I am in the process of meeting individually with state legislators from our area to discuss our priorities for the coming year.

On Thursday I will update the Board of Governors on those priorities and provide them with copies of our legislative materials. You can find the content of our updated legislative materials on the Legislative Advocacy webpage as well as talking points and a form to join the MSU Legislative Network.

Priorities for this legislative session

We have three priorities this year.

Our first priority is to increase MSU’s operating appropriation. The coordinating board sent a request for a 7% core increase for all universities to Gov. Mike Parson. We are in regular communication with the Governor and staff in his office as they work to determine whether to include the CBHE request in Gov. Parson’s budget recommendations in January.

Our second priority is for our MoExcels project this year. That project will expand our construction management program and construct an addition to Kemper Hall for a construction management lab. The coordinating board included this request in their package of capital projects for the year, and we are advocating that it be included in the state’s budget.

Our third priority is for a $35 million one-time appropriation to partially fund the second phase of redeveloping our science facilities on campus — completing backfill renovations in Temple Hall, renovating Cheek Hall, and constructing a biomedical sciences lab in Kampeter Hall.

Board meeting set for Dec. 15

In addition to a legislative update, the board will have several important discussions and action items on Thursday.

In committee meetings:

• Forvis will present the results of our annual external audit during the Risk Management and Audit Committee meeting.
• We will update the board on the status of campus facilities projects during the Finance and Facilities Committee meeting.
• We will have a preliminary discussion about changes to college and student fees at the Programs and Planning Committee meeting.

At the regular meeting, the board will recognize the six students being honored as Citizen Scholars this year:

• Morgan Blanck
• Samara Mizutani Cesar
• Milana Hainline
• Blake Rief
• Lindsey Sanderson
• Orlondo X. Williams

The board will also receive a presentation about the Paras to Professionals Pathways program and vote on a resolution to establish a Center for Rural Education in the College of Education.

The board will vote on a resolution to set an $80 million project budget and award a construction management at risk agreement to The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company for the addition and renovation of the building currently known as Temple Hall.

The board will also discuss and vote on a proposal to rename the building Roy Blunt Hall and to name the atrium in the existing facility after Allen P. Temple. Next week’s Clif’s Note will discuss this proposal in detail.

The board will receive an update from Zora Mulligan and John Jasinski on the university’s work to develop and implement a transformation plan.

The board will vote on an Executive Committee roster, and Gov. Chris Waters will announce other committee appointments for the coming calendar year. As the incoming chair, Gov. Waters will chair the Executive Committee.

Based on conversations with Gov. Waters, I anticipate Gov. Lynn Parman will chair the Finance and Facilities Committee, Gov. Ann Kampeter will chair the Programs and Planning Committee, and Gov. Anson Elliott will chair the Risk Management and Audit Committee.

Finally, the board will vote on resolutions recognizing board members whose terms expire at the end of December. These members include Gov. Amy Counts, Craig Frazier and Carol Silvey. I have enjoyed working with each of these members of our Board of Governors, and the university is better because of their service.

We remain in communication with Gov. Parson’s office about appointments for these board positions and the other vacant and expired positions on our board.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!