YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
Gov. Mike Parson yesterday released more than $68 million in federal budget stabilization fund appropriations for higher education institutions statewide.
Locally, Missouri State University was selected to receive $8.4 million, or about 12% of the total, according to a news release. The funds are earmarked for infrastructure and capital improvement projects.
“Public universities play a major role in their local communities, serving a variety of needs in addition to their traditional academic roles,” Parson said in the release. “This has never been more clear than the COVID-19 crisis when higher education institutions have offered up facilities for ultra-cold vaccine storage, contributed to the state's (personal protective equipment) supply chain and provided job training for unemployed Missourians.
"These funds will help provide much needed support to our public universities just as they have done for our communities.”
MSU was selected for the second-highest amount of funding, after the roughly $20 million awarded to University of Missouri-Columbia. Also, in southwest Missouri, Missouri Southern State University was tapped for more than $2 million in funds.
Ozarks Technical Community College was not included. However, OTC spokesperson Mark Miller said the community college was restored $900,000 in withholds as part of another Parson announcement yesterday of nearly $127 million in previously restricted fiscal 2021 funds.
In October, Parson released around $133 million in COVID-19 relief and general revenue funds, including $1.7 million for MSU and $925,000 for OTC, according to past reporting.
OTC is seeking $5 million from Missouri in addition to a separate $5 million state award for its $40 million Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing, according to past reporting.
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