Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for July 13, 2021

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Each June, I provide the Board of Governors with a presentation about our work over the past year at the university. I also provide them with a written report detailing that work.

I hope you will take a moment to review this year’s report and slide presentation.

Over the past year, we successfully responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are coming out of the pandemic without seeing a decline in enrollment and with an improved financial position.

While managing the pandemic was certainly a highlight from 2020-21, our results from this year are extraordinary standing on their own.

  • We grew our graduate enrollment and maintained our overall enrollment despite 600,000 less students enrolling in college nationwide.
  • We implemented a new tuition model that charges the same tuition rate for in-state students enrolled in seated and online courses.
  • We set a new record for degrees and certificates awarded.
  • We set new records on retention and graduate rates.
  • We completed our HLC 4-year Assurance Review with no critical feedback or suggestions.
  • We started our first cohorts in the Doctor of Defense and Strategic Studies program and the MFA in Dramatic Writing program.
  • We expanded our use of LinkedIn Learning in the classroom and for our employees.
  • We expanded the Facing Racism Institute and increased other cultural consciousness training for students, faculty, staff and the community.
  • We began the Multicultural Resource Center expansion and enhanced partnerships with college access programs, including relocating the Student African American Brotherhood to our campus.
  • We started the Bear Bridge mentorship program and had widespread participation.
  • We completed our efactory expansion project, began the Blunt Center expansion, and sold land to the City of Springfield to daylight Jordan Creek in IDEA Commons.
  • We completed the McQueary Family Health Sciences Hall addition and the Betty and Bobby Allison Event Center at Greenwood Laboratory School.
  • We began work on the Springfield Public Schools agriculture magnet school and the John Goodman Amphitheatre.
  • We received more than $50 million in external funding for the fourth year in a row, and the foundation set a new record for gifts received.
  • We won conference championships in four sports, and our student athletes had a combined GPA of more than 3.0 for the 17th straight semester.

I hope you take great pride in what we accomplished together in 2020-21. These accomplishments would not be possible but for your extraordinary work and dedication to our university.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for July 9, 2019

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In closed session at the June Board of Governors meeting, I presented my self-assessment to the board. As part of that presentation, I submitted the university’s end-of-year report. I also used a series of slides to highlight some of the university’s accomplishments outlined in the report.

I would encourage you to review the report and slides at your convenience. Highlights include:

  • We hit an enrollment record on the Springfield campus for the seventh year in a row.
  • We graduated more students than we ever have in the history of the university.
  • We received a $10 million increase in our core operating funding and $2.85 million in one-time funding to expand the nursing program.
  • We increased tuition by less than inflation over the last two years.
  • We named the McQueary College of Health and Human Services, started the mechanical engineering program, became an All-Steinway school, and began the approval process for the Doctorate in Defense and Strategic Studies.
  • We increased our faculty and staff diversity for the fifth year in a row (going from 10.6% in 2013 to 14.5% in 2018).
  • We raised more than $48 million in external support, setting a new record in grant funding and exceeding $20 million in private support for two years in a row.
  • We provided a 1% pay raise for faculty and staff in January and a 1.9% percent pay raise in July.
  • The Lady Bears made a Sweet 16 appearance.
  • We completed construction projects on Hill Hall, Plaster Center, Woods House, the Center for Academic Success and Transition, and the Temple Greenhouse.
  • We collaborated to establish the African-American Heritage Trail, dedicated NPHC plots, and hosted the Missouri Association of Higher Education and Disability Conference.

These accomplishments do not belong to the administration or the board. They belong to entire body of faculty, staff, students and supporters that make up the Missouri State University community. Please join me in celebrating a successful year as we prepare for what next year holds.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for July 17, 2018

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In closed session at the June Board of Governors meeting, I presented my self-assessment to the board. As part of that presentation, I submitted the university’s end-of-year report to the board. I also used a series of slides to highlight some of the university’s accomplishments outlined in the report.

I would encourage you to review the report and slides at your convenience. Highlights include:

  • We hit yet another enrollment record
  • Legislation was signed into law that eliminates MSU’s statutory degree limitations and replaces them with a statewide program approval framework
  • We reduced our graduation requirement from 125 to 120 hours and rolled out four other critical affordability initiatives for our students
  • We awarded over 5,000 degrees and certificates (the long-range plan goal was 4,900)
  • We eliminated geographic restrictions on our collaborative engineering programs, priming those programs for growth
  • We increased our percentage of faculty and staff on the Springfield campus who are international or underrepresented to 14.1 (the long range plan goal was 14 percent)
  • We enrolled more than 3,100 underrepresented students on the Springfield campus
  • We received the MVC All-Sports Trophy, had seven conference championships, and had exceptional student athlete academic marks, all while cutting over $1 million from the athletics budget

We accomplished a lot in really difficult circumstances this year. While I had the privilege of reporting our many accomplishments to the board, these are not only mine. They are the result of all of our hard work. Please join me in celebrating a successful past year as we prepare for what next year holds.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for July 11, 2017

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Last month I presented the board with our Report on Action Plan for 2016-17 and highlighted our work and accomplishments over the past year. Thanks to all of your hard work, we had a very good year except in the state funding arena. Of course, that is a very important matter as we all know.

Breaking records

We graduated a record number of students, awarding 4,401 degrees and 299 certificates. We also added new academic programs in areas of critical workforce needs, including a master’s in agriculture, master’s in computer science, master’s in athletic training and master’s in early childhood special education.

We set enrollment records with 26,000 students in the system and 24,116 on the Springfield campus. We enrolled 1,782 new transfer students in fall 2016, making Missouri State the number one transfer student destination in the state of Missouri.

We set records for enrollment of underrepresented students. We expect additional growth in the coming year, making 2017-18 the first year Missouri State has enrolled more than 3,000 domestic underrepresented students. With retention initiatives like designated GEP 101 sections and restructured scholarships, the university increased the retention rate for first-time full-time freshman to 79 percent, a four point increase over a two year period. St. Louis Graduates and the St. Louis Regional Chamber recognized Missouri State as one of five Missouri colleges (only three of which were public) for “leadership in graduating low-income students, first-generation students and students of color with less debt.”

Making improvements

Aerial view of campus

We increased the diversity of our faculty and staff to 12.8 percent (up from 11.5 percent just one year ago), and we once again met our target of 20 percent of new hires being from diverse backgrounds. We also instituted many campus and community diversity training programs, including diversity training for the board and senior administrators and classroom cultural consciousness training for all new faculty and academic administrators.

We made significant facilities investments, including work on Ellis Hall, the Professional Building (third floor), Cheek Hall (computer labs), Blair-Shannon House (bathrooms), Glass Hall, the Health and Wellness Center and Hass-Darr Hall in West Plains.

We improved safety on campus by completing an IACLEA LEMAP assessment in Springfield and West Plains, reallocating money to hire a manager of emergency preparedness, completing a hazard identification risk assessment, revising emergency response plans and policies, increasing campus cameras to 472 digital and 92 analog, and enhancing our information security protections.

We expanded our entrepreneurial activities, completed a second cohort of the business accelerator program, and kicked off several new initiatives and activities like Rosie, the Springfield Entrepreneurial and Innovation Network, and customized corporate innovation events. We received numerous accolades for our entrepreneurial activities, including Entrepreneur Magazine ranking The eFactory third in its national list of “seven incubators that can help your startup.”

We received significant external support with grants and sponsored contracts and private contributions through the Foundation each topping $19 million. We won four conference championships in athletics with our athletes earning the highest overall grade point average in history.

The list of great things we were able to accomplish this year goes on and on.

I want to thank all of you for your commitment to Missouri State. These accomplishments are possible only through the combined effort of our entire team of faculty and staff.

Keeping an eye on the budget

We spent a lot of time last year working on the budget in light of state funding cuts. Before the new fiscal year began on July 1, the governor announced a new set of spending restrictions that will impact Missouri State. In essence, the state intends to fund Missouri State and all other public universities and community colleges using the 9 percent reduction that the governor initially recommended rather than the 6.58 percent reduction passed by the legislature.

The university’s budget assumes a 9 percent reduction, so we will not have to make any immediate adjustments. However, unless the governor lifts the spending restrictions in the near future, it will be difficult to move forward with a mid-year compensation package.

Work has already begun to develop strategies to fund strategic investments in next year’s budget. One such investment will be a compensation package for employees. I will update you when this work materializes into a plan.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for July 5, 2016

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Clif's Notes

This is the third Clif’s Note in a series updating the campus community on the progress we have made on university priorities.

GraduateDiversity continues to be a priority

Diversity has been an important priority throughout my time at Missouri State. We have a long history of working diligently to enhance the diversity of the university and to create an inclusive environment. During the past year, diversity and inclusion became a much more visible focus point for the university due to events at the University of Missouri and concerns raised here at home.

Earlier this year we updated Missouri State’s Diversity Programs and Actions Inventory.

Review the Diversity Programs and Actions Inventory

Highlights

  • Setting a new record with 2,796 (12.2 percent) students from underrepresented groups in fall 2015. Enrollment of underrepresented students increased by 24.8 percent from fall 2012 to fall 2015.
  • Missouri State’s diversity scholarship programs, including two full tuition scholarships and up to 50 Multicultural Leadership Scholarships with a value of $5,000 per year
  • Established a Diversity Council to advise the president on issues related to diversity and inclusion
  • Increased the university budget for diversity and inclusion programs and expanded the physical plant for the Multicultural Resource Center
  • Achieved the 20 percent diversity hiring target
  • Expanded targeted GEP 101 sections for first generation students
  • Targeted outreach programs to underrepresented current and prospective students
  • Partnerships with college access programs including Kauffman Scholars, College Bound, Wyman Scholars and College Summit
  • Numerous grant programs supporting diversity efforts
  • A long list of diversity activities, events and projects through the office of student engagement, Student Activities Council, residence life, the office of multicultural programs, and other offices, departments and divisions throughout the university
  • Numerous academic programs and courses directed at diversity issues

Recognizing that we still have a lot of work to do, I am proud of the progress we have made together to address diversity and inclusion issues at our university. I look forward to continuing to work with you to move the university forward in developing a campus climate that is inclusive for all.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!