Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Sept. 15, 2020

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Last week the Board of Governors reviewed and finalized our Action Plan for 2020-21.

This year we will focus on diversity, equity and inclusion with action items such as:

  • Enhance intervention strategies for the university’s Bias Response Team.
  • Design and develop a facility expansion of the Multicultural Resource Center.
  • Curricular modifications to address cultural consciousness and competence.
  • Expand the Facing Racism Institute and create a Student Diversity Leadership Institute.
  • Review and modify university policies and procedures to ensure equal opportunity.

We will also focus on academic and career initiatives with action items such as:

  • Create a task force to evaluate new academic areas and programs.
  • Enroll students in new professional doctoral and terminal degree programs and develop plans for additional programs.
  • Pursue consortia arrangements and partnerships with national and international employers, higher education institutions and other organizations.
  • Increase career education opportunities through LinkedIn Learning and other resources.
  • Coordinate marketing strategies for academic programs.

We will also focus on managing the pandemic, completing our strategic enrollment management plan, and developing the university’s next long range plan and visioning guide.

Guiding our actions

This year the university will also pursue a wide range of action items in other areas:

  • Support student mental health and other needs through the Counseling Center, Student Success Infoline, the Bear CLAW, and other offices and resources.
  • Implement early intervention strategies to retain students.
  • Begin construction on JVIC building 4 and continue the development and expansion of IDEA Commons.
  • Take possession of the new residence hall.
  • Continue to raise private funds through the Onward Upward campaign.

Please take some time to review the 2020-21 Action Plan. We will follow this plan as we move the university forward this academic year.

State of the University

The Springfield State of the University address is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Sept. 23. The West Plains State of the University address is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sept. 24. I will discuss the university’s COVID-19 response, this year’s action plan and our strategic planning processes.

The West Plains address will be held in the West Plains Civic Center theater. The Springfield address will be virtual. The format will be similar to the virtual employee town hall meetings we held throughout the spring and summer.

You can find additional information about how to participate in this year’s State of the University address online.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for June 30, 2020

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I presented the university’s report on the 2019-20 Action Plan at the board meeting earlier this month. I would encourage each of you to take a moment to review the report and the slides from my presentation.

Report on work during the pandemic

The report begins with a thorough summary of our work related to COVID-19.

Everyone at the university played a critical role in delivering classes to students and keeping the university operational during this difficult time. Because of your work, Missouri State University will emerge from this situation stronger than ever.

Enrollment concerns

We also undertook an extraordinary amount of work to address enrollment concerns. The university:

  • Rolled out a dual credit scholarship program.
  • Executed scholarship agreements with all Boys and Girls Clubs in the state.
  • Redesigned existing scholarship programs.
  • Streamlined transfer articulations with community colleges.
  • Executed 3+1 agreements with international partners.
  • Waived the application fee.
  • Joined the Common App.

These initiatives will have an impact on fall 2020 enrollment.

Unfortunately, the pandemic will also have an impact, so we will probably still have an enrollment decline.

I recently learned that FAFSA filings have declined by 12% in the state of Missouri. Our enrollment indicators predict a decline much lower than 12%.

Headcount and credit hour enrollment for the summer are up, and I believe this is due to the work we have done. We must all continue to work hard to build enrollment through the beginning of the fall semester.

Positive change

Other highlights for the year include:

  • Delivered the most degrees and certificates ever in the history of the university.
  • Increased our percentage of underrepresented faculty and staff to 15%.
  • Created 17 new online degree and certificate programs.
  • Obtained CBHE approval for the Doctorate in Defense and Strategic Studies program (awaiting HLC approval).
  • Established the Center for Academic Success and Transition and the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center.
  • The MSU Foundation raised the most funds ever in its history.
  • Received the most funds through grants and sponsored contracts ever in the university’s history.
  • Partnered with the Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) to move their headquarters to Springfield.
  • Historic winning seasons in women’s basketball and men’s soccer.

These are just a few examples of the many accomplishments the university experienced this year.

This was a difficult year for all of us. But through the process of creating the report and presenting it to the board, I was reminded once again that it is a privilege to be a part of this community.

Together, our team of dedicated faculty and staff continues the university on its upward trajectory.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Nov. 19, 2019

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This year’s Action Plan includes enrollment as a focus area.

We have already implemented a lot of changes designed to improve enrollment. Initiatives we have already rolled out this academic year include:

  • Restructured scholarships
  • Expanded dual credit
  • Waived the application fee
  • Expanded partnerships with college access programs
  • Joined the Common App
  • Implemented a CRM system and an updated marketing strategy
  • Implemented the MSU Messaging platform to communicate with students
  • Developed a campus virtual tour

Data indicates that our work is having an impact — the number of applications we have received for new students in fall 2020 is higher than the last two years.

More work remains to be done, and I would encourage all members of the university community to participate in our enrollment efforts.

Setting SEM goals

The first action item in this year’s Action Plan is to develop a strategic enrollment management (SEM) plan.

Last week our SEM consultant from AACRAO was on campus for three days. She met with the leadership team, steering committee and the councils to help the university develop measurable SEM goals. Once these goals have been established, the councils will begin to develop the strategies that the university should pursue to achieve the goals.

We plan to have the SEM goals established in December, and we will report them to the Board of Governors at their meetings on Dec. 12.

You can find more information about the SEM process (including information about strategic enrollment management, the university’s SEM structure, council rosters and charges, etc.) on the SEM webpage.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

 

Clif’s Notes for April 16, 2019

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Last Friday we inducted the sixth class into the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees were Maya Angelou, Bill Clay, Sr., Bill Darr, Emily Geraghty and Doug Pitt. You can learn more about the inspiring stories of inductees from this year and prior years on the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame webpage.

We hosted our largest crowd ever for this year’s induction ceremony and banquet. Thanks to everyone who attended.

If you have a nominee for the Public Affairs Hall of Fame, please submit a nomination form online.

Making Missouri stronger

Last week we had the privilege of hosting the Hawthorn Foundation’s board of directors in Springfield. The Hawthorn Foundation consists of Missouri leaders in business, education, economic development, healthcare and labor dedicated to making the state of Missouri stronger. I am on the board for the Hawthorn Foundation and its subsidiary, the Missouri Partnership.

I was the keynote speaker at the meeting. My presentation focused on the growth of Springfield and Missouri State University’s local and statewide leadership. Highlights from my presentation include:

  • 20,026 students from the state of Missouri are enrolled on Missouri State University’s Springfield campus. This is more than any other university in the state.
  • Enrollment on the Springfield campus has grown by 17.2% since 2011. Meanwhile enrollment has decreased by 9.2% nationwide and 11.3% in Missouri.
  • Over the last decade, tuition at Missouri State has increased by less than inflation.
  • Missouri State University receives less state funding per student than any other university in the state. We are working with the legislature to close this gap with an equity adjustment.

Influencing the action plan

Earlier this week, Craig Frazier, vice chair of MSU’s Board of Governors, and Kristan Gochenauer, board secretary, attended the Association of Governing Board’s National Conference on Trusteeship. Governor Gabriel Gore and I also planned to attend, but weather-related flight delays thwarted our travel plans.

The conference included a workshop on how universities can stay relevant and competitive in challenging times. The conference included another workshop on growing and diversifying revenue. A former Walt Disney executive presented a keynote titled “Leading for Creativity.” A former chief economist at CNBC presented another keynote about negative market indicators and how higher education institutions should be prepared for the future economic landscape.

We will discuss the information conveyed at the AGB conference at our May Board of Governors meeting. These and other higher education trends will guide our work this summer on next year’s action plan.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Aug. 21, 2018

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Welcome to Missouri State University. If you are new to campus, I look forward to connecting with you. Feel free to stop me on the sidewalk and introduce yourself or tweet at me (my Twitter handle is @clifsmart).

I spent a lot of time this summer meeting with Governor Mike Parson and policymakers throughout the state to discuss the future of Missouri State. I also spent a big part of the summer planning for next year and working with other campus leaders to get ready for students, faculty and staff to return to campus. We’re excited you’re here!

Takeaways from board retreat

Two weeks ago, the Board of Governors met for its annual planning retreat.

At that retreat, we discussed the action plan for this academic year. This year we will focus on adding and expanding academic programs where there is market demand and workforce need. We will also work to increase retention and graduation rates for all students, and we will work to decrease the gap in retention and graduation rates for our underrepresented, Pell-eligible and first-generation students.

The Foundation will also move forward with a comprehensive fundraising campaign which will focus on providing private support for scholarships and academic programs. If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to review this year’s action plan and reflect on how you can contribute to the direction of our university.

The board also discussed a funding and advocacy strategy for the coming year. Because of changes in enrollment patterns, Missouri State now receives less state funding per full-time equivalent student than any other university in the state. This year we will advocate that the state appropriate money to Missouri State to eliminate or reduce this funding disparity. Details about how you can help in this advocacy strategy will be available in the coming months.

The board also discussed enrollment projections, marketing and recruiting plans, year-end fundraising and external funding reports, and other important topics. The board and I are excited for what this academic year holds for our university.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!