2008 Woodie Awards
Podolefsky, MU President Talk Higher Education, MOHELA
Miranda Wycoff/Muleskinner
Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
UCM president Aaron Podolefsky and the University of Missouri president joined together Monday on UCM's campus to discuss issues in higher education and Gov. Matt Blunt's Lewis and Clark Initiative.
Elson Floyd, president of MU, and Podolefsky spoke about issues facing public universities across the state.
"The bottom line is that higher education is really about the students," Podolefsky said. "We are here to monitor young people seeking a future for themselves, nurture their creativity, take care of them and help them be what they want to be."
More than 100 guests attended the forum, including representatives from UCM and MU; candidates for office, the Missouri Board of Higher Education and members of the media.
The forum is part of a collaborative series that are being conducted on campuses around the state.
"We are fortunate in this state to have such a group of fabulous university presidents who understand the impact of higher education," Floyd said.
Floyd discussed the declining state funding for higher education recent years and promoted other ways for public institutions to keep up the quality education provided with little state funding.
"If we are to achieve excellence then we are going to need to do it through private gifting and funding," Floyd said.
Floyd said during the last decade, students' share of college expenses has steadily increased. In 2005, 55 percent of MU's operating budget came from state appropriations and 35.6 percent came from tuition, now students pay 47.8 percent of the operating budget.
Podolefsky and Floyd emphasized the importance of Blunt's Lewis and Clark Initiative, which will give higher education institutions about $350 million for capital improvement projects from the sale of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA).
UCM is slated to receive about 13 million to renovate the Morrow-Garrison complex.
"[Morrow-Garrison] is in serious need of repair and renovation," Podolefsky said. "We are at the point of critical need."
Podolefsky said most buildings need renovations about every 25 years, and without state capital funding, these improvements are not possible.
"Our budgets are not built with renovation money," Podolefsky said.
With the MOHELA funds, Missouri institutions will be able to make some overdue improvements. MU is scheduled to receive about $94 million from the MOHELA plan.
Elson Floyd, president of MU, and Podolefsky spoke about issues facing public universities across the state.
"The bottom line is that higher education is really about the students," Podolefsky said. "We are here to monitor young people seeking a future for themselves, nurture their creativity, take care of them and help them be what they want to be."
More than 100 guests attended the forum, including representatives from UCM and MU; candidates for office, the Missouri Board of Higher Education and members of the media.
The forum is part of a collaborative series that are being conducted on campuses around the state.
"We are fortunate in this state to have such a group of fabulous university presidents who understand the impact of higher education," Floyd said.
Floyd discussed the declining state funding for higher education recent years and promoted other ways for public institutions to keep up the quality education provided with little state funding.
"If we are to achieve excellence then we are going to need to do it through private gifting and funding," Floyd said.
Floyd said during the last decade, students' share of college expenses has steadily increased. In 2005, 55 percent of MU's operating budget came from state appropriations and 35.6 percent came from tuition, now students pay 47.8 percent of the operating budget.
Podolefsky and Floyd emphasized the importance of Blunt's Lewis and Clark Initiative, which will give higher education institutions about $350 million for capital improvement projects from the sale of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA).
UCM is slated to receive about 13 million to renovate the Morrow-Garrison complex.
"[Morrow-Garrison] is in serious need of repair and renovation," Podolefsky said. "We are at the point of critical need."
Podolefsky said most buildings need renovations about every 25 years, and without state capital funding, these improvements are not possible.
"Our budgets are not built with renovation money," Podolefsky said.
With the MOHELA funds, Missouri institutions will be able to make some overdue improvements. MU is scheduled to receive about $94 million from the MOHELA plan.
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