Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ

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 Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ's 529 College Savings Plan. The program provides 80 scholarships for students of families who have invested in the plan.
• University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ 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 Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ 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 Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ 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 Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ 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.