Mun Choi

Chancellor of the University of Missouri and President of the University of Missouri System

In this Korean name, the family name is  Choi.

Mun Choi

Choi in 2020

11th President of the University of Missouri System

Incumbent

Assumed office
March 1, 2017
Preceded by| Tim Wolfe
10th Chancellor of the University of Missouri

Incumbent

Assumed office
March 25, 2020
Acting: March 25, 2020 – July 28, 2020
Preceded by| Alexander Cartwright
Personal details
Born|

Choi Mun Young

(1964-03-19) March 19, 1964 (age 61)
Seoul, South Korea
Children| 3
Education| University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BS)
Princeton University (MS, PhD)
Scientific career
Fields| Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Institutions|

* University of Illinois Chicago
* Drexel University
* University of Connecticut
* University of Missouri

Thesis| Droplet combustion characteristics under microgravity and normal-gravity conditions (1992)
Doctoral advisor| Frederick L. Dryer
Korean name
Hangul|

최문영[1]

Hanja|

崔門永

Revised Romanization| Choe Munyeong
McCune–Reischauer| Ch'oe Munyŏng

Mun Young Choi (Korean: 최문영; born March 19, 1964) is a Korean-American academic. He currently serves as Chancellor of the University of Missouri and President of the University of Missouri System.[2] Prior to his appointment at Missouri he was Provost & Executive Vice President at the University of Connecticut.[3] He has also taught at Drexel University and the University of Illinois at Chicago. He lives in Columbia, Missouri.

For updated list of achievements at the University of Missouri, refer to the "Office of the President" on the University of Missouri System site About_the_President

## Early life and education

[edit]

Choi was born in Seoul, South Korea.[4] Choi immigrated to the United States in 1973, settling in Akron, Ohio with his parents and three younger sisters at the age of nine.[4] He attended Leggett Primary School in Akron, Ohio, and Trumbull Primary School in the Andersonville neighborhood and Boone Middle School in the West Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. He graduated from Stephen Tyng Mather High School in Chicago in 1983. He earned a BS degree (1987) in General Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and M.A. (1989) and Ph.D. (1992) degrees in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University.

## University of Missouri

[edit]

This article may lend undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies. Please help improve it by rewriting it in a balanced fashion that contextualizes different points of view. (October 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

On March 1, 2017, Choi became president of the four-campus University of Missouri System.[5] On March 25, 2020, Choi agreed to serve as interim Chancellor of the University of Missouri flagship campus in Columbia (MU).[6][7] This position was made permanent on July 28, making Choi the first to be both Chancellor of the University of Missouri in Columbia and President of the University of Missouri System simultaneously.[8][9]

In the spring of 2020, students at MU petitioned Choi to remove a bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson, purchased and installed by MU alumni in 2001, from the University of Missouri's Francis Quadrangle. Choi instead proposed it be "recontextualized" with input from a task force.[10] Choi subsequently rebuked reporters (who are also on the MU journalism faculty) for making what he called "inappropriate" social-media comments about Choi's refusal to remove the statue and characterized the comments as attempts to undermine the university.[11]

In July 2020, Choi and MU's provost fired the College of Education's dean, and when faced with criticism from some faculty,[12] Choi reportedly demanded administrative support for this decision.[11] This removal and its aftermath, along with his response regarding the Jefferson statue, has led to the criticism that Choi brooks no dissent.[11]

During the fall of 2020, some MU students said that Choi blocked them on Twitter after they expressed COVID-related health and safety concerns about conditions on campus.[13] Examples of concerns relate to COVID-19 testing protocols and lack of running water in some campus bathrooms.[13] MU alumnus Christopher Bennett threatened legal action on First Amendment grounds over Choi's blocking of student accounts.[14] MU justified Choi's actions by stating that he "has been on the receiving end of messages/tweets that were disrespectful and not constructive [and] some contained profanity."[13]

Under Choi's leadership, the UM System completed the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building on MU's campus in October 2021. The opening was attended by Sen. Blunt and then NIH Director Francis Collins.[15] The facility received bipartisan support.[16] Shortly after the opening of NextGen, Choi announced MizzouForward – a $1.5 billion, ten-year initiative to invest in research on campus and hire at least 150 new faculty members.[17]

The University of Missouri System has a $6.5 billion economic impact on Missouri's economy, an increase of about $1.1 billion from a similar report in 2018.[18]

A faculty survey of Choi conducted in May 2022 found his performance "unsatisfactory", with the majority believing that Choi should not retain his position.[19]

Research expenditures at the University of Missouri rose to a record $432 million in 2022[20] and $462 million in 2023.

In 2023, Choi was named to the Southeastern Conference Executive Committee for 2023–2024. He will serve as vice president in 2025.[21] He is also chair of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Commission on Food, Environment, and Renewable Resources.[22]

Also in 2023, a survey showed that Missourians by wide margin think the state is better off with Mizzou here.[23] For the fall 2023 semester, University of Missouri first-year student enrollment grew 3% and first-year retention reached an all-time high of 91%.[24]

Mizzou was included in TIME Magazine's 2024 list of Best Colleges for Future Leaders.[25] Student outcome rates also rose to 95.4%. Choi credited the increase with preparation students receive at MU.[26] State funding for the University of Missouri increased 7% for 2024.[27]

Mizzou faculty opinion of Choi vastly improved in 2024. The survey from May 2022 was conducted and the faculty's average scores from the 2024 report improved across all survey categories. In all but 4 of the 19 areas, most rankings by faculty of Choi were a 5, or outstanding. [28]

An article published in The Chronicle of Higher Education highlighted how President Choi has regained campus confidence. [29]

Announced July 23, 2024, the Universities D.E.I was dissolved due to a drop in Nationwide legislative mandates. The Inclusive campus, is expressed in the umsystem.edu about page, "A key outcome of the system structure is that resources are leveraged systemwide to create efficiencies, which in turn, free campus resources to be used for core mission areas and strategic priorities and helps to keep the cost of education affordable and a college degree attainable for all Missourians." (about-us page).

## See also

[edit]

* History of the University of Missouri
* Elmer Ellis, the only other person to lead both the University of Missouri and the University of Missouri System (not at the same time)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 손대성 (February 14, 2019). "최문영 미국 미주리대 총장 포항공대서 명예박사 학위 받는다". Korean: Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
2. ^ "UM System President Mun Choi refuses pay raise on contract extension". Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri.
3. ^ "Mun Choi Curriculum Vitae"
4. ^ a b McKinney, Roger (May 31, 2022). "Mun Choi, first Asian-American leader of UM System, reflects on AAPI Heritage Month". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
5. ^ Rosenbaum, Jason (May 29, 2018). "Politically Speaking: President Choi on challenges and opportunities for UM System". KWMU. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
6. ^ Whitford, Emma (July 29, 2020). "University of Missouri Board Votes to Combine Leadership Roles". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
7. ^ Claxton, Dan (March 26, 2020). "Mun Choi appointed interim chancellor of MU". KRCG. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
8. ^ Williams, Mara Jose (July 28, 2020). "President of 4 universities now also head of Mizzou. Faculty at other schools worry". Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
9. ^ McKinney, Roger (July 28, 2020). "Choi gets dual role at University of Missouri over opposition from other campuses". Columbia Daily Tribune. Columbia, Missouri. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
10. ^ Bacharier, Galen (23 June 2020). "Final decision on MU Jefferson statue not stopping protests". Columbia Missourian. Columbia, Missouri. Retrieved 2020-07-19.
11. ^ a b c Brown, Sarah (August 31, 2020). "The Pandemic Isn't the Only Problem Facing Mizzou's Chief". www.chronicle.com. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
12. ^ Bacharier, Galen (10 July 2020). "MU College of Education faculty criticize removal of dean in meeting". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
13. ^ a b c "Students From Mizzou Say The School's President Is Blocking Them For Expressing Concerns Online About COVID Safety". BuzzFeed News. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
14. ^ Geisler, Lucas (2020-09-10). "Lawyer threatens lawsuit over MU chancellor's Twitter blocking". ABC17NEWS. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
15. ^ McKinney, Roger (October 19, 2021). "8 ways Mizzou's Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Building will advance medical research". Columbia Daily Tribune.
16. ^ Hauswirth, Brian. "Strong early funding results for Mizzou's NextGen Precision Health facility". 939theeagle.com. Eagle 93.9. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
17. ^ Zahneis, Megan. "U. of Missouri Commits $500 Million to Faculty and Staff Raises". chronicle.com. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
18. ^ Barr, Diana (February 4, 2022). "University of Missouri System has $6.5B statewide economic impact, report says". KSDK News.
19. ^ Adkison, Michael (September 2022). "Faculty review of University of Missouri's Mun Choi finds him "unsatisfactory"". KRCG. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
20. ^ Abovyan, Kristina (February 23, 2023). "Continuing growth, MU sets new record for research spending". Columbia Missourian.
21. ^ "SEC announces 2023-24 Executive Committee". secsports.com. Southeastern Conference. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
22. ^ "CFERR Executive Committee". aplu.org.
23. ^ McKinney, Roger (April 3, 2023). "Survey: Missourians by wide margin think the state is better off with Mizzou here". Columbia Daily Tribune.
24. ^ Jimenez, Danny (August 21, 2023). "MU welcomes more than 5,000 first-year students". KOMU News.
25. ^ Schneider, Joey (December 14, 2023). "TIME Magazine names Mizzou among 'best colleges for future leaders'". Fox 2 Now.
26. ^ McKinney, Roger (April 21, 2023). "Almost all University of Missouri graduates in 2022 found jobs or other successful outcome". Columbia Daily Tribune.
27. ^ Falcon, Hannah (July 10, 2023). "University of Missouri get 7% state funding bump, money for meat processing plant". ABC 17 News.
28. ^ Hanshaw, Annelise (3 July 2024). "Mizzou faculty opinion of Mun Choi vastly improves 2 years after scathing report". www.missouriindependent.com. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
29. ^ Zahneis, Megan (July 26, 2024). "How a Chancellor on the Ropes Regained Campus Confidence". www.chronicle.com/.

## External links

[edit]

* Office of the President
* Office of the Chancellor

Academic offices

Preceded by

Tim Wolfe

| 11th President of the University of Missouri System
2017–present  | Incumbent
Preceded by

Alexander Cartwright

| 10th Chancellor of the University of Missouri
2020–present  | Incumbent

* v
* t
* e

Presidents of the University of Missouri System

* Ellis (1963–1966)
* Weaver (1966–1970)
* Ratchford (1971–1976)
* Olson (1976–1984)
* Magrath (1985–1991)
* Russell (1991–1996)
* Pacheco (1997–2002)
* Floyd (2003–2007)
* Forsee (2008–2011)
* Wolfe (2012–2015)
* Choi (2017–present)

* v
* t
* e

Presidents and Chancellors of the University of Missouri

Presidents|

* Lathrop (1841–1849)
* Shannon (1850–1856)
* Hudson (1856–1859)
* Minor (1860–1862)
* Lathrop (1865–1866)
* Read (1866–1876)
* Laws (1876–1889)
* Jesse (1891–1908)
* Hill (1908–1921)
* Jones (1922–1923)
* Brooks (1923–1930)
* Williams (1931–1935)
* Middlebush (1935–1954)
* Ellis (1955–1963)

Chancellors|

* Schwada (1964–1970)
* Schooling (1971–1978)
* Uehling (1978–1987)
* Monroe (1987–1993)
* Kiesler (1993–1996)
* Wallace (1997–2004)
* Deaton (2004–2013)
* Loftin (2014–2015)
* Cartwright (2017–2020)
* Choi (2020–present)

* v
* t
* e

Southeastern Conference university leaders

* Stuart R. Bell (Alabama)
* Charles F. Robinson (Arkansas)
* Christopher B. Roberts (Auburn)
* Kent Fuchs (interim) (Florida)
* Jere Morehead (Georgia)
* Eli Capilouto (Kentucky)
* William F. Tate IV (LSU)
* Mun Choi (Missouri)
* Glenn Boyce (Ole Miss)
* Mark Keenum (Mississippi State)
* Joseph Harroz Jr. (Oklahoma)
* Michael Amiridis (South Carolina)
* Donde Plowman (Tennessee)
* Jim Davis (interim) (Texas)
* Mark Welsh III (Texas A&M)
* Daniel Diermeier (Vanderbilt)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template