COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri System officials shared their appreciation for Gov. Mike Parson and state lawmakers for a historic year of funding support with the signing of the FY 2025 state budget. The UM System will receive $504.6 million in core funding with additional funding to support capital improvement projects at all four universities.
“We are deeply grateful to Governor Parson and our legislative leaders for their incredible commitment to our mission of teaching, research and meaningful engagement,” University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. “This record support will directly benefit the health, economic and workforce needs of communities across the state, while providing a 13-to-1 return on investment for all Missourians.”
In May, the General Assembly approved Parson’s recommendation to increase core funding for Missouri’s public higher education institutions, including the UM System, by 3 percent. In addition to general operating funds, the UM System will receive $104.4 million to support students pursuing doctorates in medicine, veterinary medicine, optometry, dentistry and pharmacy; $82.4 million to advance its role as the state’s public research university; and $24.7 million for MU Extension, which carries out the university’s land-grant mission.
Also included in the core budget for the University of Missouri-Columbia and MU Extension is $1 million for the T.E. “Jake” Fisher Delta Research Center in Portageville, $325,000 for the MU School of Law’s Veterans Clinic, $275,000 for the Greenley Research Center for research related to the “Water Works for Agriculture in Missouri” initiative, $150,000 to expand a program on urban gardening and agriculture education, and $120,000 for the Rice Breeders Association.
“State support for the UM System empowers Missouri,” said Robin Wenneker, chair of the UM Board of Curators. “Funding supports the kind of world-class education we deliver every day, and that is important to our state. Two-thirds of our graduates remain in Missouri, using their education to further enrich our communities and society. On behalf of the Board of Curators, I want to thank Governor Parson and the Missouri General Assembly for investing in a brighter future for Missouri and Missourians.”
Capital Improvements
While the UM System will receive a substantial core funding increase, nearly 45 percent of all funds appropriated to the UM System this year have been designated for construction, renovation and maintenance projects. Roughly $450 million from state general revenue and federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) will go to 11 projects located at all four universities.
The University of Missouri-Columbia will receive $138 million for capital improvement projects benefiting its NextGen radiopharmaceutical, animal science and health care engineering initiatives. MU will also receive $10 million for a meat processing training and research facility on East Campus, $3 million for the planning and design of a designated Wine and Grape Institute Research Center and Viticulture Facility in Eckles Hall, and $1.8 million for facilities and equipment for the Missouri Foundation Seed Program at South Farm.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City will receive $79.7 million to further develop the UMKC Health Sciences District, which brings together public and private health care providers to collaborate on research and grants and advance health care in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
As part of its Campus of the Future transformation efforts, the University of Missouri-St. Louis will receive $73.8 million. It will also receive $15 million in ARPA funds to construct a new engineering building.
Missouri University of Science and Technology will receive $41 million to build the Missouri Protoplex, a research and innovation facility focused on manufacturing and designed to serve Missouri industry and academia. Missouri S&T will also receive an additional $25 million to further its “Advancing Missouri’s STEM Education and Workforce Development” initiative after it received $25 million for the same purpose last year.
MoExcels Projects
Policymakers also approved funding for the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development’s MoExcels Workforce Initiative. This program facilitates the development and expansion of education and training programs at colleges and universities across the state.
This year, the General Assembly approved $54.4 million statewide for the program, $18 million of which will go to programs at UM System universities.
- MU
- MO Child Care Workforce Development: $1.8 million
- MU Center for Excellence in Engineering & Information Technology: $3.4 million
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones) Hands-on Training: $3.6 million
- UMSL
- Workforce and Career Development Center: $675,000
- Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation: $1 million
- Missouri S&T
- Bridging the Manufacturing Critical Skills Gap: $3.3 million
- UMKC
Student Career Pathways & Student Success Space: $4 million