I hope you were able to enjoy Thanksgiving last week. The holidays are upon us!  It’s hard to believe the fall semester is almost complete.

Board of Governors Executive Committee meeting

We held the November Board of Governors Executive Committee meeting on Nov. 15 – the third Thursday of the month. We hold in-person BOG meetings in February, May, June, August, October and December.

In the other months, we hold an Executive Committee meeting via Zoom to approve, as needed, various items on a much-abbreviated agenda. Mostly, these items tend to be timely procurement projects with costs that exceed $250K. Any board member and the public can attend these meetings; however, only the four members of the Executive Committee are allowed to vote on the various requests.

The Executive Committee comprises the board chair, vice chair and two other BOG members.

The November meeting agenda

In the November meeting, revisions to the governing policy G8.09 Operating Funds Cash Reserves Policy was approved, increasing our cash reserves minimum limit from $40 million to $50 million for the university system.

Also approved at the meeting were bids and award of a contract for the Agricultural Innovation Hub at the Darr Agricultural Center, as well as proposals and award of contracts for sidewalk improvements on the Springfield campus.

In closed session, the board approved the purchase of the Grizzly Lofts in West Plains, to take ownership of this residence hall the university has managed since 2017.

It was a quick meeting that allowed the university to move forward with some timely projects.

Last call for open enrollment

Don’t forget, open enrollment for medical, dental, vision and cafeteria/flexible spending plans close on Dec 1. If you don’t make changes to medical, dental and vision, your choices for last year will automatically roll over.

Cafeteria/flexible spending plan elections must be completed annually. These don’t automatically roll over.

You can also receive a discount on your medical premiums by completing wellness incentive activities.

The next few weeks are a busy time on campus. Be sure to take a few moments here and there to take a deep breath and reflect on all we’ve accomplished in the last year.

You can also watch What’s New at MSU to get a good recap if you can’t remember everything.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State.

Clif