MSU Way Archives - Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Nov. 15, 2022

November 15, 2022 by Clif Smart

Dec. 1 is an important date for all full-time faculty and staff at MSU.

Complete open enrollment now

First, Dec. 1 is the deadline to complete open enrollment for your employee benefits. Open enrollment is the annual period during which you can elect, decline or make changes to your medical, dental, vision and cafeteria/flexible spending plans for the coming calendar year.

You can find more information about open enrollment, including instructions for how to complete open enrollment online or over the phone, on the open enrollment webpage.

Reduce your health insurance premiums

Dec. 1 is also the deadline to save up to $360 on your annual health insurance premiums.

This year’s wellness incentive includes the following vaccination combination:

COVID bivalent (or original series if not previously completed; or prior booster) vaccination qualifies for $15 per month discount.
Seasonal flu vaccination qualifies for $15 per month discount.

Both vaccinations must be completed in 2022 and prior to Dec. 1 to qualify.

Employees who did not complete their vaccination at Magers Health and Wellness Center must contact Magers to submit their vaccination information before Dec. 1 to qualify for the discount.

Recognizing MSU Way and United Way donors

I also wanted to take a moment to recognize the contributions by our university community as part of the United Way and Missouri State Way campaigns.

Through these campaigns, the university community raised $67,989.56 for the United Way and $405,199 for the Missouri State University Foundation.

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.

James Baker
Richard N. Biagioni
Bradley V. Bodenhausen
Tara L. Boehne
Jeffery S. Coiner
William Paul Deal
Ryan T. DeBoef
Frank Einhellig
Stephen C. Foucart
Terrel A. Gallaway
David A. Hall
John Havel
Brian D. Heaton
Tamera S. Jahnke
Grant P. Jones
Rachel A. Knight
Allen D. Kunkel
Julie J. Masterson
Victor H. Matthews
Theresa A. McCoy
Natalie B. McNish
David B. Meinert
Michael W. Merrigan
Kyle L. Moats
Matthew D. Morris
James Moyer
Zora Mulligan
Sarah B. Nixon
Joye H. Norris
Thomas A. Peters
Barbara Susan Robinson
Jennifer R. Severson
Margaret Suzanne Shaw
Don Simpson
Denita Siscoe
Priscilla K. Skeeters
Clifton M. Smart
Elizabeth C. Strong
Rebecca Swearingen
Robert Thurman
Barri Tinkler
Paula M Wilhelm

I also want to personally thank each of you who participated in the Missouri State Way campaign. All university community members who contribute to the foundation this fiscal year will be invited to a special gathering 3-5 p.m. May 12 at Tent Theatre. Mark your calendars now.

Please join me in congratulating our current employees who are members of the Founders Club.

Gib Adkins
Craig Albin
Cynthia Aurentz
Randy Bass
Samuel Bass
Tracy Beckham
Stephen C. Berkwitz
Theresa Bettmann
Richard Biagioni
Tara Boehne
Eric Bosch
Chuck Busby
Cindy Busby
Lisa Casey
John F. Chuchiak
Angie Cockrum
Julie Combs
David Mark Cornelison
Ryan DeBoef
Rachael Dockery
Toby Dogwiler
Brent Dunn
Monika Feeney
Wendy Ferguson
Steve Foucart
Cindy Fulp
Rob Fulp
Julie Gallaway
Terrel Gallaway
Douglas Gouzie
Brian Greene
David Hall
Jill Heyboer
Marcia Himes
Cynthia Howell
Danae Hudson
Michelle Hulett
Tammy Jahnke
Kurt Killion
Rachel Knight
Allen Kunkel
Cameron LaBarr
Dennis Lancaster
Jill Layman
Jon Leamy
Jill Martin
Robert Martin
Jerry Masterson
Julie Masterson
Victor Matthews
Jennifer McNay
Dave Meinert
Carol Miller
Kyle Moats
Eric Morris
Matt Morris
Taleyna Morris
Zora Mulligan
Eric Nelson
Tom Peters
Angela Pinegar
John Prescott
Gay Ragan
Kent Ragan
Philip Rothschild
Elizabeth Rozell
Christina Ryder
Pam Sailors
Alan Schick
Karl Schmidt
Kishor Shah
Suzanne Shaw
Dee Siscoe
Jeanie Skibiski
Clif Smart
Brenda Smith
Elizabeth Strong
John Strong
Becky Swearingen
Mark Templeton
Alan Tinkler
Barri Tinkler
Shawn Wahl
Brooke Whisenhunt

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Dec. 8, 2020

December 8, 2020 by Clif Smart

Last week I told you about our plan to increase pay by $600 per year for full-time faculty and staff hired on or before Nov. 30, 2020. The increase will begin in January for 12-month employees and in February for 9- and 10-month employees.

Minimum wage increases

Today I want to let you know about another compensation increase.

Two years ago, Missouri voters approved a change to the minimum wage rate for private employers. Under this law the minimum wage will increase to $10.30 per hour in January 2021.

This law does not apply to public employers, such as Missouri State. Regardless, I am pleased to report that the university has decided to increase the minimum wage for all employees (including part-time and student employees) to $10.30 per hour effective Jan, 1, 2021.

Cost centers will reallocate up to $670,000 to fund this pay increase. While the law does not require the university to increase the minimum wage, our compensation for these employees must remain competitive with off-campus employment opportunities.

University leadership and the board are committed to making Missouri State a great place to work. We know that compensation plays a big role.

Thank you for giving

I also want to take a moment to recognize the contributions by our university community as part of the United Way and Missouri State Way campaigns.

Through these campaigns, the university community raised $86,636.08 for the United Way and $610,475.96 for the Missouri State University Foundation.

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.

Ms. Jodie Adams
Dr. James P. Baker
Dr. Charlene Berquist
Dr. Richard N. Biagioni
Biff Bird
Bradley Bodenhausen
Dr. Lanette Cadle
Dr. William Cheek
Jeff and Stacy Coiner
Ryan DeBoef
Janice Duncan
Dr. Frank Einhellig
Steve and Peggy Foucart
Drs. Terrel and Julie Gallaway
Grant P. Jones
Arthur Hains
David A. Hall
Dr. John B. Harms
Brian D. and Christie Heaton
Karen Horny
Dr. Tammy Jahnke
Allen D. Kunkel
Drs. Gerald and Julie Masterson
Dr. Victor H. Matthews
Theresa A. McCoy
Natalie McNish
Dr. David and Gail Meinert
Dr. Michael Merrigan
Kyle and Leeann Moats
Matt and Tally Morris
Dr. James C. Moyer
Dr. David and Sarah Muegge
Dr. Sarah Nixon
Dr. Joye Norris
Thomas A. Peters
H. Wes Pratt
Dr. Barbara Susan Robinson
Scott Embretson
Jennifer Severson
M. Suzanne Shaw
Priscilla K. Skeeters
Clifton M. Smart III
Dr. Elizabeth Strong
Dr. Rebecca S. Swearingen
Robert Thurman
Paula Wilhelm

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.

Jodie Adams
Gib Adkins
Rickey Albaugh
Cynthia Aurentz
Dr. Jim Baker
Randy Bass
Samuel Bass
Dr. Tracy Beckham
Dr. Stephen C. Berkwitz
Dr. Charlene Berquist
Theresa Bettmann
Dr. Richard Biagioni
Dr. Tara Boehne
Dr. Eric Bosch
Dr. John Bourhis
Chuck Busby
Cindy Busby
Lisa Casey
Dr. John Catau
Dr. Bill Cheek
Dr. John F Chuchiak
Lisa Dewoody Clark
Angie Cockrum
Dr. Julie Combs
Dr. David Mark Cornelison
Ryan DeBoef
Rachael Dockery
Dr. Toby Dogwiler
Dr. Janice Duncan
Brent Dunn
Dr. Frank Einhellig
Dr. Susan Essman
Lori Fan
Dr. Monika Feeney
Wendy Ferguson
Steve Foucart
Dr. Julie Gallaway
Dr. Terrel Gallaway
Dr. Douglas Gouzie
Dr. Brian Greene
Dr. Janice Greene
David Hall
Dr. Stephanie Hein
Dr. Jill Heyboer
Dr. Marcia Himes
Cynthia Howell
Michelle Hulett
Dr. Tammy Jahnke
Shellie Jones
Dr. Kurt Killion
Allen Kunkel
Dr. Cameron LaBarr
Dr. Dennis Lancaster
Jill Layman
Diane Leamy
Jon Leamy
Dr. Day Ligon
Dr. JE Llewellyn
Jill Martin
Robert Martin
Dr. Jerry Masterson
Dr. Julie Masterson
Dr. Victor Matthews
Dr. Dave Meinert
Dr. Carol Miller
Dr. Eric Morris
Matt Morris
Taleyna Morris
Dr. David Muegge
Dr. Eric Nelson
Tom Peters
Sophie Pierpoint
Angela Pinegar
Dr. John Prescott
Dr. Kathy Pulley
Dr. Gay Ann Ragan
Dr. Kent Ragan
Jason Ray
Deborah Rollinson
Dr. Philip Rothschild
Dr. Elizabeth Rozell
Christina Ryder
Dr. Alan Schick
Karl Schmidt
Dr. Kishor Shah
Suzanne Shaw
Dr. Dee Siscoe
Dr. Jeanie Skibiski
Clif Smart
Dr. Elizabeth Strong
Dr. John Strong
Dr. Becky Swearingen
Mark Templeton
Gary Ward
Rick Westphal
Dr. Dick Williams

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Nov. 10, 2020

November 10, 2020 by Clif Smart

We are coming to the end of the United Way and MSU Way campaigns. So far we have raised a little more than $80,000 for United Way. We have great momentum and are only $5,000 behind last year’s total.

If you have not participated yet, please help us get there. I invite you to watch the video below about the United Way’s impact on community health and how nonprofit agencies benefit from our support.

If you have not already done so, I encourage you to complete and submit the campaign contribution forms in the campaign packet you received in the mail. Alternatively, you can complete materials online through the campaign webpage.

At 11:30 a.m. Nov. 13, we will celebrate the end of this year’s campaigns with a virtual event. We kindly ask that you participate in one or both of the campaigns and register in advance online to attend the virtual celebration. Additional details about the event can be found on the campaign webpage. If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Heinz or Alison Harper.

To recognize their contributions, I will publish the names of current employees who gave to the United Way campaign at the Leadership Level and current employees who are members of the MSU Foundation’s Founders Club in a Clif’s Notes before the end of the year.

Thank you to everybody who has participated in these campaigns at any level.

Staff awards ceremony moved to May

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Staff Service Awards and Appreciation Luncheon normally held in January will be moved to May 20, 2021.

As in past years, our Staff Appreciation Luncheon will honor those who have reached a five-year milestone at the university.

For any questions, please reach out to Josh Allen, associate director of human resources, at 417-836-5102 or JoshuaAllen@missouristate.edu.

Adaptations for COVID-19

Colleges and universities throughout the world have analyzed a variety of strategies and tactics to protect their campus communities and mitigate spread of COVID-19.

We have done this at MSU as well. This fall, we:

Implemented a masking requirement.
Established quarantine and isolation protocols for the campus community.
Significantly restricted travel and events.
Moved a large number of our classes online and to blended formats.
Adopted new cleaning and disinfecting protocols, which included closing campus two days in October for cleaning.

As a part of the many adjustments, faculty and staff have been creative and attentive in ways to assist students in quarantine. In some cases, faculty have even continued teaching during their own stint in quarantine or isolation.

We also created a COVID-19 response team, tested symptomatic and asymptomatic people throughout the semester, and encouraged social distancing and hand washing.

All of these adjustments have shown a great collaborative spirit.

After a spike in COVID-19 cases early in the semester, our weekly case count decreased and has remained under 100 for the last eight weeks. Meanwhile, we have maintained a robust teaching and learning environment for our faculty and students and continued to operate the university in as normal a manner as possible under the circumstances.

As we develop strategies and tactics for the spring semester, our plan is to continue to build on the good work of our faculty and staff.

Many classes that would normally be fully seated will be taught online or in a blended format. We will continue to require masks, administer COVID-19 tests, implement quarantine and isolation protocols, and clean and disinfect high-touch areas on campus. In the coming weeks, we will also update our travel and events restrictions.

We have evaluated several options to adjust the spring academic calendar. At this time, we will not make any changes to the calendar.

The spring semester will begin on Jan. 11. We will celebrate holidays and have spring break as set forth in the current academic calendar. Spring commencement is scheduled for May 14.

Similar to how we have operated this fall, we will move forward cautiously and make adjustments and changes in concert with local, state and national public health authorities and as we receive up-to-date data and information about COVID-19.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Nov. 26, 2019

November 26, 2019 by Clif Smart

I want to give our faculty and staff one last reminder: You must complete a biometric screening to save $30 per month on your health insurance premiums for calendar year 2020. The deadline to complete your screening is Dec. 1. More information can be found on the human resources Be Fit page.

Dec. 1 also marks the end of open enrollment for employment benefits. Information on enrolling in benefits and the cafeteria plan can be found online.

Mark your calendars

You are invited to two upcoming events.

First, the President’s Holiday Open House is from 2-4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9 in the PSU Ballroom. Please plan to drop in, socialize with your co-workers and colleagues, and eat a snack.

Second, the Staff Awards Luncheon is at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8 in Hammons Student Center. To the extent possible, I would encourage all supervisors to allow full-time staff to attend this event. And I would encourage everyone to don their favorite Bearwear for the event.

Three categories of staff will be honored:

Full-time staff who reached a five-year milestone in 2019
Those selected for the Staff Excellence in University Service Award
Those selected for the Staff Excellence in Community Service Award

Starting this year, we will recognize retirees at a special event later in the academic year.

Thank you for your giving spirits

I also wanted to take a moment to recognize the contributions by our university community as part of the United Way and Missouri State Way campaigns.

Through these campaigns, the university community raised $82,406 for the United Way and $434,348.31 for the Missouri State University Foundation.

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.

Jodie Adams
Jim Baker
Charlene Berquist
Richard Biagioni
Bradley Bodenhausen
Lanette Cadle
William Cheek
Donna Christian
Jeffrey Coiner
Ryan DeBoef
Steven Dodge
Janice Duncan
Frank Einhellig
Tamaria Few
Steve Foucart
Terrel Gallaway
Kristan Gochenauer
Arthur Hains
David Hall
John Harms
Brian Heaton
Karen Horney
Tammy Jahnke
Grant Jones
Allen Kunkel
Julie and Gerald Masterson
Victor Matthews
Ken McClure
Theresa McCoy
Natalie McNish
David Meinert
Michael Merrigan
Kyle Moats
Matthew Morris
David Muegge
Sarah Nixon
Joye Norris
Tom Peters
Wes Pratt
Tami Reed
Robert Thurman
Barbara Robinson
Jennifer Severson
Suzanne Shaw
Priscilla Skeeters
Clif Smart
Elizabeth Strong
Rebecca Swearingen
Paula Wilhelm
Ying Zhang

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.

Jodie Adams
Gib Adkins
Rickey Albaugh
Nancy Allen
Cynthia Aurentz
Jim Baker
Randy Bass
Samuel Bass
Tracy Beckham
Stephen Berkwitz
Charlene Berquist
Theresa Bettmann
Richard Biagioni
Tara Boehne
Eric Bosch
John Stanley Bourhis
Chuck Busby
Cindy Busby
Lisa Casey
John Catau
Bill Cheek
John Chuchiak IV
Lisa Dewoody Clark
Angie Cockrum
Julie Combs
David Mark Cornelison
Kathy Davis
Ryan DeBoef
Rachael Dockery
Steven Dodge
Toby Dogwiler
Janice Duncan
Brent Dunn
Frank Einhellig
Susan Essman
Lori Fan
Monika Feeney
Wendy Ferguson
Steve Foucart
Julie Gallaway
Terrel Gallaway
Douglas Gouzie
Brian Greene
Janice Greene
Stephanie Hein
Jill Heyboer
Marcia Himes
Cynthia Howell
Michelle Hulett
Tammy Jahnke
Cheryl Jones
Kurt Killion
Allen Kunkel
Cameron LaBarr
Dennis Lancaster
Shirley Lawler
Jill Layman
Diane Leamy
Jon Leamy
Day Ligon
JE Llewellyn
Jill Martin
Robert Martin
Marty Marty
Gerald Masterson
Julie Masterson
Victor Matthews
David Meinert
Carol Miller
Worth Robert Miller
Eric Morris
Matthew Morris
Taleyna Morris
David Muegge
Eric Nelson
Tom Peters
Sophie Pierpoint
Angela Pinegar
John Prescott
Kathy Pulley
Gay Ann Ragan
Kent Ragan
Jason Ray
Helen Reid
Deborah Rollinson
Paul Rollinson
Philip Rothschild
Elizabeth Rozell
Christina Ryder
Alan Schick
Karl Schmidt
Kishor Shah
Suzanne Shaw
Susan Sims-Giddens
Dee Siscoe
Jeanie Skibiski
Kevin Skibiski
Clif Smart
John Strong
Becky Swearingen
Mark Templeton
Gary Ward
Annette Wardell
Rick Westphal
Tammy Wiley
Dick Williams

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Nov. 12, 2019

November 12, 2019 by Clif Smart

Open enrollment began on Nov. 1 and runs through Dec. 1.

Open enrollment is the period when employees can review, elect, decline or make changes to their benefits for the upcoming calendar year.

Once elections or changes have been made, no changes can be made during the year unless they are due to a qualifying, life-changing event, such as marriage, divorce, birth, etc. All elections and changes you select during the open enrollment period will be effective Jan. 1, 2020.

How to enroll

You have three options to enroll in benefits for the year:

Online – Log in to My Missouri State. Select the Profile tab. In the Employment Details channel, select Online Benefits Enrollment. Disregard any references to a personal identification number as you go through the process. If you receive a login screen asking for credentials, please contact human resources.
Phone – Call 417-836-3000 between 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday to speak to a benefits specialist.
In Person – Stop by the office of human resources in Carrington 315 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.

All employees are encouraged to go through the benefits enrollment process even if you plan to keep what you currently have.

Schedule your biometric screening

The open enrollment period is also the time to complete your biometrics to save $30 per month on your health insurance premiums. You may also enroll in the flexible benefit (i.e., cafeteria) plan. I completed mine last week and it took less than 15 minutes.

You can find more information about biometrics and schedule an appointment for your free biometric screening online.

You can also enroll in the cafeteria plan for 2020 online.

Give to the United Way and MSU Way

Please finalize your gifts and pledges to the United Way and MSU Way campaigns and plan to attend the Celebration Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 15 in the PSU Ballroom. You can RSVP to the luncheon by emailing Monica Sharpe.

If you have misplaced your pledge form, it is still not too late to give:

Give to the MSU Way campaign online or call 417-836-4143.
Give to the United Way campaign online, text BEARS to 40403, or contact Tammy Few at 417-836-5102.

The United Way and the Missouri State University Foundation are both worthy causes, and our community benefits from their work.

I elected to increase my contributions to both campaigns this year. I would encourage each of you to do the same.

We will publish a list of United Way leadership level givers and Missouri State University Foundation Founders Club members in a Clif’s Notes following the campaign.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!