January 19, 2008

1. Roll Call
Present- Mr. Michael Duggan, Vice Chair
Mr. Gordon Elliott, Governor
Mr. Brian Hammons, Governor (by conference call)
Ms. Mary Sheid, Chair
Mr. Ryan Sivill, Student Governor
Ms. Cathy Smith, Governor
Ms. Phyllis Washington, Governor
Mr. John Winston, Governor

Also
Present- Michael Nietzel, President
Belinda McCarthy, Provost
Jim Baker, Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Brent Dunn, Vice President for University Advancement
Greg Burris, Vice President for Administrative and Information Services
Paul Kincaid, Chief of Staff
Clif Smart, General Counsel
John McAlear, Secretary of the Board

2. Presiding --- The presiding officer for the meeting was Ms. Mary Sheid, Chair of the Board of Governors. She called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. in the seventh-floor conference room in the Roy Blunt Jordan Valley Innovation Center in Springfield, Missouri.

3. 2007-2008 Twelve Priorities Update --- Dr. Michael Nietzel, with assistance from members of his administrative team gave the following updates on the 2007-2008 twelve priorities coming out of the Boards’ summer retreat:

Goal 1 – Progress on capital projects
Mr. Greg Burris reported that progress has been made on every project included in the goal – FREUP, Jordan Valley Innovation Center, JQH Arena, University Recreation Center, Public-Private student housing, and the Arts complex. He also reported that the target completion date for the renovations to Kemper Hall for the engineering program is Fall of 2009. On the plan to charge those employees who choose to use the Recreation Center, Mr. Duggan questioned whether free usage of the facility could fit into our campus wellness initiative. Dr. Nietzel responded that with the students paying a fee every semester for this facility, it was decided that it would not be fair to allow free use to the employees. He added that this would be looked at again.

Goal 2 – Improve retention/graduation rates
Dr. Belinda McCarthy reported that our Freshman-to-Sophomore retention rate is 74.3% over six years – our goal is to reach 80%. In a 2006-2007 Freshman-Sophomore attrition study we have 309 respondents out of 693 non-returning students. At the present time, we are analyzing this information. In First-Year Experience initiatives, we will put even more emphasis on public affairs in the SOAR program. We will be having more Deans, Department Chairs, and other Academic Administrators teaching the first-year course, IDS 110. Also, using GoalQuest will enable students to be contacted through the computer as opposed to being contacted by paper. To aid our faculty, we plan on increasing and varying professional development options in our Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.

Goal 3 – Strategically expand distance learning
Dr. McCarthy summarized the new distance learning programs to be completed in 2008 – BSN-RN completion program; MSN – Nurse Educator; and MS Project Management. Mr. Thomas Lightner is the university’s new leader in distance learning.

Goal 4 – Develop research infrastructure and environment
Dr. Jim Baker reported that the number of research proposals submitted (146) and the awards received (almost $9 million) through December 2007 are both up when compared to the same time period last year. Mr. Paul Kincaid next reported that our FY08 federal awards total $17,122,088 with all three campuses sharing in the total (JVIC-related projects account for $15,200,000 of this total). He remarked that we are very pleased with our new federal lobbyist – Patton Boggs, LLP. Dr. Nietzel summarized that earmark appropriations will be decreasing in the future and we expect Patton Boggs to help us in aligning with agency initiatives.

Goal 5- Establish new degree programs
Dr. McCarthy reported that Preparing To Care funds will help enhance current programs (Physician’s Assistant and our nursing programs on both the Springfield and West Plains campuses). It is also anticipated that we might exceed ten Springfield students in the planned Pharmacy program partnership with UMKC. She reported that Dr. Madeleine Kernen is the new acting director of the International Center. She ended by reporting that the funding is in place for the Cooperative Engineering Program.

Goal 6 – Launch new comprehensive campaign; increase opportunities for alumni outreach; increase national presence
Mr. Brent Dunn first reported that through the first six months of this fiscal year, we have received $7.9 million in gifts – an increase of about $1 million when compared to the same time period last year. He added that the Miller Group Worldwide will complete its feasibility study on our next comprehensive campaign in February 2008 – they have conducted forty interviews with friends and donors of Missouri State. He also reported that we have increased the number of alumni events with receptions being held throughout the nation – Washington, D.C., Tulsa, Southern California, and Denver. We plan on visiting Naples, Fla., and the Atlanta area in the next few months. Mr. Kincaid next briefed the Board on the planned 2008 Community Caravan where we plan on visiting eight different southwest Missouri communities the first two weeks of April. He also reported on the newly formed Public Relations/Marketing Advisory Group which will meet quarterly to address specific issues – the first two issues are the JQH Arena season ticket sales and merchandising of MSU.

Goal 7 – Assess and improve campus safety and security
Mr. Burris reported that a mass notification system has been purchased and voluntary sign-up will occur this Spring. Installation and upgrade of classroom door locks is planned for FY09. He added that they also plan on approaching the City of Springfield concerning one additional Springfield Police Department officer on campus.

Goal 8 – Finish the public scorecard
Dr. Nietzel reported on the items completed and added to the scorecard since his report to the Board at their October 2007 meeting – 1) the number and percentage of students in community service; 2) the number of faculty winning national awards; 3) the number and percentage of international enrollment; and 4) the number of graduates meeting the workforce development and professional education needs of the community. He added that Missouri State will participate in VSA (Voluntary System of Accountability) a nationwide initiative that focuses on: 1) consumer information including cost of education and student success and program measures; 2) student experiences and perceptions; and 3) student learning outcomes. About ten percent of the nation’s four-year higher education institutions will participate in this initiative.

Goal 9 – Assess and refine financial aid and tuition policies
Dr. Nietzel reported that applications are anticipated to be down some due to the lower number of high school students. Under the new state statute, we can’t raise our tuition more than the Urban CPI which is 4.08%. He indicated that we are looking at a little under 4% for a proposed increase. He also indicated that with the increase in the State’s Access Missouri scholarship program, we are looking at expanding our Missouri State Promise program by increasing the income level of eligibility from the poverty level to maybe 110% to 115% of the poverty level. He ended his report by indicating that we are looking at instituting Operation Promise – a scholarship program for disabled veterans since 2001.

Goal 10 – Follow through and fund initiatives
Dr. McCarthy first reported that the fourteen 2007-08 funded Futures projects focus on three areas of emphasis – 1) material science, 2) water, and 3) health, education and social welfare. She indicated that we already have 20 students enrolled in the new Information Technology Service Management program. She also informed the Board of a challenge that we will face in the next 3-5 years – more than 60 faculty retirements are anticipated. There will be a massive number of retirees in higher education across the nation. We have received $97,000 in federal funding for this summer’s Innovation Academy and we have 40 applications as of January 7, 2008. Mr. Burris next reported that we are presently in the process of implementing a new staff compensation system. He also reported that the massive thirty-month ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) project is well under way with the first module (budgeting) to be implemented in February 2008. The advancement module will be the last module to be implemented (in June 2009).

Goal 11 – Promote ethnic diversity
Dr. Nietzel reported that Fall 2007 enrollment numbers (undergraduates and graduates) show an increase in the numbers of all minority classifications of students except for Native American. He also reported that we are about to partner with the Wyman Center in St. Louis (a national youth development organization that is preparing youth from disadvantaged circumstances to lead successful lives) in providing scholarship funds to students who have completed their program. He ended his report by reminding the Board that there is a ballot initiative to ban state and local government affirmative action programs.

Goal 12 – Maintain a successful intercollegiate athletics program
Dr. Nietzel reported that we have reached our commitment of raising an additional $5 million in JQH Arena gifts to complement Mr. Hammons’ gift. We anticipate at least another $1.1 million in additional gifts toward the project budget and have already received $2.2 million in gifts pledged beyond the original project budget bringing the expected grand total of all gifts and pledges to $8.3 million. He then mentioned that the Special Review Panel on Intercollegiate Athletics, formed when some student-athletes had some legal problems, was asked to submit its report by March 1, 2008. He also added that only the Baseball program failed to equal or exceed the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate Threshold – baseball will lose a 1.0 scholarship equivalency over the next two years. A new position in Sports Information has been added to improve the intercollegiate athletics web site.

4. Succession Planning --- Dr. Nietzel next defined the concept of succession planning as the process of identifying and preparing suitable employees through strategic planning, assessment, mentoring, and training to replace key players. It involves a process that recruits employees, develops their skills and abilities, and prepares them for advancement, all the while retaining them to ensure a return on the organization’s training investment. It provides a strong rationale for institutions investing in professional development. Dr. Nietzel thanked the Board for raising the subject of succession planning as we needed to start thinking about this concept. He added that one kind of succession planning approach will not work for an entire institution. There will be numerous faculty members who do not aspire to become an academic leader – they want to stay in the classroom or the laboratory. As far as the administration’s strategy to address this concept, Dr. Nietzel proposed the following: a) specific departmental assessments; b) mentoring and other professional developmental programs; c) three-year hiring plans; and d) early or phased retirement opportunities.

5. Association of Governing Boards Annual Conference --- Ms. Sheid next commented that she had asked Mr. McAlear to draft a proposed policy on board members’ attendance at the Association of Governing Boards (AGB) annual conferences. There was discussion on whether the Board should limit themselves to only two national conferences fully covered by the Board’s budget during their term as a governor (as proposed). Since it was decided that the AGB conference was a very high quality annual conference that keeps board members abreast of current higher education issues, the proposed policy was amended to consist of the following four points:

a. The Board should have a goal of having at least two of its members in attendance at the AGB annual National Conference in Trusteeship held every spring with the University paying for the conference-related expenses (for example – registration, travel, lodging, and meals).

b. Governors should attempt to attend the National Conference as early in their six-year term as possible.

c. Individual governor’s attendance at other AGB workshops and forums at the University’s expense must first be approved by the Chair of the Board.

d. Governors attending conferences, workshops, and/or forums should report back to the Board on those issues presented to benefit those governors not attending.

Mr. Hammons moved the adoption of the amended proposal (Board Policies No. 52-08) with Mr. Elliott providing the second to the motion.

Motion passed 7-0.

During the discussion of this topic, it was suggested that a report of the Board’s annual expenditures be presented at the Finance Committee meeting in March.

6. 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. Sheid 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 January 19, 2008 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…”

b. R.S.Mo. 610.021(3). “Hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting an employee of a public governmental body.”

c. R.S.Mo. 610.021(13). “Individually identifiable personnel records, performance ratings, or records pertaining to employees or applicants for employment,…”

Ms. Washington moved the approval of the resolution and Mr. Duggan seconded the motion.

A roll call vote on the resolution was as follows: those in favor – Governors Duggan, Elliott, Hammons, Sheid, Smith, Washington, and Winston; those voting against – none.

Ms. Sheid declared the resolution passed unanimously.

7. Date of Next Meeting --- The date of the next regularly scheduled meeting was set for Friday, March 14, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. in the Magnolia Room of the West Plains Civic Center, West Plains, Missouri.

8. Adjournment--- Ms. Sheid adjourned the meeting at 3:15 p.m. on the motion of Mr. Elliott, the second of Mr. Duggan, and the unanimous vote of the Board.


John W. McAlear
Secretary