fy16 Archives - Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for June 30, 2015

June 30, 2015 by Clif Smart

MSU West Plains Staff Senate President Mary Kellum addresses the Board of Governors.

The Board of Governors met last week on the West Plains campus. This provided a great opportunity for us to highlight the success of our associate degree programs and spotlight West Plains’ students, faculty and staff.

Board approves budget, bonding and Learfield contract

I want to draw your attention to three of the Board’s action items.

Budget includes 1.8 percent salary increase

First, the Board approved the fiscal year 2016 operating budget. This budget is in line with the Executive Budget Committee’s recommendations that I outlined in a prior Clif’s Note. The budget includes a 1.8 percent compensation increase for all full-time faculty and staff. It also includes an instructor equity pool and staff merit/equity pool. These pools resulted in 52 instructors and 300 staff receiving compensation increases based on equity and merit in addition to the 1.8 percent across-the-board raise.

Board approves bonds for Glass Hall renovations

Second, the Board authorized the issuance of bonds to construct the planned addition, renovations and improvements to Glass Hall. This project is an important step in elevating the College of Business’s facilities to enhance success for the more than 5,000 business majors at Missouri State. We anticipate breaking ground in the fall.

Contract with Learfield extended

Finally, the Board approved a new 11 year contract with Learfield Communications, Inc., the University’s athletics media-rights contractor. This agreement provides several benefits for Missouri State. First, Learfield will pay for an LED fascia ribbon scoreboard in JQH Arena, saving the University more than $500,000. Moreover, the contract will result in the University receiving $332,500 in guaranteed payments next year, a $72,500 increase over the prior contract. Additionally, these payments will increase by $50,000 each year except 2017, when the payment will go up by $100,000. This is a significant improvement over the prior contract and will help us better fund our athletic programs.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for March 17, 2015

March 17, 2015 by Clif Smart

In this issue, I discuss actions the Board of Governors took at their March 12 meeting.

Board approves tuition, authorizes refinancing of JQH Arena bonds

The Board of Governors met on Thursday, March 12. I want to highlight two important actions the board took at this meeting.

First, the board approved the 2015-2016 fee resolution. This resolution includes an inflationary tuition increase for in-state students. This increase means that tuition will go up only $1, from $204 to $205 per credit hour. No new differential fees were included in this year’s resolution. However, online course tuition will be increased by $10.

See complete tuition and fees for 2014-15.

Missouri State prides itself on being the value option for higher education in Missouri. When we consider the tuition and fees charged by our competitors, these tuition adjustments will not have a significant impact on the University’s affordability. At the same time, modest tuition and fees adjustments are necessary to continue the University on a path toward accomplishing its goals. The increases for 2015-2016 are a critical part of creating the revenue necessary to fund compensation increases and expand quality programs.

Refinancing JQH Arena bonds will save University $2 million

Second, the board authorized the University to refund (i.e., refinance) the JQH Arena bonds. Through this refunding, the University will pay less interest on its obligations. The refinancing will save the University more than $2 million over the life of the bonds. This will allow us to spend more resources on the students, employees, and programs that make up the University. I am proud to work with a team of board members and senior administrators that are always mindful of our obligation to be responsible financial stewards.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for March 10, 2015

March 10, 2015 by Clif Smart

In this issue, I discuss the recommendation to increase parking permit fees.

Recommended parking permit increase is first since 2006

Beginning July 1, I am recommending to the Board of Governors that the cost of a parking permit increase on campus. We are also creating a new, lower cost parking option. I explain the rationale of this recommendation and give you the details in this note. I pay to park on campus just as you do, and the cost of my reserved spot will increase by $30 as shown on the chart below.

Parking is a self-supported service of the University. Collected revenue pays for all expenses. Expenses include parking lot maintenance (patching, repairing, sealing, striping, utilities, cameras, emergency phones, lighting, snow removal, signage, etc.), staff (salaries and benefits, vehicles, bicycles, uniforms, radios, training, etc.) and facilities (maintenance, office supplies, phone and network connections, etc.).

Parking permit fees have not increased since 2006, so parking is funding 2015 expenses with 2006 dollars. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased approximately 20 percent since 2006. During that time, we have increased staff salaries and paid increased costs in patching, repairing, sealing and striping, and utilities. With more expenses than revenue, deferred maintenance on parking lots increases each year.

In efforts to develop a sustainable solution to this problem, a 20 percent increase in parking permit rates, consistent with the cumulative CPI, has been included in the FY16 Fee Schedule. To avoid this problem in the future, we will make an effort to make smaller, more frequent inflationary adjustments to parking permit rates. The new rates will be as follows:

	Per Year	Per Year + 20 percent	Difference (Increase)
Commuter**	$96.00	$115.00	$19.00
Residence Hall	$156.00	$188.00	$32.00
Lot 27A – Monroe Apartments ***	$300.00	$360.00	$60.00
Reserved**	$150.00	$180.00	$30.00
Second Reserved**	$10.00	$12.00	$2.00
Evening **	$60.00	$72.00	$12.00
Service Vehicle	$150.00	$180.00	$30.00
Vendor	$150.00	$180.00	$30.00
Motorcycle	$18.00	$22.00	$4.00
Overnight****	$325.00	$390.00	$65.00
Orange Permit*****	N/A	$65.00	N/A

See complete parking permits recommendation.

Comparing the revised parking permit rates to benchmark peer institutions clearly shows Missouri State University parking permit fees maintaining low and competitive pricing. For example, at the University of Missouri – Columbia, faculty and staff pay $216 per year for surface lot parking and $252 per year for garage parking.

With the change in parking permit fees, we will also implement two initiatives to increase the parking capacity on campus for fall 2015:

One-time funding will be utilized to construct a new parking lot north of Strong Hall (70 additional parking spaces)
Seldom-used University vehicles will be moved from parking lots 4 and 44 to Darr Agricultural Center (12 additional parking spaces)

In addition, a new orange parking permit will be available for purchase effective July 1, 2015, to enable students, faculty and staff to park on perimeter parking lots 39, 51, and 52 at an annual rate of $65.00. Use of the orange parking permit coupled with use of the Bear Line shuttle service provides a low-cost option for parking on campus.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Feb. 10, 2015

February 10, 2015 by Clif Smart

In this issue, I focus on progress on our legislative goals.

Outlook promising for legislative goals

Released funds and proposed legislation allow the University to make headway toward goals.

Governor releases funds for occupational therapy program

I have some very exciting news—we have made significant progress on our second legislative priority for this year. The governor has released $620,000 of the $1.325 million withheld for our occupational therapy program in Springfield and health programs in West Plains. This allows us to move forward with these programs as planned.

Thank you to Governor Nixon and our other elected leaders for making this possible. It is an important first step. We will continue to work with the governor’s office and our legislators to obtain additional funds and be sure this appropriation is included in next year’s budget.

Proposed legislation could provide funds for capital projects

Another of our legislative priorities this year is to obtain a capital appropriation for four maintenance and repair projects. The Senate has passed SCR 9, one of the legislative vehicles that will get us closer to receiving this appropriation. The resolution will now move to the House of Representatives. We are in active discussions with our legislators to see that the House passes SCR 9.

Last week I testified to the House Appropriations in Higher Education Committee and Select Committee on Budget. I focused on education as the engine for economic development in Missouri. I also focused on Missouri’s low funding of higher education by comparison to neighboring states. I encouraged our lawmakers to take action and increase investment in higher education through Missouri’s performance and equity funding models.

We will continue to advocate for Missouri State in Jefferson City. As you interact with lawmakers, I would encourage you to do so as well.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Jan. 27, 2015

January 27, 2015 by Clif Smart

In this issue, I focus on the governor’s proposed budget.

Governor’s State of the State address

On Jan. 21 the governor gave his State of the State address. He also released his executive budget for next fiscal year. You can find more information about the governor’s address on the governor’s website and about the governor’s executive budget on the Office of Administration Division of Budget and Planning website. Highlights include:

The governor included capital appropriations of revenue bond proceeds in his supplemental budget. These appropriations include four maintenance and repair projects at Missouri State totaling approximately $19 million: Ellis Hall, Missouri Hall, Hill Hall and life safety improvements on the West Plains campus.
The governor included an increase of 1.3 percent to operating appropriations for public higher education.

These highlights make clear that we are off and running on our legislative priorities for 2015. We appreciate the governor’s support for Missouri State’s capital projects. We also appreciate the governor’s willingness to include an operating appropriation increase for higher education.

We will use the governor’s executive budget as a starting point to articulate to our elected officials the need for a larger increase to our operating appropriation, the need to release withheld appropriations and the need to keep the $1,325,000 appropriation for our health initiative programs in the budget.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!