MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
AUGUST 1, 2013
1. Roll Call
Present- Mr. Joe Carmichael, Governor
Ms. Carrie Carroll, Governor
Mr. Gordon Elliott, Governor
Mr. Stephen B. Hoven, Governor
Ms. Paige Jenkins, Student Governor
Mr. Orvin Kimbrough, Chair of the Board
Ms. Beverly Miller, Vice Chair of the Board (by conference call)
Ms. Cathy Smith, Governor
Absent- Mr. Stephen Bough, Governor
Mr. Peter Hofherr, Governor
Also
Present- Clifton Smart III, President
Drew Bennett, Chancellor of the West Plains Campus
Frank Einhellig, Provost
Denita Siscoe, Vice President for Student Affairs
Ken McClure, Vice President for Administrative and Information Services
Jim Baker, Vice President for Research and Economic Development and International Programs
Kenneth Coopwood, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion
Stephen Foucart, Chief Financial Officer
Brent Dunn, Vice President for University Advancement
Penni Groves, General Counsel
John McAlear, Secretary of the Board
2. Presiding --- The presiding officer for the meeting was Mr. Orvin Kimbrough, Chair of the Board of Governors. He called the meeting to order at 8:55 a.m. in the Shealy Farm Conference Center, 5607 S. 222nd Rd., Fair Grove, Missouri.
3. Approval of Minutes:
a. Board of Governors’ Meetings --- Mr. Kimbrough mentioned that the first item of business was the approval of the minutes for the open and closed meetings of June 21, 2013. Mr. Carmichael so moved, receiving the second of Ms. Carroll.
Motion passed 7-0.
4. Consent Agenda --- Mr. Kimbrough noted that the next item of business on the agenda was the approval of the Consent Agenda for this meeting. The items included in the Consent Agenda are:
July 17, 2013, Executive Committee Meeting
Request for 2015 Operating Funds for Missouri State University – Springfield, West Plains, and Mountain Grove Campuses (Finance No. 1030-13).
Approval of Office of Procurement Services activities from June 15, 2013, through July 12, 2013 (Purchasing Activity Report No. 390-13).
Approval of a new Academic Program for the Certificate in Public Outreach and Education on the West Plains Campus (West Plains Curriculum No. 41-13).
Approval of a new Academic Program for the Associate of Applied Science in Technology on the West Plains Campus (West Plains Curriculum 42-13).
Approval of a new Academic Program for the Certificate in Ozarks Studies on the West Plains Campus (West Plains Curriculum No. 43-13).
Approval of the deletion of the existing Academic Program for the Associate of Applied Science in General Technology on the West Plains Campus (West Plains Curriculum No. 44-13).
Approval of the deletion of the existing Academic Program for the Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science Technology on the West Plains Campus (West Plains Curriculum No. 45-13).
Approval of the first renewal of the contract for the FY13 Job Order Contracting Services – Electrical Repair and Replacement (Bids & Quotations No. 1439-13).
Approval of the first renewal of the contract for the FY13 Job Order Contracting Services – Insulation Repair and Replacement (Bids & Quotations No. 1440-13).
Approval of the first renewal of the contract for the FY13 Job Order Contracting Services – Plumbing Repair and Replacement (Bids & Quotations No. 1441-13).
Approval of professional services in conjunction with the College of Health and Human Services and College of Natural and Applied Sciences space study (Architects & Engineers No. 688-13); Cannon Design, for a fixed, not-to-exceed fee of $140,000. Additional services of up to $30,000 as described in this agreement may be authorized and approved.
Approval of professional services in conjunction with the renovation and addition to Glass Hall (Architects & Engineers No. 689-13); Perkins + Will, for a fixed, not-to-exceed fee of $1,955,535. Additional services of up to $70,000 as described in this agreement may be authorized and approved.
West Plains Campus
Approval of actions concerning West Plains Campus academic employees (West Plains Campus Personnel No. 357-13).
Approval of actions concerning West Plains Campus non-academic employees (West Plains Campus Personnel No. 358-13).
Approval of Activity Report dated August 1, 2013 (West Plains Activity Report No. 102-13).
Springfield Campus Purchases/Contracts
Approval of Procurement Activity Report for the period June 6, 2013, through July 16, 2013 (Purchasing Activity Report No. 391-13).
Facilities and Equipment
Approval of Activity Report for the month of June 2013 (Activity Report No. 247-13).
Approval to increase the project budget for the landscape improvements at Kings Street and the Bill R. Foster and Family Recreation Center (Bids & Quotations No. 1442-13).
Human Resources Items
Actions concerning academic employees (Human Resources No. 1436-13).
Actions concerning non-academic employees (Human Resources No. 1437-13).
Approval of 2% across-the-board salary increase for faculty (Human Resources No. 1438-13).
Approval of 2% across-the-board salary increase for staff (Human Resources No. 1439-13).
Mr. Hoven made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda, receiving a second from Mr. Elliott.
Motion passed 7-0.
5. Discussion of Goals for 2013-2014 --- President Smart began this discussion by reviewing how we went from ten goals last year to proposing eight goals this year. First, we have eliminated public affairs as a goal heading as we have made major progress both in structure and in including public affairs into the curriculum; however, you will find public affairs action items under other goal headings. Second, we have eliminated IDEA Commons as much of the new work has been accomplished with the completion of the Plaster Center and Brick City, but pieces of this goal are included in other headings. Third, Marketing has been eliminated as the research has been done but, again, pieces of this goal are included elsewhere this year. Finally, the Graduate Program goal from last year has been combined with the Student Success goal. This leaves six goals carried over from last year and we have added two new goals for this year. Accreditation is a new goal because both West Plains and Springfield will be going through system-wide accreditation in the next two-three years. Athletics is a new goal at the request of the Board. The West Plains campus does not have a specific, separate goal but has items throughout the eight goals. President Smart commented that there are very exciting projects and bold ideas on this list: 1) developing a new marketing campaign; 2) the full-professor incentive program; 3) the College of Business fundraising campaign; 4) new academic programs – Master of Fine Arts; 5) adding a women’s sport; 6) developing our first MOOC (massive open online course); 7) starting the International Leadership and Training Center; and 8) inducting the first class into the Public Affairs Hall of Fame. The largest initiative is improving our facilities which will transform the university for decades. President Smart and members of his leadership team led the Board through a discussion on the following eight proposed goals for 2013-2014:
a. Enrollment – Continue to achieve modest annual growth consistent with the long-range goals.
This will likely remain our number one goal for many years as more and more of our funding comes from this source so tuition and fees will pay for most new programs and compensation increases.
b. Funding – Allocate, reallocate and generate new resources to achieve University priorities.
The two parts to this goal are: 1) generating new revenue; and, 2) using it to achieve university priorities. Increasing compensation is a top priority reflected here and we plan to institute the full-professor incentive program this year as a creative way to reward our best and underpaid professors. Further discussion led to a new bullet being added to this goal to continue to seek and develop alternative revenue sources that can be used to fund ongoing activities of the University.
c. Accreditation – Develop the evidence to meet the criteria and core components necessary to achieve continued accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), as well as other major accrediting agencies.
The West Plains campus HLC accreditation on-site visit is scheduled for the spring of 2014 with a goal of obtaining another 10-year renewal. The Springfield campus’s on-site visit is in the fall of 2015 with the same 10-year renewal goal.
d. Diversity – Improve recruitment and retention of a diverse student body and workforce.
The completion of the climate survey is the major first-year objective of the 18-month-long climate-survey project. The information we gain will help us understand where we should focus our resources and efforts. The Board recommended that the title of this goal should be “Diversity and Inclusion.”
e. Student Success – Expand high-quality academic programs to increase opportunities for students.
A highlight under this goal is the development of the first massive open online course – probably in Ozarks Studies. We have expertise in this subject no one else has and it will promote our university and area of the country. It can also serve as a recruiting tool to build interest in the university and our programs and raise our profile as a university on the cutting edge. Another goal is to highlight career placement.
f. Facilities and Sustainability – Design, bid, identify funding sources and begin construction on priority academic and auxiliary facilities, with a continued campus-wide emphasis on sustainability.
Mr. Ken McClure, Vice President for Administrative and Information Services, summarized facility enhancements and additions. In the academic area, they are looking at the renovation of Glass Hall and Pummill Hall and evaluating the best options to increase quality space for health and science programs. Auxiliary area priorities include the renovation of Sunvilla Tower and upgrades to athletic and recreation facilities (demolition and new construction of the Plaster Sports Complex east bleachers, new artificial turf at Plaster Sports Complex, construction of a new track and soccer field, and creation of a new field hockey venue). He added that the ability to do all of these athletic upgrades is dependent on the success of a student vote in the fall regarding a new athletic fee. A new Welcome Center is planned near the entrance of National and Bear Boulevard. With regard to the continued campus-wide emphasis on sustainability, he also mentioned that this year should see the completion of the energy audit and the implementation of the new utility revolving fund. President Smart then summarized that this goal relates to all the other goals. The Board will need to be comfortable with significant capital expenditures - from reserves, from bonding, and from fundraising. It was the general consensus of the Board that, at this time, a special emphasis on facility improvements and additions is important.
g. Athletics – Be competitive, be compliant, and be successful in the classroom.
Mr. Kyle Moats, Director of Athletics, first stated that a student-approved athletics fee can result in significant additional revenues. The average annual athletic fee revenue from those conference schools which have a fee is $3.7 million. The average annual athletic fee revenue for those FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) schools in the nation which have a fee is $2.5 million. These are significant dollars that can help our program. He then announced that the ten-member task force established to review the possibility of an additional women’s sport to assist in meeting Title IX requirements is recommending that Women’s tennis be added for the 2014-15 school year and that a graduate assistant be added to Women’s track and field. The additional women athletes from these two actions should help with the participation numbers. We are looking at possibly adding another women’s sport for the 2015-2016 school year – women’s sand volleyball is a strong possibility. President Smart indicated that we are waiting until September to see if Governor Nixon’s veto of House Bill 253 is overridden. If it is not overridden, then Governor Nixon will release additional appropriation dollars for the University which will allow us to proceed in this direction.
h. Raising the Profile – Continue to find ways to more effectively “tell the Missouri State story” to ever-increasing numbers of people in Missouri, the nation and around the world.
President Smart mentioned that many of the things discussed today will raise our profile if they are successful. We have worked hard this year to raise our profile in St. Louis which we plan to duplicate this next year in Kansas City while retaining the most successful part of the St. Louis work. The first class of the Public Affairs Hall of Fame will also be inducted. Also, there are many West Plains community activities associated with the 50th anniversary of the West Plains Campus.
6. Board of Governors’ Procedural Matters:
a. Amendment to Bylaws --- Ms. Penni Groves, General Counsel, presented a resolution (Bylaws No. 24-13) amending the Board’s Bylaws. The proposed changes were first emailed to the board members on March 27, 2013, so today’s presentation would represent the second reading of this proposal. She indicated that these amendments reflect the Board’s discussion at their March retreat, including 1) more precision on when the discussion of the next slate of board officers is to take place; 2) that the Vice-Chair of the Board is the presumptive successor to the Chair; and 3) that there be a smooth transition from Chair to Vice-Chair. Mr. Hoven moved to approve the amendment, receiving a second from Mr. Carmichael.
Motion passed 7-0.
b. Meeting Schedule for 2014 --- President Smart presented a resolution (Administration No. 32-13) approving a 2014 calendar-year meeting schedule. The schedule includes a February meeting in West Plains; a retreat in St. Louis in March in conjunction with the Men’s Missouri Valley Post-Season Basketball Tournament; and meetings in Springfield in conjunction with May spring commencement, August summer commencement, October homecoming, and December winter commencement. He stated that the Board needed to select where they would like to hold their June meeting. After a short discussion, Kansas City was selected as the location of their June meeting, since the University is focusing on the Kansas City area this coming year, similar to the St. Louis focus this past year. Ms. Carroll moved to approve the 2014 meeting schedule, receiving the second of Mr. Elliott.
Motion passed 7-0.
c. Discussion of 2014 Board Officers --- Mr. Kimbrough next mentioned that the Board needed to discuss a possible slate of officers for the 2014 calendar year. After a short discussion, a proposed slate included Ms. Bev Miller as Chair and Mr. Steve Hoven as Vice-Chair. Both expressed that it would be their honor to serve in this capacity. The election of officers is held at the board meeting held in conjunction with the University’s homecoming festivities which this year, is October 18, 2013.
d. Discussion Topics at Future Board Meetings --- President Smart next read off a listing of discussion topics at future board meetings that had been mentioned at the Board’s March 2013 retreat: 1) Diversity; 2) International programs; 3) On-line courses; 4) Accreditation; 5) First-generation students; and 6) Student career placement. After a short discussion it was decided that the next three meeting topics would be: October – a diversity-related topic; December – first-generation students; and February, 2014 – accreditation.
7. New Business --- Mr. Hoven, to start a brainstorming session, next summarized from his notes, some of the responses of how the presidential candidates (from last year’s presidential search process) responded to the question of “What would you do to move MSU forward?” Brainstorming topics included: 1) the University’s focus on St. Louis and Kansas City; 2) the upcoming 10th Public Affairs Conference; 3) highlighting academic successes on the existing video board and a desired ribbon board in JQH Arena; 4) marketing some of the university’s unique academic programs; 5) developing our points of pride; and 6) doing a better job at communicating the university’s brand statement – “Follow your passion. Find your place.”
8. Closed Meeting --- It was determined that the Board of Governors needed to meet in a closed session to consider items of business provided in the Revised Statutes of Missouri. Mr. Kimbrough asked if a resolution authorizing a closed meeting of the Board was prepared. Thereupon, the following resolution was presented for consideration:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Governors for Missouri State University that a closed meeting, with closed records and closed vote, be held immediately following this August 1, 2013, meeting of the Board of Governors to consider items of business pursuant to:
R.S. Mo. 610.021 (1). “Legal actions, causes of actions, or litigation involving a public governmental body…”
R.S.Mo. 610.021(13). “Individually identifiable personnel records, performance ratings or records pertaining to employees or applicants for employment,…”
Mr. Carmichael moved the approval of the resolution and Ms. Smith seconded the motion.
A roll call vote on the resolution was as follows: those voting in favor – Governors Carmichael, Carroll, Elliott, Hoven, Kimbrough, Miller, and Smith; those voting against – none; those absent: Governors Bough and Hofherr.
Mr. Kimbrough declared the resolution passed unanimously.
9. Date of Next Meeting --- The date of the next regularly scheduled meeting was set for Friday, October 18, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. on the Springfield Campus.
10. Adjournment--- Mr. Kimbrough adjourned the meeting at 2:20 p.m. on the motion of Mr. Carmichael, the second of Ms. Smith, and the unanimous vote of the Board.
John W. McAlear
Secretary