(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – The University of Central Missouri’s Office of the Provost and Chief Learning Officer Deborah Curtis is planning two informational forums in early October to update the campus community on work currently taking place at The Missouri Innovation Campus in Lee’s Summit and The MIC’s future, according to a press release. Sessions are open to all UCM faculty, staff and students who are interested. The forums are scheduled for
 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7 in Elliott Student Union 237B, and at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, at the same location.
These are identical forums, and will include participation from President Charles Ambrose; Provost Curtis; Alice Greife, dean of the College of Health, Science and Technology; Doug Koch, associate professor and department chair, School of Technology; and faculty members from the School of Technology, Kyle Palmer, 
Pam Hoyer, Roya Azimzadeh, and Ronnie Rollins; and Someswar Kesh, professor and department chair, School of Accountancy and CIS.  Stan Elliott, project facilitator, MIC Initiative Operations, also plans to participate in the forum on Monday.
“There is a plan to provide additional opportunities later this fall and in the spring to engage faculty, programs, departments and colleges in discussion about potential future programs that could be involved with The MIC,” Curtis said. “Members of the campus community will be very important to this process and their contributions are greatly appreciated.”
The Missouri Innovation Campus in an initiative that involves UCM, the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Metropolitan Community College and numerous business partners. The MIC is reshaping the way students experience education, providing participants with a four-year degree two years after high school, little or no student debt, applied experience through student internships, and highly sought-after skills for high-paying careers.
Encouraging other college and universities across the nation to consider similar endeavors, United States President Barack Obama visited UCM on July 24, 2013 because of work taking place at The MIC. In his speech at the UCM Student Recreation and Wellness Center, he said The MIC “is exactly the kind of innovation we need when it comes to college costs…and I want the entire country to notice it, and I want other colleges to take a look at what’s being done here.”