University of Missouri System Curators approves building projects

Roger McKinney, Columbia Daily Tribune
·2 min read
A man walks past the Columns on the Francis Quadrangle as it snows in a Tribune file photo.
A man walks past the Columns on the Francis Quadrangle as it snows in a Tribune file photo.

The University of Missouri System Board of Curators on Thursday approved five new building projects - four on the MU campus and one at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

A 12,200-square-foot expansion of the National Swine Resource and Research Center will double its animal housing capacity and its ability to develop swine models for biomedical fields.

The $8 million project is funded primarily by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

A new building for the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment was approved.

"This will allow them to consolidate into one building," said Ryan Rapp, vice president for finance.

The 7,700-square-foot building will cost $55 million. It's funded with $27.5 million from the state, $15 million in donations and $12.5 million in university funds. It's scheduled to open in December 2025.

A second phase addition of Middle Bush Farm NextGen Center for Influenza Research got the nod. The $7.5 million project will add 8,300 square feet. It's funded by the Health Resources Services Administration, with $2.5 million from the state and MU.

A 12,000-square-foot addition to the South Farm Swine Research and Education Facility received board approval. It will double its animal housing capacity. A $5 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration is being used to build it.

A $120 million Healthcare Innovation and Delivery Building is planned at UMKC.

"This is a very exciting project," Rapp said. "This is the anchor project for a health sciences district in Kansas City."

The 120,000-square-foot building will have $80 million in state funding and $40 million in donations. Completion is expected in May 2026.

Reed-Francois expands on athletics' fiscal year report

MU Athletic Director Desiree Reed-Francois provided the fiscal year 2022 athletic report.

The revenues of $141 million included ticket sales of $14 million, which was a 292% increase from COVID-impacted ticket sales in 2021, she said.

Expenses were $137 million.

"We will see inflation impacting our budget in 2023 as well," Francois-Reed said.

She called 2022 a foundational year, identifying opportunities for growth.

Developing a holistic student-athlete is a goal, she said.

"Mental health was something we really focused on," Reed-Francois said. "We hired three new mental health staff members."

The board specifically took time to note how Reed-Francois has made a difference, said Curator Greg Hoberock.

"I want to compliment you and your staff on improving the game day experience," Hoberock said.

"We never take our fans for granted," she said. "We want our games to be fun."

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: These five building projects got the nod from UM System Curators