Last week, we held our first University Council meeting of the academic year.
These meetings bring together leaders from across the institution to share important updates to help ensure information is distributed widely across the university, discuss issues affecting the university and talk about how we can continue moving Missouri State University forward.
You can review the meeting’s full agenda and presentations, as well as past meeting information. Here are some of the meeting highlights.
Leadership searches
Several important searches are underway or coming soon.
The search for our next vice president for university advancement has started, and we hope to have someone selected by early next year.
The College of Business dean search has also begun. The College of Education dean search will launch in November, followed by the search for an associate provost for faculty success in January.
Finding strong leaders is an important part of our strategic plan goal to make Missouri State an institution of choice for students and employees.
A few policy updates
We also discussed two policy changes affecting some employees and graduate assistants.
The university recently updated its policy and procedures regarding employees who work outside Missouri. With employees currently working in more than 30 states, we face significant compliance responsibilities that vary state by state, with some areas that also have city-specific or tribal-related requirements. Some examples of these compliance requirements include more expansive employee benefit structures (e.g., paid parental leave, sick leave, etc.), income tax structures, workman’s compensation, etc. The varying compliance requirements significantly increase the institution’s legal and financial liability.
Under the updated policy, employees must work in a state authorized by their supervisor and the university. Generally, employees may be hired from Missouri, Arkansas, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Additional exemptions are allowable in very limited instances based on demonstrated need, as approved by the hiring manager and university leadership.
We realize the significance of this change and want to provide those that are currently living outside of the approved states with time to make the necessary adjustments. Accordingly, we are grandfathering current employees into the new policy for one year. After Aug. 1, 2027, all employees should be living in an approved state or have an exemption.
In addition, we reviewed federal tax rules related to graduate tuition and fee waivers. Waivers above $5,250 in a calendar year generally become taxable income. This doesn’t apply to qualifying research or teaching graduate assistants, but it does apply to administrative graduate assistants. This policy also applies to employees and their dependents who receive graduate tuition waivers.
We understand this change may have financial implications for some employees, and we recognize that this news may be disappointing. The university is required to comply with applicable federal tax laws and IRS regulations regarding the tax treatment of certain benefits and payments.
This action is not the result of a policy choice by the university; rather, it reflects our legal obligation to administer compensation and benefits in accordance with federal requirements. We are committed to providing information and resources to help employees understand the impact of these requirements and are grateful for the patience of those impacted.
Supporting our students
Participation verification was another important topic discussed at University Council.
As a reminder, participation verification is in reference to a federal requirement that students receiving federal financial aid must have their participation in class verified before certain aid can be fully disbursed.
Thanks to the help of faculty across the institution and the financial aid team, more than 4,000 Pell-eligible students have been fully verified. At the time of our meeting, 805 Pell-eligible students were partially verified, and only 23 students and 178 courses had not been verified yet.
This may sound like an administrative task, but it directly affects our students. As a result of the process, the associate provost for student success and dean of the Graduate College were able to mobilize faculty and advisors to identify students that may need support. Thank you to the faculty and staff for your work on this.
Looking at our impact
The university is also conducting a comprehensive economic impact study, with results expected in January 2027.
We know Missouri State has a significant economic impact on Springfield, our region and the state as a whole. This study will give us better data to tell that story and advocate for additional support and partnerships.
Additionally, we recently began a comprehensive assessment of our human resources related functions across the institution to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and the services we provide as an employer. Improvements will begin as early as this fall and will continue throughout 2027 and beyond.
Both projects align with priorities in “Igniting Opportunity,” including strengthening community partnerships, expanding opportunities across the institution and ensuring Missouri State is an institution of choice for employees.
Building for the future
We received updates on several major campus construction and master plan projects.
These projects represent significant investments in the spaces where our students learn, our faculty teach and conduct research, and our campus community connects.
The Clifton M. Smart III University Advancement Center is on track for staff to start moving in today, with full completion and a grand opening at homecoming. The Judith Enyeart Reynolds Performing Arts Complex is on track to open later this month. Renovations of Cheek Hall will continue through much of the fall, and Blunt Hall Phase II substantially wrapped up this summer.
We’ll dedicate renovations to Kampeter Hall tomorrow as we celebrate a transformational investment in the next generation of health care professionals and the continued growth of the health sciences programs.
You’ll continue to hear more about construction work as projects move forward. Thank you for your patience as we have all navigated traffic, parking, and other construction-related changes over the last few years. Also, a huge thank you to the Planning, Design and Construction team for all their hard work across so many significant projects.
Starting the year strong
We also spent time discussing move-in, Week of Welcome and New Student Convocation.
Hundreds of students, faculty and staff helped welcome our newest Bears to campus, and thousands of students participated in Week of Welcome events.
Those numbers represent more than attendance. They represent opportunities for students to make friends, find organizations, connect with campus and begin to see Missouri State as home.
Thank you to everyone who helped make that happen.
Grappling with AI
Finally, we spent time talking about artificial intelligence.
We asked council members how they’re using AI, what opportunities they see and what guidance would help them use these tools effectively on campus. The input received from that discussion will be used to inform the potential development of guidance and/or policies on AI.
This semester, Jeff Coiner has been meeting with a group to develop a university AI purpose statement, and Dr. Barri Tinkler is assembling a group within academic affairs to develop AI guidelines for teaching and learning.
AI presents both opportunities and challenges for higher education. It’s an area where we need thoughtful conversations about how we use new tools responsibly while continuing to support teaching, learning and our students.
That’s one of the reasons University Council is valuable. It gives us a chance to bring different perspectives together and work through important issues as a university community.
It was a productive first meeting and a good reminder of how much is happening across Missouri State. Thank you to everyone for doing the work behind these updates.
One final note
The federal government recently published a Final Rule ending Duration of Status for F and J visa holders. This change may impact the academic path of international students.
Change can create uncertainty for students, and our faculty and staff are often the people they turn to first.
Faculty and professional staff are invited to the Davis-Harrington Welcome Center on Sept. 21 from 3:30-5 p.m. for an informal discussion on how we can support our international students.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
Thank you for all you do for our students and for Missouri State.
It’s a great day to be a Bear!
Biff