Nov. 1, 2021
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Over the next 10 years, the University of Missouri will undergo a transformation as officials launch MizzouForward, a comprehensive strategy with the goal of enhancing the university's research and education missions through a planned $1.5 billion long-term investment. MizzouForward will use existing and new resources to recruit new tenure and tenure-track faculty, enhance staff to support the research mission, build and upgrade research facilities and instruments, augment support for student academic success, and retain faculty and staff through additional salary support.
"This historic investment in our people, programs and potential will have a transformational impact throughout the state of Missouri and beyond," said Darryl Chatman, chair of the University of Missouri Board of Curators. "As the state's flagship, a leading national research university and a member of the AAU, we must aim for and achieve excellence in research, teaching and engagement."
"MizzouForward will provide our faculty with the resources, infrastructure and support they need to conduct cutting-edge research, educate the next generation of our workforce and translate their academic activities to the benefit of our communities and society," said Mun Choi, president of the University of Missouri.
Officials project that the MizzouForward plan will make the following investments:
- Recruiting approximately 150 new faculty over the next 5-10 years; additionally, providing startup funds for new faculty that would be used to equip laboratory space and hire research assistants for new scientific projects.
- Recruiting approximately 150 new staff to support research core facilities, proposal development, award nominations and compliance.
- Investments in new and upgraded scientific facilities and instruments.
- Performance-based salary increases for faculty and staff.
- Dedicating resources that contribute to excellence in student academic success, increased graduation rates and increased placement outcomes.
Some sources of investments of MizzouForward are reallocations of current resources while other sources of revenue are expected to be realized as the strategy moves forward. Some of those funding sources include:
- $100 million from the state to support the NextGen Precision Health initiative. Recently, the state added $10 million to the annual core appropriation for the University of Missouri. To date, the state has provided $27 million for this effort.
- $100 million from industry partners due to increasing license revenue of MU innovations.
- $300 million from tuition revenue. This revenue would be focused on areas that provide additional research and educational opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students.
- $50 million from federal support through Veterans Administration partnership.
- $100 million from university donors who support research philanthropy.
- $250 million from MU Health Care.
"Over the last five years, we have worked hard to maintain financial stability under challenging circumstances and adopted innovative approaches to financial planning," said Ryan Rapp, executive vice president for finance and operations. "These actions are what allow us to make these strategic investments and will need to continue. This approach allows us to keep targeting our resources where they are needed most - in the scientific labs and the classrooms where our researchers and students are benefiting directly."
"We have exceptional faculty and staff supporting the research and educational missions of MU; MizzouForward further expands our talent and expertise," said Latha Ramchand, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. "The construction of the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building, along with recent faculty hires, serve as catalysts that help us attract other talented scholars and researchers in a variety of fields. This is just the beginning, and we are looking forward to the discoveries these faculty will make and the impact they will have on our current and future students."
"MizzouForward supports an exciting future for the University of Missouri," said Tom Spencer, vice chancellor for research and economic development. "With this plan, we expect to raise the bar of expectation for our university but also provide the resources needed to attain greater heights of excellence that benefit our faculty, our staff, our students and our state."
