This summer, we began a search for the vice president for administrative and information services position, which became vacant when Ken McClure retired. Upon completion of telephone interviews, one applicant emerged as the most qualified.
That candidate is Matt Morris, our interim vice president for administrative and information services.
A look at the search committee and process
We created a search committee composed of Missouri State faculty, staff and students:
- Dr. Jim Baker, chair, vice president for research and economic development and international programs
- Jennifer Cox, associate director of facilities management
- Ashley Crisafulli, student body president
- Steve Foucart, chief financial officer
- Dr. Thomas Lane, associate vice president for student life/dean of students
- Scott Schneider, director of business and support services (West Plains)
- Dr. Sharmistha Self, economics professor
We advertised the position on the Missouri State University website and in 10 external publications with diverse distributions. We received 32 applications for the position. Five applicants were from the Springfield area, six were from Missouri but outside the Springfield area, and 21 were from outside the state of Missouri (two of which were from outside the United States).
The search committee reviewed the applications at length and narrowed the pool to three applicants for telephone interviews. The search committee unanimously recommended that we invite only Mr. Morris for an on-campus interview at this time.
Morris’s qualifications
The search committee made this unanimous recommendation because Mr. Morris’s qualifications and his phone interview performance set him above the other applicants.
Mr. Morris has worked in multiple roles during his 16 years at Missouri State, starting as a residence hall director in 1999 and becoming an assistant director in residence life and services in 2001.
He took on the role of director of business and support services on the West Plains campus in 2006, and returned to Springfield as the associate vice president for administrative and information services in 2012.
Mr. Morris’s educational accomplishments include a Master of Business Administration and he has engaged in significant committee work and professional activities on campus and in the greater community.
On-campus forum open to MSU community
I have decided to accept the search committee’s recommendation to invite only Mr. Morris for an on-campus interview at this time. He will interview on Oct. 20, and will meet with Administrative Council, Academic Leadership Council, the Staff Senate Executive Committee, and the administrative and information services directors.
If you have been invited to one of these meetings, I would encourage you to attend. Mr. Morris will also provide an open forum at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, in the Plaster Student Union Theater. I invite the entire campus community to attend this forum.
Mr. Morris is the only candidate for whom we have presently scheduled an interview. However, this does not mean that a decision has been made with regard to the position.
We are certainly willing to bring in additional candidates for on-campus interviews if we determine it is in the best interest of the University after we have completed Mr. Morris’s interview.
We will not make a final decision on the vice president for administrative and information services position until each of you has had the opportunity to share your opinions following Mr. Morris’s on-campus interview.
To provide your feedback, please complete the forms provided at each of the meetings with Mr. Morris (including the open forum) or contact a member of the search committee.
Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!
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