The Coordinating Board for Higher Education is the statutory authority over the Department of Higher Education. The nine members, one from each congressional district, are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate for six-year terms. The commissioner of higher education is appointed by the Coordinating Board to carry out the goals and administrative responsibilities for the state's higher education system - with 13 public four-year colleges and universities, 19 public community college campuses, 1 public two-year technical college, 25 independent colleges and universities, and 120 proprietary schools. The commissioner advises the board on policies, implements and administers all programs of statutory responsibility, and oversees the operations of the department.

The department is responsible for the development of a coordinated, statewide plan for higher education. Currently, the department is in process of revising the strategic plan based on the Malcolm Baldridge Criteria for Performance Excellence. These criteria focus on results, support a systems approach to organizational goal alignment, and permit goal-based diagnosis.

The primary divisions of the department, and their responsibilities, are listed below:

Academic Affairs approves new academic programs through a systematic review each year. In addition, mission reviews of all public colleges and universities are conducted on a five-year cycle.

Community Colleges/Technical Education works with the state's 12 community colleges and the one state technical college to coordinate the statewide delivery of postsecondary technical education and out-of-district educational programs.

Fiscal and Legislative Affairs reviews public college and university budgets and expenditures, submits a unified higher education budget based on statewide plans and priorities to the governor and legislature, and recommends and prioritizes capital improvement projects at public institutions.

MOSTARS administers 11 state and federal grant, scholarship and loan programs for postsecondary students. In addition, the MOSTARS information center answers a toll-free number for all Missourians who want information on postsecondary educational opportunities and financial assistance.

Planning and Policy Analysis conducts policy analysis studies related to issues that impact the state's system of higher education to facilitate long-range statewide planning; conducts statewide needs assessments; and collects, maintains and reports data on Missouri's colleges and universities and proprietary schools.

Proprietary Schools Certification Program reviews and certifies proprietary schools, private career schools and out-of-state schools to operate in Missouri.

Missouri State Anatomical Board, an autonomous agency under the Department of Higher Education, receives unclaimed human bodies requiring burial at public expense and distributes them for scientific study to certain qualified schools.

All of the departments in Missouri state government contain at least one administrative division or unit which provides support in fiscal management, accounting, personnel and training, research and data processing. Because of similarity of these duties and because each department only has one page of print space, these units are not described in detail.

For more information on these divisions, contact the department director.