Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for March 31, 2020

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As you know, classes resumed yesterday after our extended spring break. We have a variety of resources to help faculty, staff and students with the transition to virtual classes on the university’s remote access  and COVID-19 webpages.

Working from home

Last week, the City of Springfield joined a variety of other cities and counties throughout Missouri to impose a stay at home order. In light of this development, the university instructed all employees to no longer come to campus unless they are a “critical worker.”

If you are staff, your supervisor will tell you if you should continue to work from campus.

If you are faculty, you should work from home as much as possible and come to campus only if you need to use campus technology (Zoom rooms, ITV, etc.) to deliver your classes remotely.

Expanding leave benefits

We also temporarily expanded leave benefits to allow employees who simply don’t have work to complete from home to receive 2/3 of their salary and full benefits through May 31.

You can find more information about the university’s temporary leave benefits in the Emergency Paid Leave Policy and the COVID-19 Work and Compensation Policy.

Finishing the spring semester

Last week the university announced a range of other decisions related to the coronavirus pandemic:

  • We will not host a traditional spring commencement. We are requesting input from graduating seniors on what format they prefer for a nontraditional commencement.
  • Undergraduate students may choose a pass/not pass option for this semester’s classes.
  • Registration for summer and fall 2020 will now begin April 6.
  • Students can drop or modify a course until May 1.

You can read more about these and other decisions on the COVID-19 page.

We will continue to keep you updated as decisions are made.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for March 24, 2020

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“Missouri State University will be the university of choice to develop successful students who excel academically and in ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement.”

That is the vision we established four years ago. It remains our vision today.

Over the past several weeks we have faced unique challenges. We see many examples of institutions caving under the pressure of these challenges.

But we are different. Our university is made for a time such as this. Difficult decisions lie ahead as we deal with the impacts of the coronavirus, but together we can emerge from this environment stronger than ever.

Our faculty and staff are what make Missouri State great. They are courageous, confident and resourceful.

When students return to classes next Monday, tens of thousands of hours will have been invested over spring break to continue Missouri State’s mission in the face of a global pandemic.

Our response

Complete information about Missouri State’s response to the coronavirus can be found on our COVID-19 webpage. These responses include:

  • Extending spring break for students through March 27.
  • Beginning March 30, all in-person classes will be provided online or through alternative methods.
  • Adopting an emergency paid leave policy for staff.
  • Moving most staff to partial or total work-from-home arrangements.
  • Canceling nearly all in-person events, meetings and gatherings on campus. Many group and one-to-one meetings have been moved to a virtual format through Zoom, Microsoft Teams or other technology applications.

Many states and cities have adopted orders requiring residents to stay home and shelter in place. We are working to develop a plan of building closures and essential personnel in the event Missouri or the City of Springfield adopts such an order.

We are also working to implement the leave requirements established by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Watch for communication about this work later this week.

The situation continues to change, and additional decisions are made frequently in response to new information and directives received from federal, state and local government authorities.

You can stay up-to-date and obtain additional details on the university’s COVID-19 webpage. Clif’s Notes will also include regular updates each week on the university’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Being adaptable

Together, we will overcome the challenges presented by the coronavirus, make necessary adjustments, and continue Missouri State University on its trajectory for success.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for March 10, 2020

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Coronavirus update

The university recently announced a campus arrival directive for students, faculty and staff.  You can find the directive on the university’s website.

Additional information about the coronavirus disease and Missouri State’s response can be found on the university’s COVID-19 webpage. This webpage will be updated as the coronavirus situation changes.

Emerald Ash Borer threatens all campus ash trees

During the next few months, Missouri State grounds services will be removing and treating some trees on campus.

Unfortunately, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has moved into Greene County. The Emerald Ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is an exotic, invasive wood-borer whose larvae burrow under the bark of ash trees resulting in a fatality rate of nearly 100%.

Missouri State grounds services will be following recommendations for managing EAB by treating 15 mature trees that are in good condition and removing smaller trees and trees that are already in decline. The Department of Conservation offers information about the Emerald Ash Borer, provides recommendations for homeowners and has pictures of what to look for to identify this invasive pest.

Removing invasive species

Along Grand Street and throughout campus you have probably noticed the white blooming, fast growing Callery Pear Trees (Pyrus calleryana). They have been a popular ornamental tree planted in urban landscapes throughout the nation. In recent years the Callery Pear, once thought to be sterile, has hybridized with other pear species resulting in a fast-growing invasive tree that is invading fence lines and forests in Missouri.

Grounds services is following the recommendation of the Missouri Department of Conservation to remove Callery Pear from our campus landscapes to prevent further spread and hybridization. Grounds services has received a TRIM (Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance) grant through the Department of Conservation to assist with the cost of removing the large Callery Pears along Grand Street. This TRIM grant will fund the removal of 24 large Callery Pears this spring and help reduce the possible spread of this invasive species.

Grounds services will continue gradually removing Callery Pears from the Missouri State University campus landscape over the next few years.

The Missouri Invasive Plant Task Force has specific information about the Callery Pear and steps that are being taken in Missouri to reduce this species.

Replacing trees

The good news is tree management is an integral part of grounds services. We will continue to replace trees removed by using best practices for replacement. With three certified arborists on staff, we strive to make good decisions regarding tree replacement.

Along Grand Street, where these trees will be removed, we will be replanting trees that remain smaller and still provide shade as well as shrubs that will provide color and soften the landscape. The trees will be selected so they are suitable for the environmental conditions along Grand Street and along the parking lots. These trees will be paid for by funds provided by generous donors.

We work to maintain a diverse, healthy, appealing and safe environment for our campus community. If you would like to play a part in our efforts to ensure a healthy tree population on our campus, visit the Missouri State University Foundation web site and make a donation. The funds we receive are used to purchase new or replacement trees for our campus. Designate your gift to the “Campus ReLeaf” fund.

Make a gift online

If you would like to have more information about the trees on the Missouri State University campus, please visit MyTreeKeeper on the grounds services web page.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for March 3, 2020

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The Missouri State University Alumni Association presents Bears of Distinction awards each year. These awards recognize distinguished members of the MSU community.

This year’s honorees include:

  • Gregory L. Curl will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Curl is a 1980 graduate from the College of Humanities and Public Affairs and is the President of Temasek International Pte. Ltd.
  • David D. Sater will receive the Outstanding Alumnus Award. Sater is a 1969 graduate from the McQueary College of Health and Human Services and is a Missouri State Senator.
  • Tingting Qin will receive the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. Qin is a 2012 graduate from the College of Business and is the owner and chief translator for Tingbridge Chinese Language Services.
  • Dottie M. Lofstrom will receive the Excellence in Public Affairs Award. Lofstrom is a 1981 graduate from the College of Natural and Applied Sciences and is a retired professional geologist.
  • Jerry W. Hoover, faculty emeritus and former director of bands at Missouri State University, will receive the Award of Appreciation.
  • The MSU Choral Gala Committee will receive the Volunteer Group of the Year Award.

The award ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. April 3 at the Old Glass Place (521 E. St. Louis Street). You may recall that this event used to occur in the summer. This year we scheduled the ceremony for April to allow broader participation by faculty, staff and students.  I would encourage each of you to attend.

You can purchase tickets and register for the event by calling (417) 836-5654 or emailing alumni@missouristate.edu.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Feb. 25, 2020

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The Board of Governors met last week.

The main discussion item was a presentation by Dr. David Attis, one of our EAB consultants, titled “The Changing Higher Education Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities for Missouri State University.” I participated in this presentation by providing MSU-specific data and examples, and our board and a variety of administrators, faculty and staff contributed to the discussion.

Dr. Attis focused on seven themes. First, he discussed state support. The reality nationwide is that state support has failed to keep up with the rising cost of college. This has left universities more dependent on tuition.

Last year’s equity appropriation helped our situation at Missouri State. However, we still receive substantially less appropriations per student than our peers in Missouri and throughout the nation. It is unreasonable to assume that state or federal funding will dramatically improve for any universities in the years ahead.

Competing for students

Second, Dr. Attis discussed demographics and enrollment. As you know, enrollment has already declined.

Missouri State has beaten that trend for many years, but the demographics have begun to catch up to us as well. In 2026, the national population of 18-year-olds will fall off sharply. It is more important than ever that we work on retention, recruitment, diversity and expanding opportunities for non-traditional students.

Third, Dr. Attis discussed student success. New practices have emerged in strategic financial aid, career development, degree progress and next generation advising. We are on the cutting edge, having implemented many of these practices, but more work remains to be done.

Fourth, Dr. Attis discussed changes to competition. Prospective students are more price conscious than ever, and free tuition programs are proliferating.

We will also have to navigate a new environment as the federal government recently required NACAC to change its ethics requirements, allowing “poaching” of students already enrolled or committed to a university.

Affordability and value

Fifth, Dr. Attis discussed affordability. Gen Z brings a different prospective student than we have encountered in the past. They want easy access to information. They compare prices when deciding on a college and have serious concerns about student loan debt.

Missouri State is ahead of the curve, beating national trends on default rates and amount of student loan debt.

Sixth, Dr. Attis discussed return on investment. The value of a college degree has never been higher — bachelor’s degree holders earn $1 million more than high school diploma holders during their lifetime. It is important that we find ways to communicate this value to our prospective and current students.

We can do this by enhancing experiential learning opportunities, boosting career counseling, and measuring and communicating outcomes.

Finally, Dr. Attis discussed adult and online education. Continued growth in the graduate degree market will be strategic rather than widespread. To thrive in this environment, we must anticipate future markets, develop competitive infrastructure and maximize the bottom-line impact.

We can buck the trend

In sum, the landscape ahead of all universities throughout the United States is complicated and difficult. Enrollment projections nationwide will be down for several years.

Competition continues to intensify. Retention efforts and demonstrating return on investment will become ever more important as we move into the future.

The good news is that our university is already working to implement changes and initiatives to manage this landscape. Missouri State has had success in the past at bucking nation and statewide trends. I am confident we can succeed in the future as well.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!