MOOC Archives - Presidential Updates

2016 State of the University address

September 19, 2016 by Clif Smart

Clif Smart and Frank Einhellig will present the State of the University address at 12:15 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, in the Plaster Student Union theater. You can also watch the live stream below.

Asking questions

During the speech, President Smart and Provost Einhellig will accept questions online:

Supplemental information

Broadcast information

For those who cannot attend in person, the speech will be recorded for replay at 7 p.m. on Sept. 28 on KSMU 91.1, 88.7 in Mountain Grove, 90.3 in West Plains, 98.9 in Joplin, 103.7 in Neosho, and KSMS 90.5 in Branson.

The speech will be televised on Ozarks Public Television at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 2.

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2015 State of the University Address ‘Our Passion for Excellence’

October 1, 2015 by Clif Smart

Clif Smart and Frank Einhellig presented the State of the University Address at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.

Supplemental information

Broadcast information

For those who could not attend in person, the speech was recorded for replay at 7 p.m. on Oct. 1 on KSMU 91.1, 88.7 in Mountain Grove, 90.3 in West Plains, 98.9 in Joplin, 103.7 in Neosho, and KSMS 90.5 in Branson.

The speech will be televised on Ozarks Public Television at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 4.

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2014 State of the University Address

September 29, 2014 by Clif Smart

Clif Smart and Frank Einhellig presented the State of the University Address at noon on Monday, Sept. 29, 2014.

Supplemental information

Broadcast information

For those who could not attend in person, the speech was recorded for replay at 7 p.m. on Sept. 29 on KSMU 91.1, 88.7 in Mountain Grove, 90.3 in West Plains, 98.9 in Joplin, 103.7 in Neosho, and KSMS 90.5 in Branson.

The speech will be televised on Ozarks Public Television at 4 p.m. on Oct. 5.

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MOOCs help connect University to community

September 9, 2014 by Clif Smart

One of the three tenets of Missouri State University’s public affairs mission is community engagement. (The others are ethical leadership and cultural competence.) Typically, people think about community engagement in terms of volunteer hours or involvement in civic projects. To be sure, volunteerism is alive and well at Missouri State, where last year alone, students, faculty and staff contributed more than 420,000 hours of community service.

But there are many ways to reach out and serve the community. For example, this fall, MSU will offer two Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs):

These MOOCs have generated an impressive demand so far. As of this writing, 4,899 students were enrolled in the Wilder course and 908 were enrolled in the Ozarks history course.

By way of background, most MOOCs are designed for unlimited participation and open access via the Web. In addition to traditional course materials such as videos, readings and problem sets, MOOCs may provide interactive user forums that help build a community for students and teachers.

Now, if you follow trends in higher education, I know what you’re thinking: MOOCs are so 2012. While it’s true that the fervor that drove many universities to hastily offer MOOCs has waned, Missouri State sees its courses as a way to increase access to higher education (online and open to the public) and connect with a wide community by offering quality courses that anyone can afford (free).

While many have tried (and failed) to offer MOOCs on a variety of topics, Missouri State blazed a different path by developing courses that celebrate our state’s heritage and contributions. These courses highlight two of Missouri’s unique points of pride (Laura Ingalls Wilder and Ozarks history) to a worldwide audience. The early enrollment numbers suggest enthusiastic support for this approach.

My wife, Gail, and I are both signed up for a course. The great thing about a MOOC is you can enroll at any point. The Ozarks history course begins September 8 and runs for 10 weeks; it will be open for two additional weeks afterward so participants can finish up any remaining content. The Laura Ingalls Wilder course begins September 22 and will run for eight weeks; it will also be available for two additional weeks. Even if the courses have already begun, feel free to jump in at any point.

If you or someone you know would like to enroll in one or both of these classes, visit the Missouri State University MOOC website.

This editorial was originally published in the Springfield News-Leader.

Clif’s Notes Vol. 4, No. 1

August 6, 2014 by Clif Smart

In this issue of Clif’s Notes, I provide details of my contract extension, provide an update regarding construction projects on campus, discuss the status of this year’s eight major goals, provide information about MOOCs offered through Missouri State Outreach, announce a newly launched staff mentoring program, remind faculty to register for this year’s Showcase on Teaching and Learning and provide information about an opportunity to hear the ambassador of Kazakhstan speak on campus.

Contract extension

Last week, the Board of Governors extended my contract through June 30, 2022. I am grateful to the Board and to the University community for giving me this opportunity.

I love this job, and I look forward to working with all of you for at least the next eight years. Together we have taken steps toward achieving the University’s mission of developing educated persons, but our work is far from done.

Facilities update

The Board of Governors also took an important step toward meeting facility needs on campus by authorizing up to $30 million in bond financing for certain construction projects:

Construction of a new Occupational Therapy and Health Sciences Building
Acquisition of and improvements to Brick City Building 4
Renovations to the fifth floor of the Jim D. Morris Building
Construction of a new Student Admissions and Success Center (Welcome Center)

The University carefully handpicked these projects for the bonding proposal. None of the bond proceeds will be used for athletic or recreational facilities. Each of the bonded projects has an independent funding source to cover the payments. The College of Health and Human Services new differential fee will contribute to the payments for the Occupational Therapy and Health Sciences Building payments. Additionally, the state has appropriated money that the University will use for the Occupational Therapy and Health Sciences Building payments. Rent payments in Brick City exceed the bond obligation for Building 4. Revenues from the English Language Institute will cover the bond obligation for the Morris Building. The University anticipates receiving private support to pay the Student Admissions and Success Center bond obligation.

I understand that these projects may disrupt certain campus activities and the routines of various members of our campus community. We will make every attempt to minimize the disruption. If you experience construction-related parking problems, I recommend that you take advantage of the parking available in Bear Park North and utilize the University’s shuttle service.

Eight major goals

The Board also discussed the University’s eight major goals for 2014-15. The process for developing these goals started in the Administrative Council retreat this summer. Deans and other academic leaders joined the retreat, and the group took collective inventory of each of the objectives in the 2011-16 Long-Range Plan.

I had the goals drafted based on that discussion, and the same group submitted proposed edits and revisions. We then submitted the revised goals to the Board for discussion at last week’s retreat. We are in the process of finalizing the goals based on the input we received from the Board, and we will present the goals to the University community in the near future.

MOOCs

Missouri State is offering two Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs):

These MOOCs have generated a huge demand. As of this morning, 4,558 students were enrolled in the Wilder course and 641 were enrolled in the Ozarks History course. I want to thank Ms. Pamela Smith Hill and Dr. Brooks Blevins for their efforts in creating these courses. I also want to thank the efforts of the Missouri State Outreach staff in promoting and administering the courses.

These online, noncredit courses are free and open to the public. If you or someone you know would like to enroll in one or both of these classes, visit the University’s MOOC website.

Staff mentoring program

We are pleased to announce that we have launched a new staff mentoring program: Bear Connection. The mission of Bear Connection is to welcome staff, acclimate them to the University community and provide a unique personalized onboarding experience for our newest employees. New staff members will be paired with a mentor from the University Staff Ambassadors Alumni Association for their first six to nine months of employment. We hope you find our new mentoring program a valuable tool in helping to orient our new employees.

Showcase on Teaching and Learning

I want to encourage all faculty to register to attend the 2014 Showcase on Teaching and Learning. The theme for this year’s conference is “Facilitating Student Engagement and Deep Learning.” As part of this year’s Showcase on Teaching and Learning, there will be a presentation on the pilot program we have launched on credit by assessment. This program is a follow up to one recommendation from the Presidential Task Force on Online Education and Alternative Credit.

An evening with the ambassador of Kazakhstan

Mr. Kairat Umarov, the ambassador of Kazakhstan, is visiting southwest Missouri to learn about our region and explore opportunities for collaboration. Ambassador Umarov will make a presentation at 7 p.m. Aug. 21, in Strong Hall 003. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Conclusion

If you have been away from campus for the summer, welcome back. The new academic year will be here soon, and I look forward to another great year working with you.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State University.

—Clif

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For spring 2014 graduate Niki Kennedy, a Fulbright award is not only a prestigious honor, it’s also a chance to follow two passions at once.

“As the first college graduate in my family, I feel like the Fulbright grant proves that hard work and passion will always be rewarded,” said Kennedy.

A passion for German culture

The Marionville, Mo., native, who majored in German and English literature, is one of more than 1,800 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the 2014-15 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. She will spend her year in Hamburg, Germany, teaching English to German high school students.

“For me, receiving a Fulbright grant is an achievement that means I can fully follow my passion of learning German culture and improving my German speaking skills,” said Kennedy.

A passion for working with youth

For Kennedy, who plans to pursue a Master of Social Work upon her return from Germany, the Fulbright grant also allows her follow her second passion: working with youth.

“My time working with Harmony House through my sorority Alpha Chi Omega helped me find a strong passion to help my community. Volunteering helped me learn that I have always been passionate about reaching out and working with endangered youth,” said Kennedy. “My Fulbright year will give me an opportunity to help my global community by working with German teenagers, among other things.”