Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Dec. 8, 2020

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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

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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 Oct. 6, 2020

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The end of this week marks the mid-point of the fall semester. As you know, we will close campus this Thursday and Friday for deep cleaning. I hope you will take a well-deserved break and recharge for the second half of the semester.

This semester has been different from any other academic term we have experienced. The challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic have been significant. However, we have demonstrated that even the biggest obstacles can be overcome.

Through our collaboration and hard work, together we have achieved success. This success is due to the positive attitudes, flexibility and resiliency of our faculty, students and staff. Thanks for your good work.

As I mentioned last week, our enrollment increased this fall because of your efforts. In light of our enrollment success, last week I worked with our leadership team to roll back a portion of the hiring freeze that we instituted earlier this calendar year. We also eliminated the freeze on maintenance and repair projects.

We still have a lot of work to do. In the current environment, many analysts have warned that enrollment success in the fall does not necessarily translate to enrollment success in the spring. Please continue your efforts to support our students and help them overcome the barriers they face.

Give generously

The Missouri State Way and United Way campaigns have kicked off. Missouri State University faculty and staff make a difference on our campus and in our community by participating in these campaigns.

Your contribution to the Missouri State Way campaign helps change lives of our students and helps them manage their education and their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. By providing internet devices from the Emergency Student Fund, donations to the Bear Pantry, personal protective equipment or scholarships, the MSU Foundation uses funds raised through the Missouri State Way campaign to ensure that MSU students can attend class and continue their studies regardless of their financial background or difficult circumstances.

The United Way campaign addresses the urgent needs of some of our most vulnerable community members in Springfield and the Ozarks. The United Way of the Ozarks connects communities, people and hope. It has convened community leaders for a coordinated response to the pandemic, provided critical supplies, and raised and distributed more than $164,000 in funds to help our community respond to COVID-19.

Learn more about how the United Way of the Ozarks has helped our community through the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

To continue to support our local community, the United Way needs our support.

You will receive a Missouri State Way and United Way campaign packet in campus mail this week. You can also find information on the campaign webpage. Please join me in contributing to each of these important organizations.

After you complete your forms, please plan to attend the free virtual celebration event at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 13. Details can be found on the campaign webpage. We will draw for prizes at the event, and everyone that attends will receive a bookstore coupon.

Recognizing staff

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, six full-time staff receive this award (which includes a one-time $1,500 award).

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

The deadline to nominate a staff member is Nov. 13. 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 Nov. 26, 2019

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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

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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:

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!