Thursday, March 19, 2015
Presentations: 4:30-6:00, Baldwin Hall 176
Discussion: 7:00-8:30, Dukum Inn
For decades, public support for Higher Education in the state of Missouri has declined precipitously. The impact of this underfunding has been widespread and deeply felt:
• An increased financial burden on Missouri’s student population
• An inability to recruit top teachers and scholars
• A deterioration in the quality of education at our state institutions
• A weakening of morale for the vast majority of those who work in these institutions
• A culture on our campuses of frustration with the present and fear for the future instead of a culture of innovation
Our Town Hall meeting will examine, through presentations and discussion, the reasons for the decline in Higher Education funding, the impact that these choices have had, and perhaps discover some possible solutions. Our keynote speaker will be Amy Blouin, Executive Director of the Missouri Budget Project. Respondents will include Nate Walker (Missouri Representative, District 3), Glen Moritz (Mayor of Kirksville), and Rebecca McClanahan (President of Missouri Nurses Association). Together we will address questions such as: How and why have these financial decisions been made? What has been the impact on our cities, our regions, and our state? What can we, as employees in Higher Education and citizens of this state, do to stem this tide, and illustrate to those who make these decisions the importance of Higher Education, and the many benefits of increased support?