JOPLIN, Mo. – Two pieces of legislation signed by Gov. Jay Nixon on Thursday in Joplin, Mo., will set aside $262 million that is to be invested in Missouri’s colleges and universities, including more than $16 million in upgrades at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin.
Nixon said the improvements will be made through the Governor’s Building Affordability initiative.
“The hundreds of millions of dollars we are investing in higher education are dollars that don’t have to be raised through tuition increases, helping to keep Missouri the number one state in the nation for holding down tuition hikes,” Nixon said. “I appreciate the General Assembly for answering my call to make this historic investment in our colleges and universities, an investment that will strenghten our economy for years to come.”
House Bills 2017 and 2018 are the Capital Improvement Bills for fiscal 2017 which provides $792 million to continue “essential renovations” across the state as well as $192 million to address deferred maintenance projects.
Included in this legislation is $16 million to fund renovations at Reynolds Hall on the campus of Missouri Southern in Joplin. Reynolds Hall, constructed in 1967, houses the biology, environmental health, physical science and mathematics programs for the university. The renovations include new loboratories with state-of-the-art equipment and expanded academic space.
Dr. Alan Marble, president of Missouri Southern, said the university was grateful for the investments that are being made on behalf of the students, especially when the area is developing into a health-care hub.
“We need to provide a first-class experience, and we are very thankful to Gov. Nixon and the General Assembly for the vital funding that will make it possible to renovate and expand their critical facility.”
The funding from the house bills provide the resources for Building Affordability, a component of the Build Missouri capital improvement initiative that will fund nearly 500 projects in every corner of the state through bond proceeds and other sources. These additional investments by the state will help colleges and universities make needed renovations and improvements to campuses without raising tuition to cover the costs of these projects.
