President’s Perspective

Dear Friends,

As this issue of the magazine went to press, the Missouri Legislature was still working on the state budget for fiscal year 2019. We don’t know what the final amount of state appropriations for Missouri Western will be, but there is a real possibility that our funding will be less than fiscal year 2018.

I want to assure you that when we receive final figures regarding our state appropriation for the coming fiscal year, we will look at our budget strategically and with a long-term focus. With campus and community input, we are currently in the process of creating a five-year strategic plan to prioritize our goals and ensure that we remain true to our mission. That will guide our budget decisions.

I do want to give credit to the legislators in the General Assembly. They are supportive of higher education in Missouri, and they understand the value of it and what an educated workforce means to the future of the state.

Providing a high-quality education and hands-on, life-changing experiences for our students remain our top priority. Please read the article that begins on page 8 about two of our professors who received National Science Foundation grants last year – one for approximately $249,000 and one for $566,000 – and another professor who is conducting research on the influenza virus with our students. We are very proud of our outstanding faculty, but more importantly, we appreciate that they are providing great research opportunities for our students.

Those research projects are just three examples of how our students are gaining experiences outside of the classroom to prepare them for careers when they graduate. Those types of activities – faculty/student research, internships and practicums – help jumpstart their careers, and we appreciate our faculty members’ commitment to applied learning.

Sincerely,

Dr. Robert Vartabedian
President, Missouri Western