Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for July 30, 2019

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Earlier this month the Board of Governors Executive Committee met.

The Executive Committee approved a construction contract for a classroom addition to McQueary Family Health Sciences Hall. The board awarded the contract to Branco Enterprises, the low bidder, and approved a budget that includes $4.6 million in construction costs for the project.

Of that, $2.9 million of the project will be funded from a MoExcels grant the university received from the state. The remainder will be funded with a significant contribution from the McQueary family, other private contributions and university reserves.

The board and administration are very excited about the opportunities this project provides to expand our nursing and other health programs.

Improving the physical campus

The board also approved capital priorities for both campuses. These priorities will be forwarded to the Missouri Department of Higher Education for consideration by the coordinating board and the governor’s office as they form budget recommendations for fiscal year 2021.

The highest priority capital request on the Springfield campus is renovation of the Professional Building, followed by construction of a science center and several other significant renovation projects (McDonald Hall, Cheek Hall and Meyer Library).

The highest priority capital request on the West Plains campus is construction of a facility to house an advanced welding technology program, followed by several significant renovation projects (Garnett Library, Lybyer Enhanced Technology Center, Looney Hall and Broadway Hall).

We have already begun working with government officials to advocate for these projects.

Approving new contracts

The board also approved two important university contracts.

The first is a revenue contract with Spectra Food Services and Hospitality, the current food vendor in Missouri State’s athletic venues. This contract will extend the term of the university’s agreement with Spectra to 2029. Under the contract, Spectra will pay the university $1 million for food service improvements on campus. Spectra will also guarantee that Missouri State receives commissions of $325,000 (plus a 2% annual inflator) each year.

The second contract is with Bear Village Apartments to house 40 students and 20 faculty members coming to campus from Ningxia University in China. These students and faculty members will participate in customized agricultural education and training through the Darr College of Agriculture. This program is one example of the work that is underway to counteract enrollment declines in the coming year.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for June 18, 2019

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This Friday the Board of Governors will vote on proposed changes to the faculty handbooks on the Springfield and West Plains campuses and changes to the employee handbook that applies to all faculty and staff.

Changes to the employee handbook include:

  • An expansion of the tuition and fee waiver benefit to apply to an employee’s dependent grandchildren
  • An expansion of the funeral leave benefit to include additional extended family members
  • Clarifications regarding university closings and cancellations, 1,000-hour employment, employees’ personal information, resignation and retirement, leave without pay, service award processes, emeritus status, and appeals processes for disciplinary matters.

Changes to the Springfield faculty handbook include:

  • Allowing a faculty member to request an extension of their tenure probationary period to accommodate medical conditions or important family issues
  • Clarifications regarding sabbatical and developmental leave and dismissal from the university
  • Updated language related to sexual harassment

Changes to the West Plains faculty handbook include:

  • Changes to teaching load/work load provisions that (1) increase the teaching load for full-time ranked faculty in West Plains to 30 credit hours, (2) allow existing faculty to opt in or out of the new teaching load and (3) establish financial incentives for existing faculty that opt in to the new teaching load.
  • New provisions regarding evaluation of non-ranked faculty
  • Supplemental language regarding faculty promotion

People are our most important resource at Missouri State. The work we have done this year to provide across-the-board pay increases and expand benefit usage and availability reflects the value the board and our administration places on faculty and staff.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for April 2, 2019

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The Lady Bears finished a successful season Saturday. The team finished with 25 wins and a Missouri Valley Conference Championship. Head Coach Kellie Harper was named the conference coach of the year and four players were selected to all-conference teams.

We have a proud tradition of women’s basketball at Missouri State — this was the 15th time the Lady Bears have played in the NCAA Tournament and the second time under Coach Harper.

The men’s basketball team also showed significant progress in Head Coach Dana Ford’s first season. The team had a winning conference record. Tulio Da Silva was named conference newcomer of the year, and two players were selected for the all-conference team. Ticket sales and attendance also improved significantly over prior years.

We have had success in recent months and years in other sports as well — basketball merely represents the most recent example. We should be proud of our successful athletic programs. Winning athletic programs generate local and national media coverage and enhance Missouri State’s profile with prospective students and the greater community.

Please join me in congratulating Coaches Harper and Ford and their teams on a job well done.

West Plains substation approved

The Board of Governors Executive Committee met earlier this month.

The committee approved an agreement with the City of West Plains to establish a police substation on the West Plains campus. This agreement is modeled on the arrangement we have with the City of Springfield for a police substation on the Springfield campus. We believe this is the most safe and efficient model for a campus police force. It allows officers to be trained, supervised and managed as police officers. It also facilitates closer collaboration between the university and local law enforcement.

The committee also approved two contracts for residence hall projects. These projects will reconfigure bathrooms in Woods House and install new finishes in Wells House and Woods House. The projects are funded with residence life reserve funds and auxiliary bonds approved by the board last year.

Get involved with the campus garden

The campus garden is a student-managed sustainability project that allows students to supplement their traditional education with hands on applications that benefit the community. The campus garden has a membership program through which members support the campus garden and receive produce each week during the summer months. Last year, the campus garden supplied members with more than 350 pounds of fresh produce and donated more than 900 pounds of produce to the Well of Life Food Pantry.

If you are interested in the membership program, you can email the campus garden at campusgarden@missouristate.edu. You can also volunteer to help at the campus garden online.

Exercise your right

Today is Election Day. Don’t forget to vote! You can find more information about the election in last week’s Clif’s Notes.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Sept. 25, 2018

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On Monday, Oct. 1, Frank Einhellig and I will make our annual presentation on the State of the University. The presentation will start at 12:15 p.m. in the Plaster Student Union Theater. I hope you will join us as we discuss the university’s many successes last year and look forward to the opportunities this year holds for Missouri State. The presentation will also be broadcast on OPT later in the week.

Following the State of the University address, at 1:30 p.m. we will host a Medical Plan Town Hall meeting in the Plaster Student Union Theater. We are in the process of revising the university’s group medical plan. Matt Morris and I will present the current plan and the proposed changes. We will then answer questions and solicit feedback from the university community. A survey regarding preferences in a medical plan will be available following the town hall. The Medical Plan Town Hall meeting will be a good resource to inform you as you complete the survey.

If you are not able to attend the Medical Plan Town Hall meeting, you can livestream it on the website or view it later on the university’s YouTube channel.

Hass-Darr dedication

Tomorrow we will dedicate an important facility in the Missouri State University system — Hass-Darr Hall in West Plains.

Hass-Darr Hall will provide a central location for a variety of services crucial to enhancing student learning and academic success. It will house the Carol Silvey Student Union, the William and Virginia Darr Honors Program, Drago College Store, tutoring services, the admissions office, the veterans center and other much needed classroom and administrative space.

Thanks to our supporters

I want to thank our donors and supporters who made this project possible.

Major contributions were made by the Hass Family: Mary Hass Sheid, Judge William R. and Jeanne Hass, Judge William T. Hass, and Tim and Missy Hass Myers. The other major contribution was made by Bill and Virginia Darr.

Other significant contributions include:

  • Dr. Mark and Kim Dake
  • Charles and Pam Drago
  • Dr. Herb and Mary Beth Lunday
  • Dr. Charles and Robin Morgan
  • Ozarks Independent Living
  • Arch W. Shaw Foundation
  • Richard and Carol Silvey
  • Joe Spears
  • The Sunderland Foundation

Many other loyal alumni and friends of the university also contributed to this project.

I want to also thank Governor Mike Parson and our legislators for making this project possible. $1.5 million of this project was funded through the State of Missouri’s higher education bonding package approved in 2015.

Hass-Darr Hall will play an important role in enhancing the student experience in West Plains, continuing to increase our retention and graduation rates, and developing the profile of the West Plains campus.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Sept. 5, 2017

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Last Wednesday, Dr. Drew Bennett, chancellor of the West Plains campus, announced his intention to retire at the end of the spring 2018 semester. Drew is the seventh person to lead the West Plains campus and is the second longest-serving. Drew is my friend and colleague, and I will miss his leadership in West Plains.

The West Plains campus flourished under Drew’s leadership. Highlights include:

  • Increased enrollment by 10 percent
  • Increased full-time faculty by 26 percent, including three endowed professorships
  • Added 10 new associate degrees
  • Raised more than $8.8 million in donations and more than $11 million in grant funding
  • Graduated more than 2,700 students

Drew oversaw 12 building renovation projects and three new facilities — the FEMA/Student Recreation Center, Gohn Hall and Hass-Darr Hall (under construction with a targeted spring 2018 completion).

The university will begin a nationwide search for a new chancellor this fall. Matt Morris, vice president for administrative services, will lead the search committee. Please send input regarding the search to president@missouristate.edu.

Please join me in congratulating Drew Bennett on a successful career. We wish him well in his retirement.

Familiarize yourself with the public affairs theme

Next week we will kick-off this year’s public affairs theme, Sustainability in Practice: Consensus and Consequences, with Public Affairs Week.

Highlights include:

You can find the complete schedule of events on the Public Affairs Week webpage.

I hope you join me in putting the public affairs mission into practice by attending this year’s Public Affairs Week activities.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!