The new Mizzou Chancellor says he’s hearing optimism from Missourians about the state’s largest university.
New Mizzou Chancellor Alexander Cartwright, MU Provost Garnett Stokes and MU Chief of Staff Marty Oetting visit the State Fair in Sedalia on August 17, 2017 (Brian Hauswirth photo)
MU Chancellor Dr. Alexander Cartwright has been on the job for 24 days. He spent most of last Thursday visiting with Missouri residents and lawmakers at the State Fair in Sedalia.
Dr. Cartwright tells Missourinet he’s doing a lot of outreach and listening.
“This is what we’re here for is to work with Missouri to make sure that people understand we’re the land-grant institution,” Cartwright says. “We recognize our role in Missouri. Our role is to support the state of Missouri and to make sure we’re doing everything that this state needs.”
Cartwright wants to visit as many of Missouri’s 114 counties as possible. During an interview with Missourinet at the State Fair, Dr. Cartwright emphasized the importance of outreach.
“I really think that our (MU) Extension offices reach every county, and we want to make sure that they understand that that commitment is at every level at Mizzou,” says Cartwright.
The new Chancellor says MU students have opportunities unlike any other Missouri institution. Cartwright spoke to many alums and students in Sedalia.
“People really care about Mizzou,” Cartwright says. “People think that it’s an incredible organization and incredible institution. Many graduates, many alums, students are here.”
Mizzou, which began classes on Monday, has a freshman class of more than 4,100 students and has the second highest retention rate in MU history at 86.6 percent.
The retention rate measures how many freshmen from the 2016-2017 school year are returning to MU.
Mizzou’s freshman class of 4,100 students is down from 6,191 in the fall of 2015. Mizzou’s freshman class in the fall of 2016 was 4,772.
The racial protests which led to the resignations of both UM System President Tim Wolfe and Mizzou Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin happened in November 2015.
Dr. Cartwright met with numerous lawmakers last Thursday in Sedalia, and pledges to cooperate with the General Assembly.
He says they are not just the University of Missouri: Cartwright says they are the University for Missouri.
He says Mizzou is here for the people of Missouri and for MU students.
Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and new Mizzou Chancellor Cartwright, which was recorded at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia on August 17, 2017:
