Mun Choi Explained

Mun Choi
Office1:11th President of the University of Missouri System
Term Start1:March 1, 2017
Predecessor1:Tim Wolfe
Office2:10th Chancellor of the University of Missouri
Term Start2:March 25, 2020
Acting: March 25, 2020 – July 28, 2020
Predecessor2:Alexander Cartwright
Birth Name:Choi Mun Young
Birth Date:19 March 1964
Birth Place:Seoul, South Korea
Children:3
Education:University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BS)
Princeton University (MS, PhD)
Module:
Embed:yes
Fields:Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Workplaces:
Thesis Title:Droplet combustion characteristics under microgravity and normal-gravity conditions
Thesis Url:https://www.proquest.com/docview/303999929/
Thesis Year:1992
Doctoral Advisor:Frederick L. Dryer
Module2:
Child:yes
Hangul:최문영[1]
Rr:Choe Munyeong
Mr: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.

Early life and education

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

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. This removal and its aftermath, along with his response regarding the Jefferson statue, has led to the criticism that Choi brooks no dissent.

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. 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."

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]

See also

External links


Notes and References

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