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Clif’s Notes for Oct. 12, 2021

October 12, 2021 by Clif Smart

Trumpeter performs at football game

We are running our United Way and Missouri State Way giving campaigns a bit differently this year.

In the past we have run these two campaigns concurrently. This year they will be separate.

The United Way campaign will kickoff in early November. I will cover that, along with exciting changes in how United Way will invest our contributions, separately in a later Clif’s Note.

This year we have replaced the Missouri State Way campaign with a faculty and staff giving campaign as part of #BearsGive.

#BearsGive is a 36-hour giving day event on Oct. 13 and 14.  One-time gifts and monthly giving options are available.

I encourage you to join us for the #BearsGive kick-off event at 10 a.m. tomorrow starting on the North Mall in front of the PSU and ending at the stage in the food court for guest speakers. Donuts, refreshments and #BearsGive swag bags are available for all at the food court.

You can find more information, along with links to make a one-time gift or fill out a payroll deduction and pledge form, on the #BearsGive webpage.

As in years past, you will also receive a pamphlet in the mail instructing you how to participate in the #BearsGive faculty and staff giving campaign.

Make a gift

Join in the Homecoming festivities

This week marks one of my favorite events of the fall — Homecoming! Throughout the week, students will be joined by alumni and others to cheer at pep rallies, compete in competitions, build parade floats and participate in numerous campus activities.

I encourage each of you to participate in the Homecoming festivities this week.

Highlights for the week include:

  • Rockstar, a student singing competition, is tonight at 7 p.m. in Hammons Student Center. I get to be one of the judges.
  • MoState Live, a student skit competition, is Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Hammons Student Center.
  • Wall of Fame Induction Ceremony for 2020 and 2021 honorees at 4 p.m. on Friday in the PSU Ballroom.
  • Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame Induction and Banquet at 6 p.m. on Friday at the Old Glass Place.
  • The annual Homecoming Parade at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
  • Breakfast with Boomer at 10 a.m. on Saturday in Foster Recreation Center.
  • Bears and Lady Bears basketball scrimmages also at 10 a.m. on Saturday in JQH Arena.
  • The Multicultural Resource Center Grand Opening at noon on Saturday on the first floor of the PSU.
  • Tailgating in Bearfest Village.

We will cap off the week with the Bears home football game against Indiana State University at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

If you haven’t already seen the Bears play, you don’t want to miss your chance to see this incredible team. The Bears are 2-1 in conference play and 3-2 overall.

I encourage you to come out to the game to cheer on our Bears! I also encourage you to buy your tickets in advance — we anticipate a big crowd for the game.

Participate in the wellness fair

Tomorrow we will host a Wise and Well Health and Benefit Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the PSU.

The fair will feature various vendors, informational breakout sessions, resources, prizes and giveaways. Come out to learn more about employment benefits and healthy-living options available to you.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Filed Under: Clif's Notes, Smart Tagged With: Foundation, homecoming, united way, wellness

Clif’s Notes for Aug. 2, 2016

August 2, 2016 by Clif Smart

Clif's Notes

Last week the Board of Governors had its annual planning retreat at Shealy Farm. The Board spent a great deal of time providing input on the university’s action plan for the coming year as well as the focus areas and measurable goals that will guide us as we implement the long-range plan over the next five years. Once we have finalized these documents, I will discuss them in a later edition of Clif’s Notes.

In the meantime, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight several other important discussions and action items from the retreat.

Reflecting on an outstanding year18838-2905-Clifs-Notes-Technology

The Board received year-end reports from the Foundation and from the office of research administration. The university had a record-breaking year, receiving nearly $25 million in grants and contracts for sponsored research and programs.

The university also had another great year for private support through the Foundation, receiving more than $18 million in gifts. These two sources represent $43 million in external support for our university.

The Board received an update on the rebranding campaign and discussed the way data directs our marketing strategies. You can find more information about the university’s brand and the status of the rebranding campaign on the brand website.

The Board’s major action item was to award the contract for the renovation of Ellis Hall to the lowest bidder, Carson-Mitchell, Inc. The contract provides for the completion of the project by fall 2017 as scheduled and within the budget established by the university.

After the retreat, members of our Board of Governors joined faculty and administrators to congratulate our newest graduates at the summer commencement ceremony. I am happy to report that we awarded 576 degrees, approximately half of which were master’s and doctoral degrees.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Filed Under: Clif's Notes, Smart Tagged With: commencement, Foundation, research, Smart

Clif’s Notes for Nov. 17, 2015

November 17, 2015 by Clif Smart

United Way lunch

Clif's Notes

Thank you for giving back

The end of October marks the end of our annual United Way and Missouri State Way campaigns. Through these campaigns, the University community raised $100,715 for the United Way and $218,866 for the Missouri State University Foundation.

United Way lunch

The United Way serves the neediest of our neighbors in Springfield and in the Ozarks. The Missouri State Way campaign is an opportunity for all members of the campus community to support the areas of the University that are most important to them.

Leadership Level

I want to personally thank each of you who participated in the United Way campaign. Please join me in congratulating our employees who gave to the campaign at the Leadership Level ($500).

  • James Baker
  • Drew Bennett
  • Charlene Berquist
  • Richard Biagioni
  • Stephanie Bryant
  • Lanette Cadle
  • Donna Christian
  • Nancy Copeland
  • Ryan DeBoef
  • Steven Dodge
  • Janice Duncan
  • Frank Einhellig
  • Scott Embretson
  • Renee Fogle
  • Stephen Foucart
  • Gloria Galanes
  • Terrel Gallaway
  • Sheri Gibe
  • Penni Groves
  • John Harms
  • Brian Heaton
  • Kathryn Hope
  • Karen Horny
  • Jay Huff
  • Tamera Jahnke
  • Mary Jennings
  • Grant Jones
  • Mary Kellum
  • Allen Kunkel
  • Thomas Lane
  • Paul Lusk
  • Victor Matthews
  • John and Sally McAlear
  • Charles McClure
  • Keri McKee
  • Mary McManus
  • David Meinert
  • Michael Merrigan
  • Kyle Moats
  • Matthew Morris
  • Jim Moyer
  • Frederick Muegge
  • Sarah Nixon
  • Thomas Peters
  • Harold Pratt
  • Tamara Reed
  • Barbara Robinson
  • Jennifer Severson
  • Margaret Shaw
  • Donald Simpson
  • Denita Siscoe
  • Priscilla Skeeters
  • Clifton Smart
  • Byron Stewart
  • Rebecca Swearingen
  • Jeffrey Switzer
  • Thomas Tomasi
  • Johnny Washington
  • Paula Wilhelm
  • Ying Zhang

Founders Club

I also want to personally thank each of you who participated in the Missouri State Way campaign. Please join me in congratulating our current employees who are members of the Founders Club ($10,000 commitment).

  • Jodie Adams
  • Gib Adkins
  • Rickey Albaugh
  • Nancy Allen
  • James Baker
  • Randy Bass
  • Samuel Bass
  • Drew Bennett
  • Stephen Berkwitz
  • Charlene Berquist
  • Theresa Bettmann
  • John Bourhis
  • Robert Bradley
  • Stephanie Bryant
  • Steven Bullard
  • Charles Busby
  • Cindy Busby
  • David Byrd
  • Sandra Byrd
  • Lisa Casey
  • Michael Casey
  • William Cheek
  • John Chuchniak
  • Lisa Clark
  • Lynn Cline
  • Julia Combs
  • David Cornelison
  • Melissa Dallas
  • Sandra D’Angelo
  • Ryan DeBoef
  • Arlen Diamond
  • Rachael Dockery
  • Toby Dogwiler
  • Roger Dowdy
  • Janice Duncan
  • Brent Dunn
  • Frank Einhellig
  • Anson Elliott
  • Susan Essman
  • Lori Fan
  • S Monika Feeney
  • Wendy Ferguson
  • Steve Foucart
  • Gloria Galanes
  • Julie Gallaway
  • Terrel Gallaway
  • Andrew Garton
  • Larry George
  • Douglas Gouzie
  • Melanie Grand
  • Brian Greene
  • Janice Greene
  • Stephanie Hein
  • Madleine Hooper
  • Kathryn Hope
  • Tamera Jahnke
  • Cheryl Jones
  • Robert Jones
  • Russell Keeling
  • John Killion
  • Allen Kunkel
  • Diane Leamy
  • Jon Leamy
  • Cynthia Green Libby
  • Day Ligon
  • J E Llewelltyn
  • Neosha Mackey
  • Jill Martin
  • Robert Martin
  • Victor Matthews
  • John McAlear
  • Belinda McCarthy
  • Bernard McCarthy
  • Norma McClellan
  • Charles McClure
  • Keri McKee
  • Sue Morris
  • Matthew Morris
  • Frederick Muegge
  • Donald Wendell Northrip
  • Thomas Peters
  • Sophie Pierpoint
  • Angela Pinegar
  •  John Prescott
  • Kathy Pulley
  • Gay Ragan
  • Kent Ragan
  • Michael Ramon
  • Helen Reid
  • Lynn Robbins
  • Philip Rothschild
  • Michele Rowe
  • Christina Ryder
  • G Alan Schick
  • Kishor Shah
  • Margaret Suzanne Shaw
  • Susan Sims-Giddens
  • Denita Siscoe
  • Clifton Smart
  • Karen Smith
  • Byron Stewart
  • Lorene Stone
  • John Strong
  • Kristene Sutliff
  • Rebecca Swearingen
  • Kelly Mark Templeton
  • Kent Thomas
  • Kenneth Vollmar
  • Mary Wardell
  • Tammy Wiley
  • John Williams
  • Anne Winkler
  • Thomas Wyrick

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Filed Under: Clif's Notes, Smart Tagged With: Foundation, missouri state way, Smart, united way

Clif’s Notes Vol. 3, No. 7

December 19, 2013 by Clif Smart

Citizen scholar statue

Clif's Notes

In this holiday issue of Clif’s Notes, I review the budget announcement by Governor Nixon, summarize the actions taken at the Dec. 13 Board of Governors meeting, highlight this year’s Citizen Scholars and provide a summary of more than $8 million in private gifts made recently to Missouri State.

Governor Jay NixonGovernor makes announcement, issues challenge

Last Wednesday (Dec. 11), Governor Jay Nixon was on our campus to announce that he plans to recommend a 5 percent increase in core funding for higher education as part of his fiscal year 2015 budget. As part of his announcement, he challenged Missouri’s public universities to keep in-state undergraduate tuition at their current levels.

As you can imagine, this was a very welcome announcement, and I indicated that I will recommend to our Board of Governors that we live up to the challenge. The governor will release his budget in late January, and the discussion in the Missouri General Assembly will be based on that. If the money is distributed on a performance funding basis as the governor recommends, we will receive more than a 5 percent increase as we have met all five of our measures for the second year in a row.

I will keep you posted as we move through the process, which begins Jan. 8, the first day of the 2014 session of the Missouri General Assembly.

Board of Governors actions

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

Board of Govenors

New programs approved

The Board approved two new academic programs: the Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA). These programs had been approved by the faculty and were presented by Provost Frank Einhellig. The next step is for approval by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education.

Both of these degrees meet the needs of our students and of employers. They are very appropriate additions to our academic offerings and to the departments/colleges in which they reside. Learn more about the programs.

Rush and TatumRush, Tatum to receive honorary doctorates

John Rush and James Tatum were approved to receive honorary doctorates. The two Doctor of Public Affairs (APD) degrees will be awarded at the May 2014 commencements. Dr. Ryan Giedd made the recommendation on behalf of the Faculty Senate.

  • Mr. Rush (pictured on the left) was the CEO of the United Way of the Ozarks for 20 years. He has continued to serve the community on the Springfield City Council and with multiple not-for-profit agencies and organizations.
  • Mr. Tatum (pictured on the right), a graduate of West Point who served in the Korean War, helped establish the MARET Center. MARET stands for Missouri Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology. He has been a lifelong advocate for education.

Learn more about these deserving honorees.

Student in health programArchitect selected for health facility

Cannon Design was approved to design a new occupational therapy facility. Over the past several weeks, the College of Health and Human Services, our fastest growing college, has been working with a consultant to explore space needs and options. The occupational therapy program will begin in the fall of 2015, so this facility is a priority. I will keep you posted on this project as it moves along.

Carrington HallBKD issues “clean/unmodified” audit

BKD reported its audit findings to the Board. It called the audit “clean and unmodified.” The BKD representatives were very complimentary of the University and indicated that Missouri State is in a strong financial position.

Citizen scholar statueCitizen Scholars honored

As is our practice, we honored the Citizen Scholars at the December meeting. The six recipients are highlighted below in “Telling the Missouri State story.”

It is a great group of students, and I congratulate them.

StudentsDiscussion on first-generation students

The discussion topic for the December meeting was first-generation students. Given the importance of the topic and the Board’s commitment to it, services to first-generation students will continue to be a priority for us.

I invite you to review the background materials submitted on the topic and also to see the story the “Springfield News-Leader” wrote on the discussion.

Brent DunnMore than $8 million in gifts announced

Yesterday (Wednesday, Dec. 18), the Missouri State University Foundation announced that it had received more than $8 million in gifts to benefit students, academics and athletics. The gifts will support new and renovated facilities; scholarships in a number of areas; and several academic programs.

I invite you to read more about the gifts in the news release.

Private gifts will continue to play a vital role in our success in the coming years. We very much appreciate the generosity of these donors. It is a great way to end the year.

Happy holidays

I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to the break. My break to-do list includes seeing the movie “Saving Mr. Banks,” finishing the latest John Grisham novel, traveling a little and spending time with family as I recharge for the spring semester. I hope you have a list that will recharge you, too.

2013 has been another good year at Missouri State University. Thanks for your good work. Gail and I wish you a safe and joyful holiday season and a happy new year.

Clif Smart

—Clif

Send comments Follow Clif Smart on Twitter

Telling the Missouri State story

This year’s Citizen Scholars are great examples of the three pillars of our public affairs mission. They are ethical leaders, culturally competent and engaged in serving their community. They make you proud to be associated with Missouri State.

Recognized by the Board of Governors during the December meeting, six students were selected as Citizen Scholars for their dedication to the public affairs mission of the University through course work, activities and service-learning opportunities.

DSC_7530-Citizen-Scholars-20132013-14 Citizen Scholars

  • Nii Kpakpo Ekow Abrahams, senior communication major from Joplin, Mo.
  • Mariah Gregg, senior philosophy major from Thayer, Mo.
  • Jared Horman, senior graphic design major from Camdenton, Mo.
  • Kris Keilty, MBA student from Rich Fountain, Mo.
  • Walter Orr, senior professional writing major from Kansas City, Mo.
  • Paige Oxendine, senior public relations and socio-political communication major from Neosho, Mo.

More detailed information is available on the Citizen Scholar Award website.

Congratulations to these students. I hope you consider nominating your outstanding students for next year’s award.

 

Filed Under: Clif's Notes, Financial Outlook, Smart Tagged With: audit, Board of Governors, Citizen Scholar, dnap, first-generation students, Foundation, fy15, governor, honorary doctorate, mfa

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