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Is enrollment growth good for MU?

MU Chancellor Brady Deaton
Eric Staszczak
/
KBIA
MU Chancellor Brady Deaton

The University of Missouri system has seen record enrollment year after year. But the University’s leaders are keeping an eye on that growth to ensure it’s in the University’s best interest.

University of Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton says over the last decade, the University of Missouri has been the most rapidly growing student body in the Association of American Universities. That’s the group of the top 61 research institutions in the U.S. and Canada. But in an interview last month, Deaton said the University is keeping an eye on that growth.

 “Some universities, however, have curbed their student growth. So student growth itself is not necessarily a good thing in and of itself. To the extent that it helps more students gain access and get the kind of education that we offer here at our university, it’s a good thing. We have viewed it as a good thing historically and continue to. Our pledge is that we will continue to provide these educational opportunities to more and more students; Missourians and students outside Missouri, as long as it does not in any way impair the quality of learning in our educational community,” Deaton said.

Deaton says the administration watches indicators in its undergraduate and master’s level education programs and make sure the workload is not so heavy that scholars cannot pursue research opportunities and compete for federal funding. He says for now, the University is seeing an increase in those measures.

Ryan served as the KBIA News Director from February 2011 to September 2023