By AP/KWMU
Columbia, MO – Richard Wallace will retire next year as chancellor of the University of Missouri at Columbia. And MU President Elson Floyd said today he may merge the chancellor's job into his office.
Floyd says state budget cuts are behind his decision to consider merging the Columbia chancellor's job with the presidency.
"Over the last two years, we have seen budget reductions totaling $126 million for the University of Missouri system. We're looking at further reductions totaling $32.4 million," Floyd said.
Wallace says he'll retire August 31, 2004. He was named interim chancellor in 1996 and appointed to the chancellor's position in 1997.
MU has campuses at Columbia, St. Louis, Rolla and Kansas City.