MU Veterans and Military Task Force: Home

• Imagine you had building space and financial support. What projects and services would you envision for your school/department/division? Jorgensen suggested that each unit represented on the Task Force develop a one or two paragraph statement that would address what they would want in a facility should space be made available and a Center be established – what would you include in such a Center that would represent the interests in your particular area.Summarize and send to Steve Jorgenson by June 30.
• Subcommittee to work on mission, vision and values statement.

Mission Statement:  Initiate, lead, and unify University of Missouri efforts to conduct research, provide education and programs, promote economic opportunity and facilitate well-being for veterans, service members, their families, and their communities. 

Vision Statement:  We demonstrate respect and commitment through nonpartisan efforts to serve all veterans, service members, families, and communities. 

As we roll into our next fund-raising campaign, and as was promoted heavily at the first meeting of the campus-wide steering committee on September 27th, we will be searching for “big ideas” that can propel us toward a major gift that will transcend multiple divisions and disciplines on the campus and make a genuine difference in the lives of people locally and globally.  I firmly believe that we have such an opportunity awaiting us – and that is a campus-wide, cooperative effort in addressing the needs of members of the military, military veterans, and their families.  I also believe that if we do this right, and plan effectively by creating a vision and then a strategy for attaining it, we can attract the attention of potential sponsors/donors who will come forward with significant gifts.  Among the many issues confronting those individuals and families are:

• Unemployment and Underemployment
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Financial problems, including financial illiteracy
• Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment
• Depression and other mental disorders
• Traumatic Head Injury
• Lack of Education (post-high school degrees)

This Task Force will be charged with creating a vision and formulating a strategy for establishing a comprehensive, meaningful, and productive effort at MU geared at improving the quality of life of our military veterans and their families.   In order to make this initiative work, the following conditions are absolutely essential (all of which we effected for the Autism initiative):

• Every Dean must be on board to make this work.  Gary Myers has already stated that he is fully on-board.
• Every participant coming into the Task Force group must check their egos at the door.  The effort is campus-wide, and a rising tide will lift all boats.  Individual agendas must be subjugated to the good of the whole.  This was a major factor contributing to the success of the Autism Center effort.
• The Task Force will have to work hard to establish the vision, strategy, and financial business plan.  It is not an easy task, but one that can be accomplished given that Bullets 1 and 2 above are reality.

If you need to add information or documents to this guide, please contact Sandy Schiefer.