Missouri Governor ? Michael L. Parson

Office of Communications

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 6, 2021

Governor Parson Announces $68 Million in Federal Funding for Higher Education Institutions

$68 Million in Federal Budget Stabilization Funds Appropriated for Infrastructure and Capital Improvement Projects at Missouri Public Universities

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) ??Today, Governor Mike Parson announced over $68 million in Federal Budget Stabilization Fund appropriations for infrastructure and capital improvement projects at Missouri's public universities and State Technical College of Missouri.?

Releasing these funds will help address major repairs and restore campus buildings to maintain a safe environment.

?Public universities?play a major role in their local?communities, serving a variety of needs in addition to their traditional?academic roles,??said Governor Parson. ?This has never been more clear than the COVID-19 crisis when higher?education institutions have offered up facilities?for ultra-cold vaccine storage, contributed to the state's PPE supply chain, and provided job training for unemployed?Missourians. These funds will help provide much needed support to our public universities?just?as they have done for our communities.?

With many public and private partnerships, college campuses are not only centers of cultural and historical significance but also vital parts of community health and wellness. Public higher education institutions have a facility footprint of over 2,400 buildings with approximately 60 million maintainable square footage throughout Missouri.

Comprehensive reviews in 2009 and 2018 by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development found that significant maintenance and repairs are needed to continue providing Missouri college students with quality facilities for learning.

?Projects like roof repair and updating an old boiler aren?t flashy, but they are absolutely essential to maintaining safe and effective learning environments for students,? Commissioner of Higher Education Zora Mulligan?said. ?Governor Parson has been committed to these investments since his time in the Missouri Senate when he championed legislation that authorized $400 million in bonds to repair college campuses and state buildings. We are grateful funds are being released to address deferred maintenance on our campuses and appreciate the Governor's continued support.?

To view a breakdown of the funds per institution, please see attachment.?

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