Academic Expressions

Office of the Provost

Close-up of the Missouri State University seal, at sunrise
Photo by Chris Nagle/Missouri State University.

Mark Your Calendar

It’s a new year and a new semester. Get ready for some of this spring’s key moments, events and processes.

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Dates to Save

Welcome to a new semester! As you plan your activities and organize your calendar, this spring holds plenty of opportunities for engagement, interaction and professional development.

January

  • January 24 and January 30, participate in the testing and selection process for a new student success system. The goal is to find a platform that will provide a campus-wide, early alert system for students who show signs of struggling and may be at risk of dropping out. Dr. Kelly Wood, associate vice president for student success, is leading the effort to find the right fit for our campus. “The goal of a student success platform is to provide actionable information to faculty and advisors about their students so that we can offer the right services and support when they need it,” Wood says. “The more input and ideas we receive during and after the campus demonstrations, the better choice we will make.” Wood says there are big perks for faculty, too. “Imagine being able to send ‘Congrats, I am proud of you’ to students who received As and Bs at midterm on one screen without doing a mail merge or sending 20 separate email messages?”
  • January 31 marks the beginning of the spring training sequence for Brightspace, Missouri State’s new learning management system. (All Missouri State courses will transition to the Brightspace system by May 13.)

February

  • By February 1, faculty will submit dossiers for annual evaluation via Faculty Success. (For more details about the Faculty Success system, check out this information from Dr. Letitia White Minnis.)
  • By February 9, sabbatical applicants will receive notification of final decisions regarding sabbaticals.

March

  • March 5 kicks off a time for Missouri State’s alumni, friends and ambassadors to come together for Giving Day. Last year, Giving Day yielded $1.6 million in gifts. 
  • By March 8, the office of the provost will notify faculty applicants of tenure and promotion decisions. Provost Dr. John Jasinski says that he’s looking forward to reviewing the submissions, discussing them with President Clif Smart and providing his recommendations to the Board of Governors. “It’s a joy to see the breadth and depth of faculty work,” he says. “Our faculty’s expansive teaching, research and service and their contributions to the public affairs mission are true points of pride. I wish to thank everyone who prepared materials for submission as well as all those who contributed to the submission and review process.”

“Our faculty’s expansive teaching, research and service and their contributions to the public affairs mission are true points of pride.”

—Dr. John Jasinski

April

  • April 25–26 is set for the Collaborative Diversity Conference. This year’s theme is “Inclusive Engagement: Uplifting the Power of Community.” Check the conference website for developing information about presentations and registration.  

May

  • On May 7, join colleagues at the All-Faculty Recognition Reception, where the recipients of Missouri State University Foundation awards and other honorees will be recognized. 
  • May 10 is a day of celebration: Spring Commencement. Ceremony details will be announced on the Commencement website.

Around Campus…

Graduate, dressed in black regalia, holding a degree and smiling
The new Doctor of Education in Leadership, Learning and Educational Change is one example of “why Missouri State is a leader in preparing the educators of tomorrow,” Dr. John Jasinski says. (Photo by Jesse Scheve/Missouri State University.)

Last month, Missouri State’s Board of Governors approved the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Leadership, Learning and Educational Change. It’s an innovative program that’s designed to address the dynamic needs of educational environments in a wide range of settings, from rural to urban environments. It acknowledges the urgent need for educators who are multidisciplinary in their approach, adept at critical thinking and prepared to solve challenges as future needs evolve.

In the coming months, we will pursue state and national accreditor approvals for this program. If it receives full approval, it will become Missouri State’s eighth professional doctorate, with the goal of welcoming the first cohort in fall 2024.

“We’re particularly thankful for the service of Dr. Barri Tinkler, Dr. Minor Baker, the committee members and Dr. Julie Masterson, who worked together to shepherd this process,” says Provost Dr. John Jasinski. “Their work provides an example of why Missouri State is a leader in preparing the educators of tomorrow.”