The Council on Public Higher Education is the association of the 13 public universities in Missouri. I'm the Executive Director. THE COUNCIL ON PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION IN MISSOURI (COPHE) IS A NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION COMPRISED OF THE 9 PRESIDENTS OF MISSOURI'S PUBLIC FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITIES AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF MISSOURI. EACH YEAR, THESE INSTITUTIONS SERVE NEARLY 100,000 STUDENTS, FOCUSING ON THE DELIVERY OF EXCELLENT UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF MISSOURI. THE PRIMARY MISSION OF COPHE IS TO SUPPORT AND ADVANCE THE MISSIONS OF ITS MISSOURI'S INSTITUTIONS, WHILE INCREASING THE UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION BY STATE LEADERS AND THE PUBLIC AT-LARGE.