Lincoln University and the University of Missouri are forming a new partnership.
LU President Kevin Rome and new UM System President Mun Choi signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Wednesday outlining how the schools "can enhance their partnership, and benefit students and the economic development of the state."
In a news release from both schools, Rome called the signing a "historic day for two institutions that have deep roots in this state and a mutual commitment to providing unparalleled excellence in education, research and service."
Rome starts working as the president of Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee, on July 1.
He told the News Tribune the agreement was "one of the things I wanted to get done before I left, and it's something that we've been talking about, that we should do" since Choi became the UM System's president earlier this year.
Rome said the agreement was not something he discussed with Mike Middleton, who was the UM interim president for 15 months before Choi came, and has the same role at Lincoln until Rome's successor is chosen.
But Middleton has said on several occasions all higher education institutions need to look for ways to cooperate with each other.
"The University of Missouri is fortunate to have a long-standing partnership with Lincoln University, which shares our mission to serve the state of Missouri and beyond," Choi said. "(This) agreement takes our historic partnership to the next level and will leverage our mutual strengths for the greater good of our state, nation and world."
Both schools said the agreement is meant to stimulate academic collaboration, including the pursuit of cooperative grants and opportunities for international development - and "exploring the development of cooperative research activities."
Lincoln and MU are federal land-grant schools with a mandate for doing research to benefit agriculture.
The University of Missouri received its designation under an 1862 law, while Lincoln was one of the historically black colleges and universities added to the program under an 1890 federal law.
Over the years, the schools' "Cooperative Extension" programs have sought to avoid most duplication, with Lincoln concentrating on researching small animals and things that benefit smaller farms, while Missouri has focused more on larger projects.
Rome expects that to continue, because the MOU is "showing a commitment from the top that we will find ways that we can work together and better-serve the constituents of the state."
The agreement includes both schools "working together to develop strong international programs in Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and other regions."
Rome told the News Tribune it also should help some financial issues.
"If you look at us both being state entities," he said, "there are resources that we can share. Some of the things we've talked about are purchasing in bulk, who our vendors are - because of our close proximity - we can better serve both institutions."
It is not the first step in an effort to merge the two schools into one - a proposal that, periodically, gets made but always has faced strong opposition.
"Absolutely not," Rome said, "and it's something that will, hopefully, show the importance of keeping us distinct, because of the students we serve."
Nor should the agreement create problems with getting lawmakers to support both schools.
"One of the things that I've heard in the Legislature, as we've had discussions about how the universities operate in the state," Rome said, "there are always questions about, 'Can't we work more closely together, can't we do things together?'
"So we're trying to do what the Legislature, in my opinion, has been talking about - and that's working together to better utilize the resources provided by the state."