Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Oct. 25, 2022

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Zora Mulligan and John Jasinski will present an update on the university’s two-year transformation plan to the Board of Governors this week.

In 2022-2023, the plan will focus on preparing the university to meet two critical challenges:

  1. The need for academic agility to ensure long-term institutional success.
  2. The need to return to a trend of positive enrollment growth.

The university has created two steering teams to guide and consult on this work — the Academic Disruptors Steering Team (ADST) and the Enrollment Steering Team (EST).

What is the Academic Affairs Continuous Agility Process (CAP)

I tasked Zora, John and the ADST with creating a process to modernize academic affairs.

To meet this challenge, they have created an Academic Affairs Continuous Agility Process (CAP).

The CAP is a systematic and ongoing process to keep academic affairs fresh, relevant and market-savvy. The process is designed to be continuous and agile as work streams can be inserted into the system as needed and cyclically.

Graphic expalining the Academic Affairs CAP.

The ADST will oversee the CAP this year with input from the deans’ team and other stakeholders.

In the short term they will:

  • Provide oversight in adjusting and aligning academic administration.
  • Address academic program assessments.
  • Produce balanced budget recommendations that include cuts and reinvestments.
  • Realign to improve and synergize.
  • Fix some less-than-optimal processes.

You can find more information about the CAP — including guiding principles, base phases for the five CAP work streams, and 2022-2023 CAP outputs — in the handout that will accompany Zora and John’s presentation to the board.

Driving enrollment growth

Enrollment is a critical, immediate priority that must be addressed through a series of initiatives related to admissions, scholarships, employer partnerships and student success.

The culture around recruitment and retention is also a long-term issue that requires system-level transformation.

The EST is leading efforts to develop long-term system-level changes that will:

  • Develop a culture of successful execution and continuous improvement.
  • Get a structure in place to enhance MSU’s ability to meet its annual and long-term goals.
  • Make sure that decisions align with the university’s enrollment priorities.

Given the immediate importance of enrollment, the EST is also a series of strategic enrollment initiatives designed to drive growth this academic year and next fall. You can find a current list of these initiatives on the draft 2022-23 Strategic Enrollment Initiatives Placemat.

Among the most significant early actions are the decisions to:

  • Establish the MoState Access Scholarship, a Pell Grant gap-filler aimed at recruiting students from Springfield and the Ozarks region.
  • Hire new enrollment management consultants.
  • Update the university’s strategy for buying the names and contact information for prospective students.

You can find more information about the EST’s work and the university’s strategic enrollment initiatives in the handout that will accompany Zora and John’s presentation to the board.

Nominate a staff colleague by Nov. 11

Finally, I want to encourage you to recognize your colleagues who have done exceptional work.

The Staff Excellence in University Service Award recognizes excellence in service to the university among staff employees. Through this award, the university recognizes staff who strive to do their jobs well on a daily basis, who go beyond the call of duty in a special situation, and who have contributed in a significant way to the success of the university.

Each year, up to six full-time staff receive this award (which includes a one-time $1,500 award for full-time staff).

We have made a recent change to the award. This year, up to three part-time staff will also receive this award (which includes a one-time $750 award for part-time staff).

Currently enrolled students, employed staff, faculty or administrators are encouraged to nominate full-time and part-time staff employees for the Excellence in University Service Awards.

The deadline to nominate a staff member is Nov. 11. You can review the selection criteria and complete a nomination form on the Staff Excellence in University Service Award webpage.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Aug. 17, 2021

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The Board of Governors met earlier this month for their annual retreat.

The board reviewed the final version of the Springfield campus 2021-26 Long-Range Plan and established key performance indicators (KPIs) for the plan.

Goals had already been established for several of our KPIs. The SEM plan provided a goal of 5,800 degrees and certificates awarded. We achieved that goal last year, but continuing to reach that level will be challenging given demographic shifts.

The SEM plan also provided goals for enrollment, retention and student financial obligation.

Along with the SEM goals, the board set several other goals for the university to pursue under the new long-range plan. In addition to the goal already set for degrees and certificates awarded, the board set a goal of sustaining 5,000 degrees awarded each year.

The board set an enrollment target of 3,400 underrepresented students and set a goal of 60% overall graduation rate and a goal of 50% graduation rate for underrepresented groups.

The board indicated we should continue to work toward diversifying our faculty and staff and set a target of 17% of our faculty and staff being international or members of a historically underrepresented group. The board also set a goal of 90% of our recent graduates being employed, enlisted in the military or enrolled in further education after graduation.

The board also recognized additional KPIs that will not have goals or targets associated with them. These include:

  • Number of terminal degree programs and degrees awarded.
  • Number of global partnerships and countries with global partnerships.
  • Tuition and fees.
  • External funds received through gifts and grants.

Review the action items

To achieve these goals, we will all have to work together to put our long-range plan into action. As I said throughout the last year, we will do this with annual action plans at the university and division level.

Following their KPI discussion, the board reviewed the university’s 2021-22 Action Plan. The action plan includes some of the work we will do this year to put the university on a path toward establishing the goals set by the board.

This year’s action items include:

  • A long list of initiatives designed to enhance our outreach, recruitment, retention and completion efforts.
  • Reviewing the university’s scholarship program.
  • Continuing to grow the university’s professional doctoral and MFA programs.
  • Evaluating a subscription model to provide continuing education opportunities to alumni and others.
  • Continuing to implement the international student recruitment plan and promoting interaction between international and domestic students.
  • Expanding the university’s work to improve access, retention and graduation of underrepresented students.
  • Expanding mentorship programs and improving our recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty and staff.
  • Centralizing student internship development, marketing and promotion.
  • Continuing to expand the university’s economic development activities in IDEA Commons.
  • Prioritizing employee compensation in the university’s budgeting process.

Other board decisions

At the retreat and at their July Executive Committee meeting, the board also took action on several important matters. The board:

  • Approved the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan for the West Plains campus and discussed the West Plains campus long-range plan and master plan development processes, which will occur this year.
  • Awarded an $8.1 million contract to Carson-Mitchell, Inc. to renovate Ann Kampeter Health Sciences Hall and a $190,000 contract to Friga Construction Company, Inc. to renovate three rooms in Glass Hall.
  • Approved the university’s contract with the City of Springfield for the Springfield Police Department to continue to provide law enforcement services on the Springfield campus.
  • Received updates on the office of research administration year-end-report, the foundation’s year-end-report, and an update on the name, image and likeness rights of student athletes.

Your role in MSU’s success

I hope you will take a moment to review the KPIs and action plan and consider what you can do to contribute to the university’s success in the coming year. We accomplished a lot last year, but we’re not done yet.

Together we can continue to achieve great things for our university.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Dec. 15, 2020

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The Board of Governors met last week. They approved the compensation increases and budget adjustments I discussed in my last two Clif’s Notes.

Tuition changes

I also presented a new tuition and fee model for discussion. Currently, the university charges in-state undergraduate students $228 for seated classes and $299 for online classes. The university has developed a plan to charge the same tuition rate for seated and online classes.

Charging one rate will be fairer and more transparent for students. It will eliminate financial impact on students when the decision is made for a particular class to be online. It also recognizes that the line between “online” and “seated” classes has blurred.

The plan I presented would change the tuition rate for all in-state undergraduate students to $250. Students taking at least one seated class would be charged fees that are consistent with the current fee schedule. Students taking only online courses would be charged a new fee that is substantially lower.

This proposal will have minimal impact on most students. Under the new model, the average in-state undergraduate student would pay $50 less than under the current tuition and fee model.

The proposal is also revenue neutral on tuition, meaning it would net the university the same tuition revenue as the current model. The new online student fee generates some additional revenue, but it recaptures only about half of the fee revenue that has been lost over the past two years as students gradually migrated to online classes.

The proposal would also preserve MSU’s cost advantage by continuing to price tuition and fees below MSU’s major competitors.

The board discussed and provided feedback on this proposed model. Those discussions will continue in the coming months. The board will vote on tuition and fees for the 2021-22 academic year in the spring.

SEM Plan

The board discussed and approved the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan. The plan includes four measurable goals in the following categories:

  • Outreach and recruitment.
  • Retention and student success.
  • Successful graduation and completion.
  • Financial preparedness.

The plan also includes strategies to attain each goal. The plan establishes a committee structure that will implement the plan throughout the coming months and years.

The board and our leadership team are pleased with the final SEM Plan and proud of the work we have done to chart our pathway forward on enrollment. I want to say a special thanks to the SEM Plan co-chairs Dr. Tammy Jahnke and Dr. Rob Hornberger, the SEM Steering Committee, and others who served on committees and otherwise engaged in the SEM Plan process.

Reviewing the budget

The board reviewed the FY2021 budget.

Due to Gov. Mike Parson’s release of withheld appropriations, cost saving measures that have been implemented and fall enrollment numbers exceeding projections, the Springfield operating fund is $5.5 million ahead of budget and the West Plains operating fund is $300,000 ahead of budget. These totals include more than $4.5 million in university reserves that were allocated when the board originally approved the FY2021 budget in June.

COVID-19 policy updates

I provided the board with an update on the impacts of COVID-19 on our campus.

As part of that update, I advised the board that we have eliminated the COVID-19 Work and Compensation Policy and updated five other temporary policies:

Board appointments

Finally, the board approved the executive committee, and Gov. Counts announced board committee appointments for 2021:

  • Govs. Counts, Silvey, Frazier and Waters will serve on the Executive Committee.
  • Gov. Waters will chair the Finance and Facilities Committee.
  • Gov. Parman will chair the Programs and Planning Committee.
  • Gov. Silvey will chair the Risk Management and Audit Committee.
  • Gov. Frazier will serve as the board representative to the MSU Foundation.

The end of the calendar year also marks the end of outgoing board member’s terms. The board recognized Govs. Gore, Keltner and Tergin for their service on the Board of Governors. I have enjoyed working with each of them, and they will be greatly missed when their replacements are appointed and confirmed.

Save the date

Before we leave for winter break I wanted to let you know about an upcoming event. At 3 p.m. Jan. 15 we will host a virtual town hall meeting to discuss our COVID-19 response, plans for the spring semester and other topics. We will distribute the Zoom link and other details in January.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Sept. 22, 2020

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As I mentioned last week, two of the things we will focus on this year are completing our strategic enrollment management plan and developing the university’s next long-range plan and visioning guide.

SEM planning

We began developing our strategic enrollment management (SEM) plan last year. Unfortunately, the pandemic intervened and we had to stop working on the plan.

We have resumed our work on the SEM plan, and a final draft will be presented to the Board of Governors in December.

When we paused our process last year, we had finalized guiding principles and enrollment goals. We were in the process of developing specific strategies and tactics.

As we resume our planning process, we will narrow and reassess our goals to focus more directly on measurable success in enrollment, both recruitment and retention. We will develop strategies and tactics prepared to address the challenges identified before the pandemic but also to address the new challenges that have recently emerged.

As we narrow the focus of our SEM goals, we will also reduce the number of SEM councils involved in finalizing the plan. If you are involved with the SEM steering committee or one of the remaining SEM councils, please re-engage as we complete the plan.

All members of the university community will work together to implement the SEM plan. I look forward to presenting the final plan to you later this year.

Long-range planning

I hope you are as excited as I am to map our future through the 2021-26 long-range plan. We will develop that plan throughout this year and present it to the board for approval this summer.

Dr. Shawn Wahl and Suzanne Shaw will lead a steering committee for the long-range plan. The steering committee roster will be finalized in the coming weeks and a webpage with updates about the planning process will be published.

We want everyone in the university community to provide input and be part of the planning process. You will have multiple opportunities throughout this year to participate in focus groups, town halls and virtual exploration sessions.

Your first opportunity to engage is an interactive presentation titled Future Visioning Webinar. This presentation is scheduled from 1 – 2 p.m. Sept. 28. Additional details can be found online.

Your vision for MSU

We will also develop our 2021-2026 visioning guide. The visioning guide assists the university in planning our facilities for future growth and development. You can see the current visioning guide online.

Throughout this year, we will analyze our space needs, poll the campus community, and interview critical space stakeholders as we develop our next visioning guide. I hope you will engage in this important process, too.

Public Affairs Conference

The public affairs conference is next week.

The conference theme is The Power of Voice. We are surrounded by voices all offering different information, ideas, opinions and points of view.

This year’s conference will explore how these voices impact us, how we can use our voices, and how we can find ways to respectfully agree and disagree.

This year’s conference will feature four plenary speakers:

This year’s conference is virtual, and individual Zoom links for each session are available on the conference website. Session start times have been scheduled to align with start times for most classes on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

All sessions of the conference are free and open to the public. No registration is required to participate.

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 Feb. 25, 2020

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The Board of Governors met last week.

The main discussion item was a presentation by Dr. David Attis, one of our EAB consultants, titled “The Changing Higher Education Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities for Missouri State University.” I participated in this presentation by providing MSU-specific data and examples, and our board and a variety of administrators, faculty and staff contributed to the discussion.

Dr. Attis focused on seven themes. First, he discussed state support. The reality nationwide is that state support has failed to keep up with the rising cost of college. This has left universities more dependent on tuition.

Last year’s equity appropriation helped our situation at Missouri State. However, we still receive substantially less appropriations per student than our peers in Missouri and throughout the nation. It is unreasonable to assume that state or federal funding will dramatically improve for any universities in the years ahead.

Competing for students

Second, Dr. Attis discussed demographics and enrollment. As you know, enrollment has already declined.

Missouri State has beaten that trend for many years, but the demographics have begun to catch up to us as well. In 2026, the national population of 18-year-olds will fall off sharply. It is more important than ever that we work on retention, recruitment, diversity and expanding opportunities for non-traditional students.

Third, Dr. Attis discussed student success. New practices have emerged in strategic financial aid, career development, degree progress and next generation advising. We are on the cutting edge, having implemented many of these practices, but more work remains to be done.

Fourth, Dr. Attis discussed changes to competition. Prospective students are more price conscious than ever, and free tuition programs are proliferating.

We will also have to navigate a new environment as the federal government recently required NACAC to change its ethics requirements, allowing “poaching” of students already enrolled or committed to a university.

Affordability and value

Fifth, Dr. Attis discussed affordability. Gen Z brings a different prospective student than we have encountered in the past. They want easy access to information. They compare prices when deciding on a college and have serious concerns about student loan debt.

Missouri State is ahead of the curve, beating national trends on default rates and amount of student loan debt.

Sixth, Dr. Attis discussed return on investment. The value of a college degree has never been higher — bachelor’s degree holders earn $1 million more than high school diploma holders during their lifetime. It is important that we find ways to communicate this value to our prospective and current students.

We can do this by enhancing experiential learning opportunities, boosting career counseling, and measuring and communicating outcomes.

Finally, Dr. Attis discussed adult and online education. Continued growth in the graduate degree market will be strategic rather than widespread. To thrive in this environment, we must anticipate future markets, develop competitive infrastructure and maximize the bottom-line impact.

We can buck the trend

In sum, the landscape ahead of all universities throughout the United States is complicated and difficult. Enrollment projections nationwide will be down for several years.

Competition continues to intensify. Retention efforts and demonstrating return on investment will become ever more important as we move into the future.

The good news is that our university is already working to implement changes and initiatives to manage this landscape. Missouri State has had success in the past at bucking nation and statewide trends. I am confident we can succeed in the future as well.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!