MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
AUGUST 29-30, 2010
1. Roll Call
Present- Ms. Elizabeth Bradbury, Chair of the Board
Mr. Michael Duggan, Governor
Mr. Gordon Elliott, Vice-Chair of the Board
Mr. Brian Hammons, Governor
Mr. Orvin Kimbrough, Governor
Ms. Mary Sheid, Governor
Mr. Brandt Shields, Student Governor
Ms. Cathy Smith, Governor
Ms. Phyllis Washington, Governor
Mr. John Winston, Governor
Also
Present- James E. Cofer, Sr., President
Drew Bennett, Chancellor of the West Plains Campus
Belinda McCarthy, Provost
Nila Hayes, Chief Financial Officer
Paul Kincaid, Chief of Staff
Clifton Smart, General Counsel
John McAlear, Secretary of the Board
2. Presiding --- The presiding officer for the meeting was Ms. Elizabeth Bradbury, Chair of the Board of Governors. She called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 29, 2010, in the Parliament III Room in the Holiday Inn Select Executive Center in Columbia, Missouri.
3. Discussion of Long-Range Plan --- Dr. Cofer led the discussion on the Long-Range Plan using the draft Vision/Positioning Statement (immediately below), crafted from the work to date of the six long-range plan work groups –
Missouri State University successfully recruits, retains and graduates a diverse student body so they are successful alumni providing leadership in their communities. Through a combination of good stewardship of resources, management best practices, and innovative education strategies, the University provides undergraduate and graduate programs and experiences with regional, national and international reputations for excellence and which are informed by its statewide mission in public affairs. In addition, the University plays a significant role in economic development for the benefit of the area, the state and the Midwest.
Discussion was held using the following nine Strategic Direction Decisions from the Vision/Positioning Statement:
a. “Missouri State University successfully recruits, retains and graduates …..” We need to achieve a six-year graduation rate of 60%. We need to provide a well-rounded collegiate co-curricular experience for all students through leadership opportunities, cultural, social and emotional growth, service learning and a broad-based intercollegiate athletics program, as well as recreational and wellness programs. We also need to ensure that Faculty Roles and Rewards are aligned with University goals and priorities in teaching, research/scholarly activity, and service.
b. “…..a diverse student body….” The soon-to-be-hired Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion is to help train the university community to create a positive campus climate for inclusion. The University needs to take a leadership role in the community to improve support for diverse populations.
c. “…so they are successful alumni providing leadership in their communities.” We need to provide a foundation for alumni to enroll in graduate programs, attain professional degrees, appreciate lifelong learning, and have successful careers and lives.
d. “Through a combination of good stewardship of resources, management best practices…” We need to operate within a balanced budget, effectively use revenues, keep tuition competitive, maintain a safe and secure campus, provide a positive, encouraging work environment, operate in an environmentally friendly manner, and make maximum use of our facilities.
e. “…..and innovative educational strategies,…..” We need to look for opportunities for collaboration with other institutions in the area and throughout the state, upgrade pedagogy to reflect best practices, make effective use of alternative modalities, including evening and weekend classes, increase use of online courses, and plan and fund state-of-the-art classrooms/facilities/technology.
f. “the University provides undergraduate programs and experiences that have regional, national and international reputations for excellence.” We need to provide expanded access to higher education for qualified students; prepare increasing numbers of students on the West Plains Campus to be successful transfer students and thereby helping break the “cycle of poverty” through education; conduct a comprehensive academic program prioritization and reallocate funds to selected excellent programs; review and revise the core curriculum with emphasis on critical thinking, communication and quantitative skills; and focus on outcomes and assessment. We need to also promote and enhance undergraduate research and expand retention programs to assure a freshman-to-sophomore retention rate of 85%.
g. “The University accomplishes this by providing graduate programs and experiences that have regional, national and international reputations for excellence….” We need to expand existing graduate programs where there is capacity and demonstrated need; strategically increase the number of graduate programs, including additional selected cooperative master’s degree programs with other universities and selected cooperative doctoral programs with the University of Missouri; effectively utilize research and program collaborations to expand capacity and delivery of graduate education; enhance and strategically support utilization of Graduate Assistants; and increase extramural funding.
h. “….which are informed by its statewide mission in public affairs.” We need to effectively articulate the public affairs mission; incorporate public affairs into the core curriculum; incorporate public affairs into academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level; and consider establishing a virtual School of Public Affairs.
i. “In addition, the University plays a significant role in economic development for the benefit of the area, the state and the Midwest.” We need to expand IDEA Commons, JVIC, and related initiatives; focus research energies and resources on selected areas related to economic development, including nanotechnology, biomedical devices, agriculture, water/environment, and other “science in the public interest;” build graduate programs to support the research emphasis; and link research and economic development activities to both student learning and the public affairs mission.
During the discussion on the Vision/Positioning Statement and the nine Implied Strategic Direction Decisions, the governors offered the following major suggestions:
- To title the overall document as a Positioning Statement, not a Vision/Positioning Statement.
- Where appropriate, to ensure that the various statements encompass the entire Missouri State University System (includes the West Plains and Mountain Grove campuses).
- To include the use of “performance measures” as a tenth Implied Strategic Direction Decision.
- Although we are about to begin a period of difficult funding, to include a long-term comprehensive compensation plan for faculty and staff.
- To help improve campus diversity, minority recruiters specifically assigned to Kansas City and St. Louis should be considered.
Dr. Cofer indicated that they hope to have a draft of the long-range plan, after campus community feedback, to the Board in December.
4. Proposed 2010-2011 Goals --- Dr. Cofer next summarized the proposed goals for 2010-2011:
a. Complete the Five-Year Strategic Plan for 2011-2016. This goal was addressed extensively in the preceding agenda item.
b. Prepare campus to effectively deal with the budget challenges of Fiscal Year 2012 and beyond. Dr. Cofer described an inclusive budget process that will include a large number of individuals on campus. The process will include Collegiate Faculty Budget Committees for each College; an Academic Affairs Budget Committee which will evaluate the various Collegiate Faculty budget scenarios from a university wide perspective; an Administrative Budget Committee, comprised of representatives from the non-academic areas of the campus community; and an Executive Budget Committee which will a) determine the level of reduction assigned to the various colleges and administrative units, including Intercollegiate Athletics and auxiliary units, and b) receive input from the Academic and Administrative budget Committees, as well as Intercollegiate Athletics, and those Vice Presidents with auxiliary and/or designated accounts, and recommend to the President, who will, in turn, recommend to the Board of Governors appropriate budget actions. The Chancellor of the West Plains Campus will follow a similar collegial process for addressing the budget on that campus. He explained that the Chief Financial Officer and financial staff will begin the process of informing and educating all of the committees on the entire university budget. Dr. Cofer also indicated that each committee will develop a website and the minutes of each meeting will be posted on that website.
c. Prepare the academic curriculum and academic organization to meet the demands of the 21st Century. This goal includes beginning the process of reviewing the core curriculum in terms of education outcomes, assessment and organization. It is planned to integrate the public affairs mission into the curriculum and determine outcomes to measure progress within the three components of Ethical Leadership, Cultural Competence, and Community Engagement. The inefficiencies of low-completer programs will also be addressed.
d. Ensure student access and success. A person will be designated to lead the alternative modalities initiative (including evening and weekend classes, increased use of online courses, etc.). We will begin the process of updating pedagogy to best practices.
e. Dramatically improve the diversity of the student body and workforce at the University. A national search for a Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion will begin very soon. A broad-based, effective training program will be instituted with the Administrative Counsel being the first group to undergo training. Consideration will be given to requiring a diverse pool before a position is filled. Specific strategies such as “growing your own” through financial support of senior year or graduate education and use of visiting faculty members will also be funded.
f. Inventory, prioritize, and strategically fund improvements to facilities. An inventory of classrooms, laboratories, and technology has already begun. How these assets are used will also be reviewed. A recent housing study has shown the need for both new facilities and a renovation of existing facilities to meet the desires of the current student. A long-range plan to meet these needs will be finalized.
Ms. Bradbury commented that there was a need to go into a short closed session to discuss a legal issue. She added that the open session would resume at 8:30 a.m. in the morning, August 30, 2010.
5. 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. Ms. Bradbury 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 during a recess of this August 29, 2010, meeting of the Board of Governors to consider items of business pursuant to:
a. R.S.Mo. 610.021(1). “Legal actions, causes of action, or litigation involving a public governmental body…”
Mr. Duggan moved the approval of the resolution and Mr. Winston seconded the motion.
A roll call vote on the resolution was as follows: those voting in favor – Governors Bradbury, Duggan, Elliott, Hammons, Kimbrough, Sheid, Smith, Washington, and Winston; those voting against – none.
Ms. Bradbury declared the resolution passed unanimously and the open session was recessed at 4:05 p.m.
The meeting resumed at 8:30 a.m. on August 30, 2010
6. Proposed 2010-2011 Goals (continued):
g. Ensure the Athletics Program is positioned to meet the goals established by the University. This goal includes: 1) monitoring Title IX status and its challenges; 2) identifying facility needs and developing a plan to address those needs; and 3) ensuring that all sports meet NCAA academic standards.
h. Meet and exceed the $125 million goal of the “Our Promise: Campaign for Missouri State.” As the current campaign comes to a conclusion in 2012, the planning for our next major fund-raising effort will begin. The fund-raising support role of College Deans will continue. The placement of future development officers in the Kansas City and St. Louis areas will be reviewed.
i. Continue to advance economic development and community impact through the IDEA Commons, JVIC, and other collaborations. Progress will be made with the Robert W. Plaster Center for Free Enterprise and Business Development, Brick City, and JVIC facilities.
During the discussions on the proposed nine goals, the governors’ comments led to the following major changes:
- Similar to the Positioning Statement, where appropriate, ensure that the goals encompass the entire Missouri State University System.
- Add a goal to “Create a positive, collegial environment for faculty and staff on all campuses.” This goal should include: developing a comprehensive compensation plan for all System faculty and staff; engaging the faculty and staff more fully in major decisions, such as the long-range plan and budget process; improving communication with faculty and staff on major issues; improving relationships with the Faculty and Staff Senates; and identifying appropriate productivity metrics to gauge faculty and staff effectiveness.
- Include the various Intercollegiate Athletics goal statements within the other goals, resulting in the number of proposed goals for 2010-2011 remaining at nine.
7. Working Relationship Between the Board and President --- Dr. Cofer asked if the governors wanted him to continue contacting them individually prior to each board meeting. A few governors requested that this contact remain in place while a few others indicated that it was not necessary. It was unanimously agreed that governors should be contacted regarding any major issue or event. The governors also indicated that they wanted to know when Dr. Cofer was to be in their part of the State.
8. Date of Next Meeting --- The date of the next regularly scheduled meeting was set for Friday, October 22, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. on the Springfield Campus.
9. Adjournment--- Ms. Bradbury adjourned the meeting at 10:30 a.m. on the motion of Mr. Kimbrough, the second of Ms. Sheid, and the unanimous vote of the Board.
John W. McAlear
Secretary