MU School of Health Professions to become MU College of Health Sciences
The University of Missouri School of Health Professions next school year will become the MU College of Health Sciences, paired with a $5 million renovation to Clark Hall, said Dean Kristofer Hagglund.
"It recognizes the significant changes we have made over the years," Hagglund said of the name change.
Hagglund made the announcement Tuesday during a "State of the School" speech in the State Historical Society of Missouri.
The school is located in the connected Lewis and Clark halls at Providence Road and Rollins Street. The renovation will include an accessible and attractive entrance at the main level off Providence, where until recently passing motorists had a view of a dumpster.
"More than 30,000 cars pass Clark Hall on Providence Road every day," Hagglund said.
The buildings were constructed in the presidential administration of Lyndon Johnson, Hagglund said after the event.
"It's nice to have this opportunity to have a major renovation," he said.
During his presentation, he showed illustrations of classrooms, to be named for the late donor Nancy Toedebusch Fay, who graduated from MU in 1969 with a degree in medical technology. There were also illustrations of what a student lounge and a conference room would look like in the renovated building.
Established in 1978, the School of Health Professions became independent of the MU School of Medicine in 2000. The health science major has surpassed biology as the most popular major at MU since 2017, graduating 578 students in 2019.
The school has received $1.89 million from donors so far this year, Hagglund said. The school had $5.65 million in research spending and $7.8 million in research awards in 2022.
U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy will speak for the final graduation from the School of Health Professions in May, Hagglund said.
Enrollment has grown from 629 in 2000 to 3,501 in 2022.
"We're poised for enrollment growth to top out at 3,700," Hagglund told the room full of faculty. "I know that makes some of you nervous."
More faculty will be hired, he said.
"We are dedicated to giving everyone a chance to learn," Hagglund said.
Hagglund began his talk by giving credit to the faculty in attendance.
"You make a difference," he said.
Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on Twitter at @rmckinney9.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: $5 million renovation to Clark Hall paired with name change
