Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Dec. 10, 2019

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This week I will review our 2020 state legislative priorities with the Board of Governors.

We are coming off two exceptionally strong years in Jefferson City. As you know, earlier this year the legislature increased our core operating appropriation by $10 million — the largest increase in our 114-year history. In 2018, the legislature passed legislation that eliminated statutory restrictions prohibiting Missouri State University from offering professional doctorate programs.

We have thanked our elected officials for these important victories, and we will continue to thank them as we roll into the 2020 legislative session.

With this record of success in mind, our priorities for the coming legislative session include:

  • Maintaining the university’s core operating appropriation, including the $10 million increase approved last year.
  • An inflationary increase in state funding to pay for customary increases in ordinary business expenses.
  • Funding for a $1.8 million MoExcels grant to expand the Jordan Valley Innovation Center and establish the Missouri Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.
  • A one-time $4.85 million appropriation in matching capital funds to renovate Missouri State’s Professional Building which houses the university’s professional health programs.

You can find more information about our legislative priorities and strategies on the Legislative Advocacy webpage.

If you haven’t already joined the MSU Legislative Network, you can do so online. As part of the legislative network, you will receive regular updates on the university’s work in Jefferson City so you can actively participate in Missouri State’s advocacy efforts.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for June 11, 2019

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Yesterday Governor Mike Parson signed the budget, completing the state’s budgeting process for the coming fiscal year.

As you will recall, this year’s budget includes a $10 million core funding increase for Missouri State University as well as one-time funding to expand the university’s nursing program.

Please join me in thanking Governor Parson and our legislative leaders for supporting MSU.

Highlights from recent higher ed meetings

Last week the Missouri Council on Public Higher Education (COPHE) and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education met.

COPHE spent significant time discussing highlights from the legislative session. These include a list of troublesome bills that did not pass, such as legislation that would have:

  • Impacted the way universities handle Title IX allegations and investigations
  • Limited university boards’ authority to regulate the possession of firearms on campus
  • Prohibited public universities from charging health fees to students
  • Prohibited public universities from requiring students to live on campus after their first year
  • Limited campus free speech policies, required particular policies for religious student organizations, and restricted university boards’ authority to set tuition and fees

COPHE also discussed several bills that the legislature passed, such as legislation that:

  • Establishes Fast Track, a new grant program that will fund tuition and fees for qualifying nontraditional students to pursue degrees in fields that have a workforce shortage
  • Expands higher education benefits for veterans
  • Authorizes dual credit tuition reimbursement for community colleges and universities

MSU was actively involved in each of these legislative victories. Thanks again to everyone who helped make this year a success in Jefferson City.

Development of a funding formula

After the COPHE meeting, Commissioner Zora Mulligan asked me to participate in a meeting with NCHEMS, a nonprofit organization that is assisting the coordinating board to develop a per-student funding formula. I was encouraged by this meeting and the other conversations on this topic.

Our work to eliminate the gap between MSU and the next lowest funded university had a significant impact this year when the legislature increased our appropriation by $10 million. Based on my conversations over the last week, I am hopeful it will have a longer lasting impact as the coordinating board works to develop a funding formula designed to allocate funds based on weighted FTE enrollment.

Details on what this formula will look like and how it will impact universities throughout the state will emerge in the coming months.

Approving programs to address workforce needs

The coordinating board approved a new vision statement. The coordinating board also approved amendments to their rule on residency and transfer in response to CORE 42.

The coordinating board approved mission descriptions for all community colleges and universities throughout the state. This approval followed a years-long process that involved significant work from administrators at institutions throughout the state. Thanks to Dr. Frank Einhellig and everyone else who invested into this process.

The coordinating board also approved program designations for the Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant program. Missouri State University offers many academic programs that will qualify under the Fast Track program, and we are already working to determine how we can utilize the program at Missouri State to educate non-traditional students for careers in high demand fields.

The coordinating board also gave full approval to Missouri State’s Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program and approved Missouri State’s Visual Studies MFA program for a two-year follow-up.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

General Assembly approves $10 million equity boost for MSU

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Missouri State University would like to acknowledge the work of the Missouri General Assembly in passing a $10 million equity increase to the university’s state operating appropriation.

This adjustment is the largest appropriations increase the university has received in at least 20 years.

Missouri State currently receives less state funding per student than any other university in the state. The $10 million equity adjustment eliminates the disparity between MSU and the next lowest-funded university.

This increase will allow the university to expand academic programs, keep tuition affordable and fund long overdue cost-of-living pay adjustments for employees.

During its May 16 meeting, the Board of Governors will discuss the university’s budget for next fiscal year, including changes to the tuition increase authorized by the state and approved at the April 17 Executive Committee meeting. A final budget will be approved at the June 21 board meeting.

Special thanks to Rep. Elijah Haahr and Sen. Lincoln Hough who led the equity increase efforts in the house and senate. Rep. Cody Smith and Sen. Dan Hegeman chaired the committees that supported Missouri State’s equity increase throughout the budget process. All members of the General Assembly — particularly our area legislators from southwest Missouri — were very supportive.

Clif’s Notes for April 30, 2019

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Last week the Missouri Senate passed its version of the state budget. This version includes:

  • A $10 million equity increase to Missouri State University’s ongoing core appropriation
  • A $10 million appropriation for the University of Missouri’s precision medicine program
  • All other universities received a $1 million core operating appropriation increase
  • A block appropriation for the MoExcels program ($2.85 million designated for expansion of MSU’s nursing program)

As you know, we currently receive less state funding per student than any other university in the state. The $10 million equity adjustment would completely eliminate the disparity between MSU and the next lowest funded university.

This is a monumental step forward. If approved, this appropriation will forever change our university.

It will allow Missouri State to keep tuition affordable and substantially reduce the amount of tuition and fees students would otherwise have to pay next year. It will also allow the university to fund cost-of-living pay increases, minimum wage increases for student workers and expand academic programs.

Supporters of the equity increase

Sen. Lincoln Hough led the charge in the Senate for our equity increase.

Hough on floor

The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Dan Hegeman, worked exceptionally hard to include the $10 million equity adjustment in the budget.

In addition to Sens. Hough and Hegeman, several other senators on the Senate Appropriations Committee also demonstrated exceptional support, speaking in support of the committee’s higher education funding recommendations:

Please join me in thanking our legislators for their support of Missouri State University.

The next step

The next step is for the House and Senate to create a conference committee to reconcile differences between their versions of the budget. Among the differences to reconcile are the differences in amount of equity adjustment for MSU ($4.7 million in the House budget and $10 million in the Senate budget).

The reconciled budget will then go to the House and the Senate for a final vote before being delivered to Governor Parson for signature or veto.

We have interacted with the Governor’s office throughout legislative session, and we will continue to do so as we approach the final stages of the state’s budgeting process.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Jan. 22, 2019

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Legislative session began two weeks ago.

Missouri State University receives less state funds per student than any other university in the state. Our primary goal this legislative session is to work toward reducing this funding gap.

Governor presents recommendations

Governor Mike Parson released his budget recommendations last week. Highlights include:

  • $16.3 million for the Missouri Excels grant program. $2.85 million of this appropriation would go toward MSU’s proposed nursing expansion.
  • $22.2 million for a new program called the Fast-Track Workforce Grant Program. This program would provide tuition grants to low-income adults over the age of 25 who are working toward degree programs that fill a high-needs skills gap.
  • $20 million for deferred maintenance at public universities. The $20 million would be divided equally by the universities with each receiving $2 million.
  • A $1.5 million increase for the A+ Scholarship Program, a $960,000 increase for the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program and a $500,000 increase for the Bright Flight program.
  • No core operating appropriation increases for any universities or community colleges.

Budget conversation continues

The budget process will now move to the legislature. I, along with two members of our Board of Governors and several members of our administrative team, hosted a briefing with approximately 75 legislators in Jefferson City last week. My remarks focused exclusively on our case for reducing the funding gap.

Following that briefing I met with leadership in the House and the Senate to discuss the funding per student inequity that exists.

I will be joined by Springfield community leaders in Jefferson City again this week. We will meet with legislators and others to discuss policy priorities for our region. Missouri State University’s funding gap will be one of the priorities discussed at those meetings.

We will continue to advocate on this critical issue throughout the legislative session.

Be an advocate

If you would like to help advocate for Missouri State University, please join the MSU Legislative Network.

If you would like talking points, advocacy tips or additional information about MSU’s legislative priorities and the funding gap that exists, please visit the Legislative Advocacy webpage.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!