty Council.

Other accomplishments:

  • Developed a system-wide Strategic Plan with measurable performance objectives.
  • Established cooperative programs among the four campuses, such as the joint UMKC and UMC effort to help meet the urgent statewide need for pharmacists.
  • Hired four new chancellors.

Reviewed 2010-06-16