The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD) hosted the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) at North Central Missouri College (NCMC) in Trenton for the June board meeting, offering updates on legislation, the state budget, and Missouri’s state financial aid programs and an opportunity for discussion surrounding strategic goals to help put Missourians on a path for success.
The department welcomed NCMC President Dr. Lenny Klaver, who presented about the college’s focus on career preparation and workforce development and highlighted the college’s growth as the state’s smallest community college located in the largest geographic area providing an outsized impact in the region. Dr. Klaver shared the success of the new Savannah campus and highlighted NCMC’s community-focused approach and the “uncommon attention” NCMC provides resulting in stronger outcomes for students.
“We are thankful to North Central Missouri College for their gracious hospitality in hosting the CBHE this week,” said Hollie Elliott, CBHE Chair. “North Central is an excellent example of how important small, rural colleges can be to a community. Their focus on workforce partnerships is also commendable, especially as Missouri continues to help students prepare for quality employment through education.”
The CBHE also heard from a panel of representatives from MDHEWD, North Region Local Workforce Development Board, and North Central Missouri Development Alliance who noted that their collaborative work resulted in over 4,700 individuals and 900 businesses being served in the region’s six Missouri Job Centers last year.
“There is significant value for Missourians in examining the state’s workforce needs and finding opportunities to further integrate public workforce systems and education systems,” said Dr. Bennett Boggs, Commissioner of MDHEWD. “NCMC is a model of how a small rural college can expand pathways to skilled work while simultaneously driving economic growth in the community. Equally impressive is the college’s ‘sense of place’ in Trenton – the success of one is shared by the other.”
MDHEWD presented an outline of its annual strategic priorities following discussion with Dr. Courtney Brown, Vice President of Impact & Planning with the Lumina Foundation, about the importance of equipping Missourians with college degrees or other credentials to support economic prosperity. During the meeting, MDHEWD also provided an update on the 2023-24 Missouri Student Financial Aid Report and offered an overview of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 department budget and other department-related legislative actions passed by the General Assembly, both of which await Governor Mike Kehoe’s final approval and signature.
The department also invited Vanderbilt University to provide an overview of their study about how to improve Missouri’s academic program management and approval process while balancing the importance of statewide oversight and timely responses.
Other notable actions the CBHE took during the June 4 meeting include:
- Fully approved seven programs that were provisionally approved in 2019 and 2020
- Approved 31 postsecondary institutions as dual credit providers
- Recertified institutions for eligibility in state student assistance programs
More information about the June board meeting, including meeting materials presented, can be found on the MDHEWD website.