Greetings, Fellow Bulldogs!
I hope this issue of the Truman Review finds you enjoying a summer filled with family, friends, and memorable experiences. In Kirksville, after sending off spectacular graduates prepared to make a real difference in the world, we have settled into a summer full of academies, athletic and band camps, the Special Olympics summer games and, very importantly, orientation to welcome our new Bulldogs and their families to our amazing community. All of this comes on the heels of another academic year full of impressive accomplishments for which Truman is known, resulting in the impactful education experiences that truly set our graduates apart. We are excited to share some highlights in this issue.
One thing that did not excite us this year was the proposed higher education funding formula offered by the Missouri House budget chair and vice chair. A radical departure from previous norms, the formula focused solely on how many students enter a college or university, without regard for whether students emerge from that institution with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful and productive members of society. It was met with swift bipartisan opposition and ultimately abandoned. Ironically, the three institution that would have suffered the largest decreases in state funding – Truman, Lincoln, and Harris Stowe – were the three that had the greatest increase in student headcount in Fall 2025.
I am deeply grateful for the support Truman received during the budget formula discussion and for the ways people shared with the legislature what an impressive and invaluable institution we are and how we have excelled as the state’s designated liberal arts and sciences institution for 40 years. Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, a staunch and tireless advocate for the University, and Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern (’05), who has championed Truman and appropriate state funding, provided vital support. If you would like more details on the budget process, please see the updates I have posted throughout the legislative session at truman.edu/about/our-people/presidents-office.
While the funding model is resolved for now, the question of how higher education should be funded in the future remains. Truman looks forward to continuing our work with public higher education leaders, the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, and members of the General Assembly to develop a funding model that works for all Missouri institutions and incorporates key performance measures, such as retention and graduation rates. Truman has a proven legacy of transforming students’ lives, achieving exceptional outcomes and cultivating generations of remarkable alumni. We are exactly the type of institution the citizens of Missouri expect to support with their tax dollars.
Truman punches far above our weight class. Top business and industries in the state actively recruit our graduates. Truman serves as a pipeline to the top graduate programs in our state, and among its graduates are the state’s top legal minds, health care experts, nonprofit leaders, educators and business executives. You cannot find another institution that provides the quality of education for the value.
It is the impressive people associated with Truman, past and present, who ensure our enduring excellence. Thank you for being an important part of making Truman the amazing institution it was, it is and will continue to be!
With great Truman pride,
Sue
