Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Sept. 19, 2023

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The 2023 Public Affairs Conference is next week (except for the keynote presentation by legendary NFL quarterback Joe Montana, which has been moved to Nov. 2 due to unforeseen circumstances).

The conference theme is Navigating the Now: tradition, innovation and wisdom in a world of change. The conference will reflect on tradition, celebrate innovation and explore a variety of ways to both embrace change and to exercise strength in the face of struggle.

Line-up of sessions

Several of the sessions will be live and others will be virtual. The full schedule is available on the Public Affairs Conference webpage.

Highlights include:

  • A virtual plenary session by audio/visual producer and broadcast journalist Diego Senior: “The Very Real Implications of AI Chatbots and Mental Health” at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 27 via Zoom.
  • A plenary presentation (hosted by Student Activities Council) by educator, organizer and writer Shay-Akil McLean: “Race/ism: A human ecological system” at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 in the PSU Theater.
  • A plenary presentation by NPR’s science desk correspondent Yuki Noguchi at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 28 in the PSU Theater.
  • A closing plenary event featuring ILL-Abilities International Dance Crew at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 in the PSU Theater. A meet and greet reception will take place after the performance in the PSU.

Plan to attend

All conference sessions are free and open to the public. No registration or tickets are required to attend.

As in prior years, employees may use up to two hours of their work time, in coordination with their supervisors, to attend the conference. I encourage you to attend, and I encourage supervisors to facilitate attendance by individuals in your offices or divisions.

I’m excited to participate in this year’s conference and I hope you will too!

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State.

Clif

Clif’s Notes for Sept. 12, 2023

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Last week was a big week for me. Retirement is a big step, especially when you’re leaving a job you love. Luckily for me, it’s not happening tomorrow.

I have several months before it takes effect and I plan to savor and enjoy each and every moment along the way. I plan to finish strong so the next president has a good starting point.

So, what happens now?

Presidential search

First, you can find all the details of the search for my replacement on the presidential search website.

The Board of Governors is required to approve the search committee. That vote will take place on Sept. 20 at a board meeting. The search committee will then convene for the first time during the following week, where they’ll receive their charge from BOG Chair Chris Waters.

Here’s the timeline for the search:

DATE TASK
Sept. 6, 2023 President Smart’s public announcement to retire in 2024; application window open
Sept. 20, 2023 Search committee approved at the Board of Governors meeting
Oct. 2, 2023 Qualifications input forum from 12:15-1:30 p.m. in the PSU Theater/via Zoom
Nov. 1, 2023 First date of consideration
November-December 2023 Search committee meets to select semi-finalists
January 2024 Search committee conducts semi-finalists interviews
February 2024 Finalists will be on campus for interviews
March 2024 Board of Governors selects new president

The search committee will be very interested in your input regarding qualities for the new president.  You’ll have two opportunities to provide this at the beginning:

  • Via a survey found on the presidential search website.
  • At the State of the University address on Oct. 2 (in-person and via Zoom).

Introducing new board members

Speaking of the Board of Governors, I’d like to welcome our two newest members – Melissa (Missy) Gourley replacing Carol Silvey in the Eighth District and Travis Freeman replacing Amelia (Amy) Counts in the Second District.

Thank you to Carol and Amy for their fine work and leadership over the last several years. It’s been a pleasure working with them!

Plan to attend

It’s fall, so there’s a lot going on. Next up is the Public Affairs Conference from Sept. 26-28. I’ll cover that in more detail next week – but go ahead and mark your calendars. You won’t want to miss it.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State.

Clif

Clif’s Notes for Sept. 5, 2023

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To all our new faculty and staff members, welcome! It’s great to have you in our Bears family. I hope your time at Missouri State University so far has been positive.

To help our new employees get better settled in, I’d like to highlight some valuable information.

Enjoy perks and discounts

Take advantage of perks and discounts available to MSU employees. They include:

Get a new photo

If you’d like a new or updated professional photo of yourself, go to one of the faculty and staff free portrait days. Held once a month, they’re hosted by our photo staff in creative services.

The next one takes place Sept. 14 in the Plaster Student Union, Room 317.

Take time for professional development

Through your My Missouri State, you can access:

Engage in public affairs

Each year, the university hosts several signature events to celebrate our public affairs mission.

One of them is coming up soon – the 20th annual Public Affairs Conference scheduled from Sept. 26-28. It features free, in-person speakers and live virtual panel sessions that will explore our 2023-24 public affairs theme, Navigating the Now: Tradition, Innovation and Wisdom in a World of Change.

I hope you’ll join me in attending some of the sessions. As in prior years, employees may use up to two hours of their work time to attend the conference – just coordinate with your supervisors.

Join the Innovation Accelerator

If you have ideas to share about how MSU can improve student success, save money and make progress in other ways, join the university’s first-ever Innovation Accelerator on Oct. 27.

You’ll get to engage in problem solving and creative thinking with co-workers from across the university.

Cheer on our football team

Come and support our Bears football team at their first home game of the season against Utah Tech. It’s at 2 p.m. Sept 23 during Family Weekend.

Faculty and staff members get half-price tickets.

Once again, welcome new employees to the MSU team. I’m glad you’re here and I’m confident you’ll find the university a great place to work!

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State.

Clif

Clif’s Notes for Sept. 13, 2022

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The Public Affairs Conference is next week.

The conference theme is From Words to Deeds: Creating Collaborative Communities. The conference will challenge us: In a world where words are not enough, how do we move toward meaningful action in our communities?

Marlee Matlin headlines conference

The featured speaker is Marlee Matlin. Matlin received critical acclaim for her film debut in Paramount Pictures’ “Children of a Lesser God.”

At 21, she became the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar. She also received a Golden Globe, her Apple TV+ film “CODA” was nominated for three Academy Awards, and she was a member of the cast that became the first deaf actors to be recognized as Best Ensemble in a Feature Film by the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Matlin has dedicated her life to help deaf and hard of hearing people as well as those struggling with domestic abuse and addiction.

Matlin’s presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 20 in Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. The presentation is free, and you do not need tickets to attend.

The MSU Foundation will host a VIP reception with Matlin before her presentation. Tickets for the VIP reception are $125 and include:

  • A photo opportunity with Matlin.
  • An autographed copy of her book, “I’ll Scream Later.”
  • Cocktails, beverages and hors d’oeuvres.
  • Special reserved seating at the keynote.

Conference focuses on taking action

The full schedule is available on the Public Affairs Conference webpage.

Highlights include:

  • 18 live Zoom webinar panel sessions featuring national and international speakers.
  • A plenary presentation by spatial justice activist Liz Ogbu at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 21 via Zoom.
  • A plenary presentation by MIT Media Lab Fellow Jamira Burley at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 in the PSU Theater.
  • A plenary presentation by NPR’s Morning Edition and Up First Host Leila Fadel at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 22 in the PSU Theater.
  • A closing keynote by award-winning comedian Zach Anner at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 in the PSU Theater.

Set aside time to participate

All sessions of the conference are free and open to the public. No registration or tickets are required to attend.

The Zoom webinar links for virtual events are listed on the schedule page of the conference website.

As in prior years, employees may use up to two hours of their work time, in coordination with their supervisors, to attend the conference. I encourage you to attend, and I encourage supervisors to facilitate attendance by individuals in your offices or divisions.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Oct. 26, 2021

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The Board of Governors met two weeks ago. Last week I told you about their approval of a $4.1 million contract to design the renovation of and addition to Temple Hall.

The board took several other important actions during their committee and regular meetings.

Natalie McNish named internal auditor

The Risk Management and Audit Committee interviewed finalists for the position of internal auditor. I am pleased to report that after those interviews the board hired Natalie McNish.

Natalie began working for the State of Missouri in the State Auditor’s office in 2006. She has worked in the university’s office of internal audit and risk management since 2017, serving as the interim director since December of last year.

The board and I look forward to continuing to work with Natalie, and I hope you will join me in congratulating her.

Update on graduate programs

In the Programs and Planning Committee, the board received a presentation about graduate education at MSU.

The presentation focused on our dramatic growth of graduate degree programs, enrollment and awards.

The board discussed next steps in MSU’s Graduate College, including efforts to emerge as a state leader in professional doctoral programs.

Welcoming an emerging news organization

The board approved an agreement with the Springfield Daily Citizen. The Springfield Daily Citizen is a nonprofit news organization emerging in our community.

The Daily Citizen will provide consistent in-depth public affairs journalism published online.

Under the agreement, the Daily Citizen will be located on campus in Freudenberger House at no cost.

Naming Bronze Bear and Government Excellence awards

The board approved a resolution to award the Bronze Bear Award to Tim and Judy Reynolds and the Government Excellence Award to Clay Goddard.

Tim and Judy Reynolds attended MSU, and Judy worked for the university for many years. They have financially supported numerous programs and initiatives at Missouri State.

Most recently, they were responsible for a significant gift to support scholarships for students in the College of Arts and Letters, resulting in the board naming the college the Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts and Letters.

Clay Goddard, a two-time alumnus of Missouri State University, invested his entire career in public service with the City of Springfield and the Springfield-Greene County Health Department.

As the director of health during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, he provided extraordinary leadership to protect our community, mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.

The Bronze Bear Award and the Government Excellence Award will be presented at our commencement ceremonies this December.

Showcasing points of pride for MSU

I provided updates to the board on COVID-19 and enrollment and showed them the new What’s New At MSU Video.

Frank Einhellig presented the new Mind’s Eye publication and highlights from the fall 2021 Bears Care survey.

Elizabeth Walker, this year’s public affairs fellow, presented a report on the Public Affairs Conference.

The board also received presentations on the student emergency fund and on MarCom’s award-winning success in supporting university advancement with video, writing, design and events.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!