Accomplishments in Leadership and Communication

Leadership, vision and direction for the university

President Choi was hired in 2017 during a tumultuous period in the history of the University of Missouri as it was mired in controversy. The fallout included a 17% reduction in state support, a ~36% decline in freshmen enrollment, a downgrading of the University’s credit ratings, declining graduation rates, poor AAU and research performance, slow progress towards building the NextGen Precision Health Building, and a damaged reputation among Missourians and elected leaders. 

The Board’s mandate for President Choi in 2017 was to restore the university’s reputation, state appropriations, enrollment, student success, research productivity, AAU performance, credit ratings and to complete the NextGen Precision Health Building. He worked closely with the Board of Curators, faculty, staff, alumni and elected leaders to improve the performance in these areas. MU has increased its impact in the following ways:

• US News and World Report Rankings increased to #102 compared to #140 in 2020
  • Ranked #4 Best Value among all flagship universities in 2025
  • Ranked #1 Best Value among SEC public universities in 2025
• Time Magazine ranking of #124 in the World’s Best Universities list in 2026
  • Ranked #2 among SEC public universities in 2026
• State support for MU increased to $274M in 2025 (an increase of 23% since 2017)
• Philanthropy increased to $269M in 2025 (an increase of 77% since 2017)
• Operating budget increased to $3.9B in 2025 (an increase of 50% since 2017)
• Economic impact increased to $5.0B in 2025 (an increase of 28% since 2017)
• Freshmen applications increased to 27,290 in 2025 (an increase of 67% since 2017)
• Freshmen enrollment increased to 6,033 in 2025 (an increase of 47% since 2017)
• 4-year graduation rate increased to 64% in 2025 (an increase of 18 points since 2017)
• 6-year graduation rate increased to 77% in 2025 (an increase of 9 points since 2017)
• Placement rate increased to 95% in 2025 (an increase of 18 points since 2017)
• Research expenditures increased to $553M (an increase of 89% since 2017)
• Increased AAU performance rankings by 36 spots in 2025 compared to 2019 (largest increase among all AAU universities)
• Increased Moody’s credit rating to Aa1 with stable outlook in 2026 from negative outlook in 2017
• Completed the NextGen Precision Health Building in 2021 (NextGen faculty are scheduled to receive over $400M in research grants from 2021 to present.)
• A 2022 state-wide survey conducted by the AAU indicate that among informed Missourians, 89% indicate that they are better off because of the University of Missouri
• With input from key stakeholders (faculty, students and staff), developed MU’s new strategic plan for 2024-2030 (Strategic Plan)
• Supported the principles of academic freedom
• Outlined clear policies on free expression to support a welcoming environment where those from all backgrounds are treated with civility and respect

Meaningful engagement

• Met bi-weekly with Faculty Council leadership and twice a semester with the entire Faculty Council
  • In addition, he co-hosted General Faculty Meeting with Faculty Council each semester
• Met monthly with the Council of Chancellors and the Intercampus Faculty Council
• Worked with key stakeholders (Intercampus Faculty Cabinet, MU Faculty Council) on a range of proposed policy changes with a request for faculty input, including on matters such as:
  • Travel authorization, the academic calendar, conferral of honorary doctorates, processes for courtesy appointments, test optional undergraduate admissions, research misconduct procedures, resolution processes, policies related to malign foreign talent recruitment programs and more

Attract, develop, support and retain talented faculty, staff and leaders

• Faculty Hiring and Retention
  • Hired over 800 new faculty at T/TT and NTT ranks since 2020
  • Provided merit pay increases with pools ranging from 2% to 5% for each of the past 5 years
  • Invested in the $1.5B MizzouForward plan, with 79 new faculty hired
  • Improved recognitions for teaching excellence, including a dedicated Faculty Excellence Week celebrating the full scope of faculty accomplishments
  • Established an ‘in-house’ strategic and executive recruitment function to ensure colleges have access to effective recruitment expertise to support services

• Staff Professional Development
  • Supported Staff Advisory Council (SAC) initiatives to support staff attending conferences, short courses, etc.
  • Supported Staff Development Week and Conference with over 2,600 attendees (an increase of 160%) since 2023
  • Supported professional development programs for staff at all career levels
  • Supported Percipio, which provides on-demand online learning opportunities for all faculty and staff
  • In cooperation with the Board of Curators, created the UM System Curators’ Outstanding Staff Award in 2025

• Leadership Recruitment and Retention
  • Strengthened leadership capacity through key senior administrative hires across student affairs, academic affairs, research, IT, advancement, athletics, facilities, extension & MURR
  • Hired more than 30 senior leadership roles (dean, vice chancellor/vice president, etc.), with another 50+ leadership searches spanning the levels reporting directly to those senior leaders, while improving administrative efficiency
  • Provided onboarding, mentorship, executive coaching and leadership development initiatives to enhance the leadership acumen of top leaders across deans, vice chancellors and other key roles

Accomplishments in Academic Affairs and Student Success

Student Success

• Invested in programs through MizzouForward to increase support for student success

• Enrollment and Access
  • Increased freshmen applications to 27,290 in 2025 (an increase of 67% since 2017)
  • Increased freshmen enrollment to 6,063 in 2025 (an increase of 47% since 2017)
  • Grew student aid by 34% while the total value of student loans has declined by 26% in real dollars in 2025 compared to 2017
• Student Success
  • Increased U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) ranking from #140 (in 2020) to #102 (in 2025)
    • Mizzou is the #4 Best Value Flagship in the US and #1 Best Value among SEC flagships
  • Placed #124 in the TIME Magazine’s World’s Top Universities list in 2026
  • Increased Online Bachelor’s Degree USNWR ranking from #159 in 2016 to #29 in 2026
  • Increased student satisfaction to 87% in 2025 compared to 74% in 2021
  • Renewed the Civic Leaders Internship Program in Jefferson City with 130 placements in 2025
• Retention, Graduation and Outcomes
  • Increased retention rates, with an historic high of 93% in 2024
  • Increased 6-year graduation rates, with an historic high of 77% in 2025
  • Increased 4-year graduation rates, with an historic high of 64% in 2025
  • Increased career outcome rates, with an historic high of 95% in 2025

Faculty Success

• Invested in programs through MizzouForward to increase support for faculty success
• Teaching for Learning Center (T4LC) offered nearly 500 sessions since 2023, with more than 2,500 attendees a year, with a focus on enhancing faculty teaching and student outcomes. Recent sessions have included courses on teaching with AI.
• Supported programs contributing to faculty success at all career stages:
  • 355 faculty participated in Mentoring at Mizzou to improve mentorship since 2022
  • Supported 33 early-career faculty for the Learning and Expanding Abilities for Professoriate Cohort Follows Program (LEAP)
  • Provided 62 associate professors with grant support, networking opportunities and help identifying funding prospects through the Mid-Career Cohort
  • Provided support for 102 participants in the Provost Leadership Program, with 22% of completers having since assumed new leadership roles

Research and Scholarship

• Research & Scholarly Performance
  • Invested in programs through MizzouForward to increase support for research and scholarly activities
  • Improved AAU performance with the highest phase I & II research expenditures as well as the highest phase I honors & awards in MU history and climbed 36 spots between 2019 to 2025 – the largest increase among all AAU universities:
    • Per faculty R&D expenditures increased by 51%
    • Per faculty Highly Prestigious Awards increased by 123%
    • Per faculty Published Books increased by 35%
  • Increased HERD research expenditures $553M in FY25, an increase of 78% ($310M) compared to FY19
• MURR
  • Increased MURR revenue by 274% (reaching $126M) in 2025 compared to 2021
    • Revenues are used to invest in academic and research priorities for the university
  • Developed plans for NextGen MURR, a state-of-the-art new reactor that will anchor a hub for radioisotope research, production, manufacturing and innovation

Accomplishments in Extension and Engagement

• Received state core funding increase of $5M to support Extension & Engagement
• Significant growth in number of those served by Extension and Engagement programs:
  • Extension educational contacts increased to 1.7M in 2025 (an increase of 200% since 2021)
  • Extension 4-H Development Enrollment increased to 62,000 in 2025 (an increase of 32% since 2021)
  • Extension agricultural contacts increased to 443,000 in 2025 (an increase of 210% since 2021)
• Extension established the following new programs:
  • Launched the Digital Agriculture Research & Extension Center in 2024 
  • Started the Roy Blunt Soils Testing Laboratory in Southeast Missouri in 2024
  • Launched the Horticultural Agroforestry Research Farm Education Center in 2024 
  • Completed the Eldon Cole Livestock Handling facility in Southwest Missouri in 2025 
  • Established the Center for Rural Energy Security in 2025 
  • Began construction of the Michael L. Parson Meat Science Laboratory in 2025 
  • Began renovation for the Missouri Food Fermentations Laboratory in 2025

Accomplishments in Financial Performance

• Moody’s affirmed the University’s Aa1 rating in 2026, with a key strength as “Strong financial management contributing to consistently favorable operating performance, with an EBIDA margin of 13% in FY 2025”
• Reduced administrative spending compared to total spending to free up $220M in reallocations to core mission of teaching, research and meaningful engagement
• Increased state appropriations systemwide to $528M (an increase of 47% since 2020)
• Provided nearly $1B in new constructions and renovations since 2021
• Increased philanthropy to $269M in 2025 (the highest in our history)  
• Launched $2B “Power the Roar Capital Campaign” – raised more than $800M thus far

Updated March 2026