Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Oct. 9, 2018

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In June, I told you that if we received the funds appropriated by the legislature for fiscal year 2019, we would reconvene the Executive Budget Committee to evaluate options for a mid-year compensation increase.

We are over three months into the fiscal year, and I am pleased to report that we are on pace to receive the funds appropriated by the legislature. Many thanks to the Missouri General Assembly and Governor Mike Parson for restoring the funding cuts proposed earlier in the year.

As promised, the Executive Budget Committee met last week and developed its recommendation for a mid-year compensation increase. The committee will recommend that the Board of Governors approve an ongoing across-the-board compensation increase of one percent plus $600 for all full-time faculty and staff hired on or before Sept. 30, 2018. The proposed increase will be added to base pay starting on Jan. 1, 2019, for 12-month employees and on Feb. 1, 2019 for 9- and10-month employees.

This will cost the Springfield campus approximately $2.5 million in annual operating funds. This is the same cost as a 2.1 percent across-the-board raise. The Executive Budget Committee opted to structure the raise with a $600 flat component to soften the impact of increased premiums in the medical plan and to ensure that the pay raise helps our lowest paid employees the most.

Under this model:

  • An employee whose salary is $30,000 will receive a $900 pay increase (a 3 percent raise). A 2.1 percent raise would have resulted in a $630 pay increase.
  • An employee whose salary is $50,000 will receive a $1,100 pay increase (a 2.2 percent raise). A 2.1 percent raise would have resulted in a $1,050 pay increase.
  • An employee whose salary is $100,000 will receive a $1,600 pay increase (a 1.6 percent raise). A 2.1 percent raise would have resulted in a $2,100 pay increase.

Even with this increase, I recognize that our salaries at Missouri State lag behind national averages for all employee groups. Compensation remains a concern for the board and the administration, and we will continue to prioritize compensation increases as we develop budgets in the future.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for June 14, 2016

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Clif's Notes

Last week the Board of Governors had its June meeting in West Plains. I wanted to update you on several of the board’s actions.

Students on campusNew budget includes variety of wage increases

The board approved the university’s fiscal year 2017 budget. Under the budget, there will be no increase in tuition for in-state undergraduate students. The budget includes:

  • A 2 percent across-the-board raise for fulltime employees
  • A $250,000 staff pool for additional raises based on merit and equity
  • A graduate assistant wage increase
  • More than $250,000 for faculty promotions
  • The third year of pay raises under the Professor Salary Incentive Program
  • $900,000 for new faculty positions
  • $60,000 in increased diversity investment

Board approves long-range plan

The board approved the 2016-2021 long-range plan. As you know, the university engaged in a two-year process to establish a campus-wide vision and to develop the final plan document. Thanks to Gloria Galanes who chaired the long-range plan steering committee and everyone who worked with Dr. Galanes to develop the plan. This summer we will begin the first stage of implementing the long-range plan by developing our action items and priorities for 2016-2017.

Other board actions

The board also approved our fiscal year 2018 capital appropriations request. This request is a vehicle the university uses to request state investment in certain facilities on our campuses.

The board approved a revised contract with Coach Kellie Harper. The revised contract extends the term of her employment to 2021, includes a $12,500 salary increase and includes a $100,000 incentive payment that will be paid if Coach Harper stays through April 2019. The salary increase and incentive payment funded are completely with private gifts.

The board also approved changes to the Faculty Handbook. The revisions clarify the employment status of faculty on sabbatical, clarify when a faculty member has professional responsibility with regard to a student, and make several technical changes to the Academic Personnel Grievance Process and the Professional Practices Review Process.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

 

Clif’s Notes for June 30, 2015

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Clif's Notes

MSU West Plains Staff Senate President Mary Kellum
MSU West Plains Staff Senate President Mary Kellum addresses the Board of Governors.

The Board of Governors met last week on the West Plains campus. This provided a great opportunity for us to highlight the success of our associate degree programs and spotlight West Plains’ students, faculty and staff.

Board approves budget, bonding and Learfield contract

I want to draw your attention to three of the Board’s action items.

Budget includes 1.8 percent salary increase

First, the Board approved the fiscal year 2016 operating budget. This budget is in line with the Executive Budget Committee’s recommendations that I outlined in a prior Clif’s Note. The budget includes a 1.8 percent compensation increase for all full-time faculty and staff. It also includes an instructor equity pool and staff merit/equity pool. These pools resulted in 52 instructors and 300 staff receiving compensation increases based on equity and merit in addition to the 1.8 percent across-the-board raise.

cfoc-glass_hall-largeBoard approves bonds for Glass Hall renovations

Second, the Board authorized the issuance of bonds to construct the planned addition, renovations and improvements to Glass Hall. This project is an important step in elevating the College of Business’s facilities to enhance success for the more than 5,000 business majors at Missouri State. We anticipate breaking ground in the fall.

Contract with Learfield extended

Finally, the Board approved a new 11 year contract with Learfield Communications, Inc., the University’s athletics media-rights contractor. This agreement provides several benefits for Missouri State. First, Learfield will pay for an LED fascia ribbon scoreboard in JQH Arena, saving the University more than $500,000. Moreover, the contract will result in the University receiving $332,500 in guaranteed payments next year, a $72,500 increase over the prior contract.  Additionally, these payments will increase by $50,000 each year except 2017, when the payment will go up by $100,000. This is a significant improvement over the prior contract and will help us better fund our athletic programs.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for May 19, 2015

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Clif's Notes

This week I discuss next year’s budget.

Classroom2015-16 budget recommendation includes 1.8 percent compensation increase

The Executive Budget Committee has developed its budget recommendations and presented them to the Board of Governors. I want to highlight the key points from the committee’s recommendations.

The committee is recommending that all full-time faculty and staff receive a 1.8 percent compensation increase effective July 1. This is more than double the applicable rate of inflation which was .8 percent in 2014. If the Board approves the committee’s recommendations, this will be the fourth year in a row that all full-time faculty and staff receive a raise that exceeds inflation.

Budget recommendations

The committee is also recommending that:

  • $225,000 be allocated to a staff compensation pool to be used by cost center heads to make merit and/or equity adjustments to staff salaries and wages
  • $100,000 be allocated to an instructor equity pool to be used to make equity adjustments to instructor salaries
  • $67,300 be allocated to the second year of the Full Professor Incentive Program
  • $800,000 be allocated to new faculty positions
  • $186,032 be allocated to an inflationary increase for cost center budgets
  • $181,791 be allocated for increased maintenance, security, and grounds
  • $315,582 be allocated for compliance and support staff positions, the most noteworthy of which will be a dedicated Title IX coordinator
  • An additional $25,000 be allocated for the Disability Support Center

I presented these recommendations at last week’s Board of Governors Finance and Facilities Committee meeting. The recommendations were well received, and the Board will vote on the Executive Budget Committee’s recommended budget at the June meeting.

We would not be able to fund pay raises, new positions, and other priorities without new revenue. The largest item of new revenue in this year’s budget recommendations comes from enrollment growth. Our student body continues to grow because of the hard work that all of you do to make Missouri State University an exceptional value for our students.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

 

 

2013 State of the University Address ‘Thinking Bigger and Bolder: The Eight Major Goals for 2013-14’

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Clif Smart and Frank Einhellig presented the State of the University Address at noon on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013.

[youTubeVideo url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKyx518NAt8″ width=”620″ height=”378″]

Supplemental information

Broadcast information

For those who could not attend in person, the speech was recorded for replay at 7 p.m. on Sept.19 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 6 p.m. on Sept. 22.


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