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University of Missouri
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The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 63,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses. The health care system operates several hospitals and clinics in central Missouri, while the extension program provides distance learning and other educational initiatives statewide.
The UM System was created in 1963 when the University of Missouri (founded in 1839 in Columbia) and its offshoot, the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (founded in 1870 in Rolla), were combined with the formerly-private University of Kansas City (founded in 1929) and a newly-created campus in suburban St.
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Encyclopedia
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 63,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses. The health care system operates several hospitals and clinics in central Missouri, while the extension program provides distance learning and other educational initiatives statewide.
The UM System was created in 1963 when the University of Missouri (founded in 1839 in Columbia) and its offshoot, the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (founded in 1870 in Rolla), were combined with the formerly-private University of Kansas City (founded in 1929) and a newly-created campus in suburban St. Louis.
Components
Universities
All four campuses are comprehensive, separately-accredited, land-grant/research-intensive institutions offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs.
- University of Missouri (Mizzou or MU) is the oldest campus, founded in Columbia in 1839. It is the largest university in the state with over 28,000 students. MU is considered the flagship of the system and offers over 270 degree programs through 20 schools and colleges, and is the only public university in Missouri that is a member of the American Association of Universities. Its Tigers athletic programs compete in the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference.
- Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T or Rolla) was founded in 1870 in Rolla. Currently enrolling just over 6,000 students, it is the smallest campus in the system. 75 degrees and emphases are offered across a comprehensive range of programs in sciences, liberal arts, humanities, and business, but most are focused on engineering. Its Miners athletic programs compete in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference.
- University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC), founded in 1929, is the largest school in the Kansas City area with over 14,000 students. It offers over 150 degree programs through 12 schools and colleges, but is best known for its programs in health sciences (including Missouri's only School of Dentistry), urban issues, and its Conservatory of Music and Dance. Its Kangaroos athletic programs compete in the NCAA Division I Summit League.
- University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) was founded in 1963 in suburban St. Louis County. It is the largest school in the St. Louis area and third largest in the state of Missouri, with over 15,500 students. Over 80 degree programs are offered through nine schools and colleges, including Missouri's only College of Optometry. Its Tritons athletic programs compete in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Health care
The University of Missouri Health Care system operates several facilities in central Missouri, including University Hospital (the only Level I trauma center in central Missouri) and Ellis Fischel Cancer Center (the only hospital in Missouri specializing in cancer treatment). It is also closely affiliated with MU's School of Medicine and Sinclair School of Nursing.
Extension
The University of Missouri Extension fosters programs that help residents of Missouri "understand change, solve problems, and make informed decisions." The Extension is a cooperation between the UM System and the state's other land-grant institution, Lincoln University, and offers distance learning, continuing education, evening classes, Mizzou online, and other off-campus programs. It also operates county extension centers and other field offices throughout the state.
Research and technology parks
As part of its economic development mission to support high-tech growth in Missouri, the UM System owns and operates five research parks throughout the state.
- Missouri Research Park is a park in Weldon Spring created in 1985. It is home to over a dozen high-tech companies and helped catalyze a high-tech corridor along US-40/I-64.
- Technology Park at Fort Leonard Wood in St. Robert is the first technology park in the nation to be located on an active Army post. It houses the MRP Business Center, which was created to be a catalyst for partnerships between the military, corporations, and academia.
- Discovery Ridge, near Columbia, was established in 2005 on of MU's South Farm, a agricultural experiment station operated by MU's College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. The park is jointly operated by the UM System's Office of Research and Economic Development and MU.
- Innovation Park in Rolla was announced in April 2007. The 56 acre former golf course will be "a research, development and office park project" jointly operated by the UM System's Office of Research and Economic Development and Missouri S&T.
- UMSL Research Park is a park on UMSL's north campus. It is home to Express Scripts' new corporate headquarters, which opened in June 2007. The park is jointly operated by the UM System's Office of Research and Economic Development and UMSL.
Press
The University of Missouri Press was established in 1958 and today publishes over 70 titles per year, including several series such as the Missouri Biography Series. It also distributes books for the Missouri Historical Society Press.
Administration
Organization
The UM System is governed by the Board of Curators, consisting of nine members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Missouri Senate. Curators serve six-year terms, staggered by three positions expiring every two years. Not more than one curator can be appointed from the same congressional district, and no more than five curators can belong to the same political party. In addition, there is a non-voting student representative to the board, likewise appointed and confirmed, who serves a two-year term. The post is rotated among the four universities.
The Board of Curators selects the president of the system, who reports to the board along with the general counsel. Each university is led by a chancellor who reports to the president, as does the chief of staff, the director of communications, the CEO of UM Health Care, and the six vice presidents in charge of system-wide departments. A special position of Executive Vice President has been created for former interim president Gordon H. Lamb to serve as an advisor to the new president, Gary D. Forsee. Forsee is a veteran chief executive officer, but has not formerly served in an academic capacity. Lamb's appointment is expected to last through 2008.
Presidents
There have been nine presidents of UM System since its inception in 1963. Prior to the formation of the system, the position of president was more akin to what is now chancellor of the Columbia campus. However, the UM System counts presidents who served before the system was created, therefore the numbering starts at 14. See University of Missouri#Presidents and chancellors for a list of presidents from 1841–1963 and chancellors from 1963–present. This list does not include interim presidents.
- Elmer Ellis† (1963–1966)
- John C. Weaver (1966–1970)
- C. Brice Ratchford (1971–1976)
- James Olson (1977–1984)
- C. Peter Magrath (1985–1991)
- George A. Russell (1991–1996)
- Manuel T. Pacheco (1997–2002)
- Elson Floyd (2003–2007)
- Gary D. Forsee (2008–present)
† Elmer Ellis had been president of the University of Missouri since 1954 and became president of the University of Missouri System upon its creation, while a new person was selected to become first chancellor of the Columbia campus.
History
The University of Missouri was founded in 1839 in Columbia. It was the first public institution of higher learning west of the Mississippi River. It became a land-grant university after passage of the Morrill Act of 1862. In 1870, the University established the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy in Rolla.
The UM System was created in 1963 when the University of Kansas City, which had been a private institution, was acquired and renamed UM–Kansas City. That same year, a new university named UM–St. Louis was created. In 1964, the School of Mines ‡ was renamed UM–Rolla, and the original university in Columbia was renamed UM–Columbia. Effective January 1, 2008, UM–Rolla became the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Naming controversy
Since its founding in 1839 until the formation of the system in 1963, the institution in Columbia was known simply as the University of Missouri. When the University of Missouri System was established, the existing institutions—the University of Missouri in Columbia and its offshoot, the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy in Rolla were renamed the University of Missouri–Columbia and the University of Missouri–Rolla.‡ The formerly-private institution acquired by the system, the University of Kansas City, was renamed the University of Missouri–Kansas City. The newly-created institution in St. Louis was suitably named the University of Missouri–St. Louis, thus creating a uniformly-named system of institutions.
The original generic name, the University of Missouri, was not officially assigned to any of the schools or the system. However, it has been commonly used both formally and informally to mean the original Columbia campus or the system. It has also been used to mean any of the other three campuses, though this is most often done in a casual manner at the campus in question, or by persons unfamiliar with the system. All four campuses have felt their regional designations potentially cause them to be mistaken as second-tier regional institutions. Considerable controversy over use of the generic name has been caused by the Columbia campus claiming de facto ownership, further marginalizing the other three campuses.
The Rolla campus was first to enact a break from regional designation. On 6 April 2007, the Board of Curators approved a proposal to rename the school the Missouri University of Science and Technology, effective 1 January 2008. In addition to ridding itself of a regional designation, it also emphasizes the school's technological research mission. This quickly catalyzed a long-dormant "name restoration" campaign at the Columbia campus to drop its regional designation. This proposal met with considerable criticism, mainly from the Kansas City and St. Louis campuses, who saw this as unnecessary or unfair and an intentional detriment to their campuses. On 29 November 2007, the Board of Curators voted unanimously to allow the Columbia campus to use the generic University of Missouri name for essentially all public purposes, but not when dealing with "official business" such as budget documents, legal contracts, and other internal UM System documentation, or whenever clarification from the system or other campuses is needed. Use of the generic name is not compulsory and the Columbia designation may continue to be used in any context. The decision also stipulates that the UM System utilize the "System" designation in most instances. Proponents of the change say that it simply provides clarification and recognizes what has always been common usage, but the issue remains controversial.
‡ The Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy was briefly named the University of Missouri at Rolla in 1963 before changing to the University of Missouri–Rolla in 1964.
Proposed merger
In April 2003, the UM System announced it was exploring the possibility of making Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville the fifth school in the system. It was to be renamed the University of Missouri–Northwest and would have become a doctoral degree-granting research university of equal stature with the existing UM System universities. However, the enabling Missouri General Assembly legislation never passed and the deal sunset. There are no active attempts to add the school.
Missouri State University controversy
Southwest Missouri State University sought and eventually was granted permission to drop its regional designation and become Missouri State University. This change was initially vehemently opposed by the UM System, as it saw this as a threat to its funding and its stature as the premiere public institution of higher learning in Missouri. It also would create historic entanglements, as the University of Missouri had interchangeably used the Missouri State University name at times in its history. This resulted from MU being designated as both a land grant and a research institution, unlike states such as Iowa where separate institutions (University of Iowa and Iowa State University) were created.
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