accreditation Archives - Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for April 21, 2015

April 21, 2015 by Clif Smart

In this issue I discuss our upcoming Higher Learning Commission review.

University prepares for October accreditation visit

Missouri State University received initial accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in 1915 and has successfully earned reaffirmation of this accreditation in every cycle since that time. By law, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) relies in part on regional accrediting agencies such as HLC to determine eligibility for U.S. government assistance under certain legislation. Our reaffirmation in 2015-16 is important.

The Missouri State University HLC Steering Committee began meeting in October of 2012 to prepare for the October 2015 visit. All agendas, minutes and draft reports are posted on the committee’s website. This is the first time we did not write a self-study. Instead we are preparing an assurance argument with attached evidence files to show that we meet all criteria and core components required of the HLC.

Assurance arguments now available online; feedback requested by June 15

The latest draft of each criterion report was posted this week. Please read and provide your feedback. There is a link just below the drafts to provide input. Submission of the final draft will occur in August but with summer fast approaching the HLC Steering Committee would like your feedback now (deadline for feedback is June 15).

Open forums scheduled Oct. 5-6

Block your calendars for Oct. 5-6. There will be at least three open forums during the visit related to the five criteria and all students, faculty and staff will be invited to participate.

Missouri State University students will be responding later this month to a short survey designed by the HLC. The results will be reviewed by the peer review team who will be on our campus Oct. 5-6.

All members of the Missouri State University HLC Steering Committee have worked diligently over the past two years to write the assurance argument and collect the required evidence. By Aug. 15 we will complete our work and submit the assurance argument for review. The site team will then have access to the report and create a meeting schedule. We will post the final schedule for all open forums by Sept. 28.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes Vol. 3, No. 13

May 30, 2014 by Clif Smart

In this issue of Clif’s Notes, I provide an update on this year’s budget, summarize the renovation of Pummill Hall, report on the recent trip to China and draw your attention to the University’s new pouring rights contract.

Fiscal year 2014 budget update

On May 20, Governor Jay Nixon announced budget withholdings from higher education and other state agencies due to insufficient revenues, specifically from lottery proceeds. For Missouri State, that means $1,158,338. This withholding is on top of the $353,017 that was announced a few weeks ago — for a total of $1,511,355 in withholdings for this current fiscal year (FY 2014).

As you would expect, we are disappointed that the withholding was necessary, especially this late in the fiscal year, but we understand the relationship between state revenues and state appropriations. Because this comes so late in the year, there is no reasonable way to adjust the annual budget. We will, therefore, cover this from reserves.

Fortunately, through good stewardship over many years by multiple presidents and all of you, Missouri State has sufficient reserves to cover such emergencies. That is the purpose of the reserves.

As you recall, I have previously committed to fund the first withholding of $353,017 from the president’s reserve. That has not changed. In addition, the president’s reserve will cover half — $579,169 – of the most recent withholding. That means of the $1,511,355 total withholding, the president’s reserve will cover $932,186. The remaining $579,169 will be distributed proportionally to West Plains and the cost centers on the Springfield campus. All will use their reserves to cover their share.

Pummill Hall renovation

Renovation of Pummill Hall will begin in June, with a completion target of July 2015 in time for the 2015 fall semester. The construction contract was approved by the Board of Governors Executive Committee on May 21.

Pummill Hall was built in 1957 and includes 41,948 square feet of space. The renovation budget is $6.9 million, $5.4 of which will be paid centrally with maintenance and repair, classroom upgrades and the president’s budget. The remaining $1.5 million will be shared equally among private donations, the College of Natural and Applied Sciences and the College of Health and Human Services.

All four floors of the building will be renovated. The hospitality and restaurant administration department will occupy the top two floors, the School of Social Work will be on the first floor and the second floor will consist of general classroom space. In addition to the interior renovation, the exterior curtain wall and all exterior glazing will be replaced and upgraded to a much more energy efficient system.

We are very excited to get this project under way. Not only will it provide quality space for these units, but it also will free up much-needed space for our health programs in the Professional Building.

China trip

As you know, on May 17, I joined a Missouri State delegation on a 10-day trip to China. It was a very productive trip, and I wanted to summarize it for you.

We had two very good alumni events, with 100 alumni turning out in Jinan and 82 in Beijing. Those attending included alumni of our undergraduate programs, graduate programs and Executive MBA. All are very proud of Missouri State.
Our new International Leadership and Training Center is becoming more well-known and appears to be meeting a need. We were able to identify several potential clients for the Center.
We also met with several potential partner universities who could send us new undergraduate and graduate students, including President Liu of Xian International Studies (at right).
We were pleased that students completing our Study in China Program, who are now living and working in Shanghai, have been instrumental in creating paid internship opportunities at their companies for our students.
We visited with many of our current partners, including a 10-year anniversary celebration dinner with representatives from the Ningxia Forestry Institute and China Agricultural University. Plus, we signed several new agreements:
- Memorandum of Understanding for Collaborative Program of the Master of Business Administration Studies in the U.S. with the Henan University of Economics and Law
- Memorandum of Understanding with Ningxia Forestry Institute (The State Key Laboratory of Seedling Biotechnology)

Missouri State was among the first U.S. universities to work with China 15 years ago, and the University has been a leader in educational partnerships since then. Our China Program continues to be a signature program for Missouri State, thanks to the strong relationshipsbuilt by Dr. Jim Baker, Steve Robinette, Dave Meinert, Brad Bodenhausen and others.

Coke awarded contract

Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling has been awarded the University’s pouring rights contract. At a maximum duration of 11 years and valued at approximately $6 million, the pouring rights contracts is one of the largest non-construction contracts the University signs. Coca-Cola won the exclusive right to serve its products on campus with a bid more than $500,000 better than PepsiCo for the life of the contract.

I want to thank Chief Financial Officer Steve Foucart, General Counsel Penni Groves, and Director of Procurement Mike Wills, along with the members of the evaluation committee, for their good work on this RFP process. I believe we ended up with a very good contract.

Conclusion

Enjoy your break, no matter how long you have. For some, I know the beginning of summer school will be here shortly.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State University.

—Clif

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Creative marketing campaigns built on sound strategy integrating traditional and emerging media and communications resources — this is the challenge presented to Ad Team each spring.

First-place win

On May 15, Ad Team — a student-run advertising agency within the marketing program in the AACSB-accredited College of Business — won first place in the API (American Petroleum Institute) “Challenge Your Energy IQ Case Competition,” hosted by EdVenture Partners in San Francisco. This is just one year after Ad Team won first place in the national AT&T Campus Challenge for their “inTEXTicated” campaign.

“This year’s API competition presented an opportunity to help increase awareness and encourage education about one of the most critical challenges we face: energy for tomorrow,” said Dr. Melissa Burnett, professor of marketing and Ad Team adviser.

Members

The 2014 MSU Ad Team consisted of these students:

Trevor Collins
Lanae Flatness
Alan Schieber
Brittney Laramie
Whitney Reece
Jessica Ray
Jared Horman
Patrick Cooper
Shea Sullivan
Lucas Eubank
Megan Etter
Ally Gramlich
Ryan Owens

Passion for marketing

The students showcased their drive and passion for marketing and attained an unparalleled real-world, hands-on experience by designing every element of a marketing campaign. They also built on the tradition of success of Missouri State’s Ad Team.

Clif’s Notes Vol. 3, No. 9

February 12, 2014 by Clif Smart

In this issue of Clif’s Notes, I review actions from the Board of Governors meeting and provide updates on other topics.

Board of Governors approves bonds, discusses HLC accreditation

The Board of Governors had its February meeting on the West Plains campus, which is the normal practice. Chancellor Drew Bennett, the West Plains faculty, staff and students, and the West Plains community were very gracious hosts.

There were some organizational matters covered at the meeting:

The next meeting of the Board will be a retreat March 6-7 in St. Louis.
For a variety of reasons, the June Board meeting in Kansas City has been moved from June 27 to June 20.
Governor Virginia Fry has been confirmed, but due to some procedural issues, Kendall Seal has not yet been confirmed. We are confident that will occur soon. To his credit, Kendall attended the West Plains meeting as an observer in order to stay informed

At the meeting, the Board had two major topics.

Auxiliary bond package approved

The Board approved issuing up to $42 million in auxiliary enterprise system revenue bonds. This was the final step in a process that began several months ago. The projects included in this bond package were described in the January issue of Clif’s Notes. The projects are non-academic ones: residence hall renovations and improvements in the recreation and athletic facilities. The designated B.E.A.R. Fee students approved for the recreational and athletic facilities, along with revenue from residence life, will be the source of the bond payments.

Next on the list is the Board’s consideration and anticipated approval of an academic bond package. We anticipate that occurring in late summer 2014.

HLC accreditation discussed

The Board’s discussion topic was the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation for both the West Plains and Springfield campuses. The West Plains visit is coming in late March and early April 2014. The Springfield visit is not yet set, but it will mostly likely be during the fall of 2015.

This was a good chance for Provost Frank Einhellig to provide background about the importance of accreditations generally and HLC specifically. He also explained the process and cost.

Dr. Tammy Jahnke gave an update on the Springfield HLC process, and Chancellor Bennett and Dennis Lancaster provided a detailed report on the eminent visit to the West Plains campus.

HLC accreditation is important — we are taking the process very seriously. I invite you to review the background documents we provided for the Board discussion and also visit the websites listed for more information. Please note that we have scheduled a town hall meeting for April 4 to discuss the draft report and evidences developed by the Springfield campus HLC Steering Committee.

“Business of the Year” award

At the Board meeting, Chancellor Bennett was able to inform us all about a recent award for the West Plains campus.

The West Plains Chamber of Commerce recently awarded the “Business of the Year” to Missouri State University-West Plains. The nomination, read by Chamber President Dr. Josh Cotter, detailed the significance and impact that Missouri State-West Plains has had on the region. Chancellor Bennett is shown here with West Plains Mayor Jack Pahlmann.

Drew told that the Board, “It was an honor and a very humbling experience to walk on stage to receive the plaque in front of hundreds of community members who were standing and applauding. When I got to the microphone I said: ‘I have a wonderful and very rewarding job – which in reality contributed very little to this award. It is the faculty and staff of our campus who do the real work and deserve the credit for this achievement. It is on their behalf that I accept this award.’”

I know you join me in congratulating the West Plains campus on this award.

Special recognitions

I want to draw your attention to two special recognitions.

National Student Employment Week

Led by the student employment office, Missouri State will celebrate National Student Employment Week April 7-11. Part of the celebration will be recognition of one outstanding student worker who will receive the Student Employee of the Year STAR Award and will have the opportunity to win recognition and cash prizes at the state, regional and national level. Nominees and nominators will also be invited to participate in a separate Student Employee of the Year event. So, if you have an amazing student worker you would like to nominate or you would like to participate in our other activities for the week, visit the student employment office website. Applications for the Student Employee of the Year Award are due by Feb. 17.

Social Work Month

March is Professional Social Work Month, which celebrates the many good works of that profession and of our social work graduates. Since its inception, social work has been instrumental in achieving civil rights and human rights advances; has enhanced human well-being and helping meet the basic needs of all people, especially the most vulnerable; and has had a positive impact on adolescent and youth development, aging and family caregiving, child protection and family services. The students and faculty in our School of Social Work, the College of Health and Human Services appreciate your support for this special month.

Spring enrollment sets system record

The fourth week census date was earlier this week, so I wanted to report on enrollment:

The Springfield campus has set another spring enrollment record, with 20,473 students, a 2.8 percent increase over spring 2013. The increase was driven in large part by students returning from our record fall enrollment. We also enrolled 671 new transfer students, a 4.5 percent increase over spring 2013.
Following a one percent increase in fall 2013, spring 2014 enrollment on the West Plains campus is down slightly. This year’s total is 1,667, compared to 1,768 last spring. Still, it is encouraging to note that spring enrollment at Missouri State-West Plains has increased 10 percent in the last five years.

See full news release. Enrollment continues to be important, for achieving both our state and national goals of educating more students and also to keep our revenue strong.

Conclusion

We are heading into a peak time of the year with many events and activities, from major speakers and conferences, to championship athletic events. I hope to see you often as we help our students take full advantage of the Missouri State experience.

Thank you for all you do for Missouri State University.

—Clif

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Dr. Anson Elliott, head of the William H. Darr School of Agriculture, received high honors during the 44th Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture, hosted by Gov. Jay Nixon and the Missouri Department of Agriculture. During the awards banquet, Gov. Nixon and Missouri’s Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce recognized Elliott with Missouri’s Agricultural Educator of the Year award in front of hundreds of Missouri producers and agribusiness leaders.

He is the second recipient of this award.

A leading force for 20+ years

Elliott has led Missouri State’s agriculture programs since 1980, balancing his responsibilities as a member of the teaching faculty and overseer of off-campus facilities with those of his administrative role. He also advises undergraduate and graduate students, as well as student organizations within the Darr School of Agriculture.

He is committed to growing opportunities for Missouri agriculture students as well as producers. In 2012, he traveled to Russia with the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service and Missouri agriculture leaders in an effort to develop and grow partnerships among educators and employers. He also continues to be involved in partnerships to grow Missouri State’s research farms and facilities, as well as to strengthen the already outstanding genetics within the University’s livestock.

Helping secure the future of Missouri agriculture

“The men and women educating the next generation of Missouri agriculture are essential to the continued success of our state and our nation,” said Fordyce. “It is key that we recognize those who serve as a strong voice for the future of Missouri agriculture, especially those whose deep commitment, spanning nearly four decades, reaches throughout our industry.”

Elliot is a member of Missouri’s Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT) organization, and was honored with the group’s Missouri Agriculture Leader of the Year award in 2006.

Clif’s Notes Vol. 3, No. 6

October 23, 2013 by Clif Smart

In this issue of “Clif’s Notes,” I review the actions taken at the Oct. 18 Board of Governors meeting, update you on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation and provide the results of the B.E.A.R. Fee vote.

Board of Governors actions

I want to summarize some of the actions taken last Friday, Oct. 18, at the Board of Governors meeting.

New Board members and officers

We have two new Board members who were at the meeting Friday. Virginia Fry is from the 7th Congressional District and replaces Gordon Elliott. Kendall Seal is from the 6th Congressional District and replaces Cathy Smith. Governors Fry and Seal are both Missouri State alumni, and both are accomplished attorneys. I think they will make excellent Board members, and we look forward to working with them.

I also want to again publicly thank Governors Elliott and Smith for their conscientious work, time commitment and passion for Missouri State. The University is a better place because they served on the Board.

At the end of Friday’s meeting, the Board elected officers for 2014. They are Beverly Miller, Lebanon, as chair, and Steve Hoven, St. Louis, as vice chair. Again, we look forward to working closely with Governors Miller and Hoven in 2014.

Changes to employee handbook include Sponsored Dependent Program

The Board approved a number of changes that will be incorporated into the employee handbook. Included were several editorial changes and a couple of changes that brought the handbook into compliance with new state law.

The Board also unanimously approved a Sponsored Adult Dependent Program. This action means that sponsored dependents will be eligible for all benefits currently available to “spouses” to the extent allowed by law.

The Sponsored Adult Dependent Program is effective Jan. 1, 2014, but the enrollment period is coming soon. Employees will have between Nov. 1 and Dec. 1, 2013, to enroll for benefits.

Bronze Bear Award

The Board approved former Missouri State President Arthur Mallory as the 2013 recipient of the Bronze Bear Award. You can read more about Dr. Mallory and the award in this issue’s “Telling the Missouri State Story” below.

Diversity discussion

In keeping with its practice of the past year, the Board of Governors spent the last 90 minutes of the meeting focusing on a single topic. For October, the topic was diversity, specifically the domestic diversity of our students. I invite you to review the background materials that were sent to the Board. As you will see, we have made significant progress in the past several years, but there is more to be done.

Diversity and inclusion continue to be important goals for the University and for the Board, and all of us share the responsibility to achieve these goals. The Board will continue and expand this discussion at the December meeting when the focus will be on recruitment, retention and services for first generation students.

HLC update

Dr. Tammy Jahnke and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Steering Committee continue to make preparations for the upcoming accreditation visit to the Springfield campus.

The Criteria for Accreditation are the standards of quality by which the HLC determines whether an institution merits reaffirmation of accreditation. In preparation for Missouri State University’s site visit from the HLC in 2015-16, the University must provide assurances (narrative and evidence) that we meet the five criteria and all core components. The Missouri State HLC Steering Committee has appointed five subcommittees to begin to form the narrative and to identify evidence.

In addition to collecting evidence, this also is an assessment process. We will be asked to identify strengths and concerns. This is a time to celebrate our strengths — all of the things we do well. If we are addressing our concerns (closing the loop) in some way, we will be given the opportunity to show progress.

Draft reports and town hall meeting

Drafts of the subcommittee reports will be posted as they are reported to the committee from now through March 2014. You may submit comments to the steering committee through the chair or any other member during upcoming months. The committee needs to hear if it has missed evidence or if you think it should have identified different strengths and/or concerns.

In April 2014, there will be a town hall meeting to review the draft report and the preliminary lists of strengths and concerns. The University’s administrative team values your opinion, and it will be important for you to review the draft and comment (either to the steering committee or at the town hall meeting).

The first HLC criterion is mission; review the strengths and concerns the subcommittee has identified.

Please keep in mind that we are only at the draft stage. Please review the HLC Steering Committee agendas and minutes. We would like to hear your feedback.

Tammy and I would like to thank the following members of Subcommittee One for their outstanding work: Vic Matthews (chair, CHPA), Ken Coopwood (Diversity and Inclusion), Cindy Hail (COE), Cathy Pearman (COE) and Josh Smith (CHHS).

B.E.A.R. Fee results

Our students never cease to amaze me. To improve campus facilities, to improve school spirit and to improve the overall student experience, student leaders proposed the Bear Experience and Recreation (B.E.A.R.) Fee of $50 per semester (graduated by credit hours taken). The fee was voted on during Homecoming week and approved by a vote of 2,948 for and 726 opposed. The fee will be implemented beginning in fall 2014 assuming all the projects have been completed, including the soccer/track complex, field hockey/lacrosse complex, sand volleyball complex and Plaster Sports Complex, especially replacement of the student seating section on the east side.

I want to pay tribute to the student leadership who worked on this proposal, shepherded it through the process and got it passed. Many students were involved, but I want to single out Matthaus Klute and SGA President David Schneider for their excellent work.

About the fee

To further remind you of what this fee will help us accomplish, including artist’s rendering, I refer you to the SGA blog post about the B.E.A.R. Fee. We will be able to expand our recreation opportunities for students, as well as improve facilities for our student-athletes and the students who attend the events.

In summary, the student fee will generate about $1.6 million annually. Of that total, $200,000 has been committed to enhancing the student experience at athletic events. The remaining $1.4 million will make payments on about $20 million in bonds that we will use to construct these facilities.

What our students have done will benefit the University for many years to come. I applaud them for their foresight. They are thinking bigger and bolder.

United Way pledges due

If you have not already submitted your United Way materials, please do so. The deadline is here, and we want to include all of the contributions from our campus. I hope you will consider participating in this worthy cause. As you know, this is one of the University-wide activities we support annually. For more information or to make a contribution, please contact Tami Reed in the office of internal audit.

Conclusion

Thanks to everyone who helped make Homecoming 2013 such a special time for our students, our alumni and the entire campus community. It was an exciting action-packed week of events, capped by a great win by the football team, all of which left everyone feeling good about Missouri State University.

—Clif

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In recognition of his long-standing involvement with, and support of, Missouri State University, former Missouri State President Arthur L. Mallory will receive the 2013 Bronze Bear Award. The Board of Governors agreed with the administration, faculty, staff and student leaders that Dr. Mallory deserved this recognition not only for his successful tenure as president at Missouri State, but also for his role in advancing education statewide. He will be the 15th recipient of the award.

Dr. Mallory became the fifth president of Missouri State University in 1964 and served until 1971. He was the youngest president in University history, beginning his tenure at age 31. During the turbulent years of campus unrest across the country, he was a capable reconciler, sensitive to the views of students, faculty and the community.

After seven years, he left the presidency to take the position of commissioner of education in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, a position he held from 1971-87. During his years as commissioner, legislation for special education and the gifted was passed. When the Parents as Teachers pilot project results were released, he was instrumental in promoting legislation requiring that every Missouri school district offer a Parents as Teachers program.

Following his stint as commissioner, Dr. Mallory returned to Missouri State as the dean of the College of Education, a role he held from 1991-94. His love and support of education continues to this day with his current role as a director at Parents as Teachers National Center, Inc.

Clif’s Notes Vol. 3, No. 3

September 10, 2013 by Clif Smart

In this issue of “Clif’s Notes,” I want to review the Professor Salary Incentive Program, give an update on the budget, invite you to the State of the University address and provide other highlights as we begin the 2013-14 year.

Professor Salary Incentive Program

Provost Frank Einhellig and I have approved the recommendations submitted by the Professor Salary Incentive Program Committee. The guidelines, application form and an example of an evaluation tool is available on the Professor Salary Incentive Program website.

The provost’s office plans to offer workshops early this fall to assist professors who wish to submit an application. To be eligible, professors must have held that rank for at least five years. The applications will be due to the appropriate dean’s office by Friday, Dec.13. The first group selected will be announced late in the spring of 2014, with the salary incentive being added for fiscal year 2015 (starting July 1, 2014). More details will be forthcoming.

As you recall, this program originated with a recommendation from the Faculty Senate, and it was endorsed by the Executive Budget Committee. While we must wait for final action on our budget, we anticipate awarding a minimum of 20 this year.

Mind’s Eye

We have a new publication that focuses on the wide range of outstanding research and scholarly activities in which our faculty are engaged. The title is Mind’s Eye. The hard copy publication will be available for distribution in mid-September. I also invite you to view the stories and watch the videos online.

Our graduate programs, our significant research and scholarly activity, and our willingness to have students involved at both the undergraduate and graduate levels helps set Missouri State apart from many other institutions. Mind’s Eye is one way we can celebrate those achievements with each other and our various constituent groups, including prospective graduate students, prospective faculty members, alumni, state leaders, donors and others.

Accreditations

Work on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditations on the West Plains and Springfield campuses continue. The goal for both is to receive 10-year renewals: 2014-2024 for West Plains and 2015-2025 for Springfield.

West Plains

Missouri State-West Plains is entering the final stages of preparing its self-study for the HLC review. The final draft of the self-study will be presented to the West Plains campus community in October as well as to other constituent groups, the Springfield Administrative Council and the Board of Governors. The final report will be submitted to the Higher Learning Commission by the end of the fall 2013 semester. A team of evaluator/consultants will visit West Plains in April 2014.

Springfield

In Springfield, HLC Accreditation Chair Tammy Jahnke has the steering committee at full strength with two new student members. The members have divided into subcommittees with specific tasks related to the accreditation, with the resulting reports to be submitted in draft form. Town hall meetings are being scheduled for late April for a wider discussion. The two goals for these meetings will be to note and celebrate the accomplishments since 2005, and to affirm that the strengths and challenges listed in the draft reports from the steering committees are the right ones to list. Information related to the Springfield HLC accreditation is online, including process, membership, committees, minutes of meetings, overall schedule, etc.

Veto session

The Missouri General Assembly’s veto session begins Wednesday, Sept. 11. Legislators will consider whether or not to attempt to override several of the governor’s vetoes from the 2013 legislative session.

We are keeping our eye on the outcome for House Bill 253 since the results could impact our budget not only for the current fiscal year but future fiscal years. You recall that the governor restricted about $3.1 million in core budget for Missouri State, plus the $1.325 million targeted to the occupational therapy program on the Springfield campus and expansion/enhancement of health programs on the West Plains campus. The governor has publicly said he will release all of these funds immediately if his veto is sustained. It is less clear what will happen if the veto is overridden.

We will know more when the veto session concludes, which could last up to 10 days.

State of the University address

I invite you to attend the 2013 State of the University address at noon on Thursday, Sept. 19, in the Plaster Student Union Theater. The title of the speech is: “Thinking Bigger and Bolder: The 8 Major Goals for 2013-14.”

Provost Frank Einhellig and I will share the podium to talk about the goals for the year and some key issues we anticipate. As you leave the speech, we plan to have copies of Mind’s Eye to hand out.

If you are unable to attend, I invite you to watch the speech via live stream, or to listen or watch it as it is replayed on KSMU and Ozarks Public Television. The speech also will be archived on the website along with the PowerPoint presentation.

I will combine with Chancellor Drew Bennett to present this address to the West Plains campus on Oct. 1.

Voluntary Benefits Program

Open enrollment for our new Voluntary Benefits Program has begun. You will have two weeks to enroll for any or all of these: vision insurance plan, critical illness insurance and accident insurance. We are pleased to offer these three new benefits which provide extra protection for you and your family.

Please watch for a more detailed email on this program and how to enroll from the office of human resources. In the meantime, more information is also available on the Human Resources homepage.

Conclusion

It is great to be back at work full-time. I am very fortunate. I feel good, the surgery was a success and I have been declared “cancer free.” I want to thank all of you who communicated your support and who kept me in your prayers. I appreciated it very much.

—Clif

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Taylor Health and Wellness Center has long been a point of pride for Missouri State. Under the leadership of long-time director Burnie Snodgrass, Taylor Health and Wellness Center developed into a full-service center and received national recognition for its excellent care for University students, staff and faculty.

Award and accreditation

Last year, the Taylor Health and Wellness Center Laboratory was awarded the prestigious Laboratory Excellence Award by the Commission on Office Laboratory Accreditation (COLA), a national healthcare accreditation organization. The laboratory received the award for its outstanding performance in quality patient care and overall exemplary application of the principles of laboratory practices. The honor is the highest commendation that COLA awards, given only to those health care facilities that receive a perfect accreditation survey.

In addition, the center was recently accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

New leadership

After years of dedicated service, Burnie recently retired and the mantle of leadership for Taylor Health and Wellness was passed to Dr. David Muegge. Dr. Muegge received his degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and served as medical coordinator and staff physician for Taylor Health and Wellness Center since 2002. Prior to that, he had a private practice of internal medicine, beginning in 1980. During his time at Missouri State, Dr. Muegge has been instrumental in growing and expanding health and wellness opportunities at Missouri State.

Under Dr. Muegge’s leadership, Taylor Health and Wellness Center is expected to continue to be a point of pride for the students, employees and University in terms of quality, convenience and cost.