Last week, we honored staff members at the annual Staff Awards Luncheon. The university individually recognized staff who achieved service anniversaries of five years or more. We also recognized employees who received the Staff Excellence in University Service Award and the Staff Excellence in Community Service Award.

Beyond the job description

The university gives the Staff Excellence in University Service Award staff members in recognition of significant contributions to the university community. This year’s recipients are:

• Mary Barnhart, facilities management – custodial
• Mary Lynne Golden, provost’s office
• Chris Nagle, visual media
• MJ Perryman, facilities management – maintenance
• Erica Puckett, admissions – West Plains
• Marianne Stanley, computer services

Public affairs in action

The Staff Excellence in Community Service Award recognizes two staff members for their service to the community through volunteer work with charitable, nonprofit, religious or similar organizations. This year’s recipients are:

• A’dja Jones, Wynn Academic Achievement Center
• Linda Steinshouer, School of Social Work

Minimum wage in Missouri

On Nov. 6, Missouri voters approved a change to the minimum wage rate for private employers. The new minimum wage rate is $8.60 per hour and will increase by 85 cents per hour each year through 2023.

At Missouri State, all of our full-time employees already make more than the new minimum wage. The law does not apply to public employers such as Missouri State. However we have formed a work group to evaluate how to move forward with regard to part-time and student employees who are paid less than the new minimum wage.

We will make a decision for our part-time and student employees before July 1, the beginning of next fiscal year.

Thank you for giving

Before winter break we completed our Missouri State Way and United Way giving campaigns.

I am proud to report that the university community raised $89,005 for the United Way and $286,183 for the Missouri State University Foundation through these campaigns. This surpasses last year’s totals for both campaigns.

I want to personally thank each of you who participated in the United Way campaign. Please join me in congratulating those who contributed at the leadership level.

• Jodie Adams
• James Baker
• Charlene Berquist
• Richard Biagioni
• Bradley Bodenhausen
• Lanette Cadle
• William Cheek
• Donna Christian
• Ryan DeBoef
• Steven Dodge
• Janice Duncan
• Frank Einhellig
• Tamaria Few
• Stephen Foucart
• Terrel Gallaway
• Kristan Gochenauer
• Mary Lynne Golden
• Arthur Hains
• David Hall
• John Harms
• Jonathan and Kellie Harper
• Brian Heaton
• Karen Horny
• Tamera Jahnke
• Grant Jones
• Allen Kunkel
• Thomas Lane
• Julie Masterson
• Victor Matthews
• John and Sally McAlear
• Charles McClure
• Theresa McCoy
• Natalie McNish
• David Meinert
• Michael Merrigan
• Kyle Moats
• Matthew Morris
• Jeff Morrissey
• James Moyer
• David Muegge
• Sarah Nixon
• Thomas Peters
• Wes Pratt
• Tami Reed
• Barbara Robinson
• Jennifer Severson
• Suzanne Shaw
• Don Simpson
• Dee Siscoe
• Priscilla Skeeters
• Clif Smart
• Rebecca Swearingen
• Robert and Dorothy Thurman
• Paula Wilhelm
• Ying Zhang

I also want to personally thank each of you who participated in the Missouri State Way campaign. Please join me in congratulating our current employees who are members of the Founders Club.

• Jodie Adams
• Gib G. Adkins, Jr.
• Rickey Albaugh
• Cindi Aurentz
• James Baker
• Randy J. Bass
• Samuel Bass
• Tracy Beckham
• Stephen C. Berkwitz
• Charlene Berquist
• Richard Biagioni
• Tara Boehne
• Eric Bosch
• John Stanley Bourhis
• Chuck Busby
• Cindy Busby
• Lisa Casey
• John F. Chuchiak, IV
• Lisa Dewoody Clark
• Angie Cockrum
• Julie Combs
• David M. Cornelison
• Ryan DeBoef
• Rachael Dockery
• Toby J. Dogwiler
• Janice R. Duncan
• Brent Dunn
• Frank Einhellig
• Susan W. Essman
• Lori Fan
• Monika Feeney
• Wendy Ferguson
• Stephen Foucart
• Julie Gallaway
• Terrel Gallaway
• Douglas Gouzie
• Brian D. Greene
• Janice S. Greene
• Stephanie Hein
• Michelle J. Hulett
• Tamera Jahnke
• Cheryl G. Jones
• Robert G. Jones
• Kurt Killion
• Allen Kunkel
• Cameron LaBarr
• Dennis Lancaster
• Shirley A. Lawler
• Jill K. Layman
• Diane Leamy
• Jon Leamy
• Day Ligon
• E. Llewellyn
• Jill Martin
• Robert J. Martin
• Gerald Masterson
• Julie Masterson
• Victor Matthews
• David Meinert
• Eric Morris
• Sue Morris
• Matthew Morris
• Taleyna Morris
• Jeff Morrissey
• David Muegge
• Thomas Peters
• Sophie Pierpoint
• Angela Pinegar
• John Prescott
• Kathy J. Pulley
• Gay Ann Ragan
• Kent P. Ragan
• Helen Reid
• Philip Rothschild
• Elizabeth Rozell
• Christina Ryder
• Alan Schick
• Karl Schmidt
• Kishor Shah
• Suzanne Shaw
• Dee Siscoe
• Jeanie Skibiski
• Clif Smart
• Gary Stewart
• John T. Strong
• Rebecca Swearingen
• Mark Templeton
• Ken Vollmar
• Annette Wardell
• Tammy Wiley
• Dick Williams

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!