MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
September 18, 2013
1. Roll Call:
Present - Mr. Peter Hofherr, Governor (by conference call)
Mr. Steve Hoven, Governor (by conference call)
Ms. Beverly Miller, Vice-Chair of the Board (by conference call)
Absent - Mr. Orvin Kimbrough, Chair of the Board
Also
Present - Clif Smart, President
Paige Jenkins, Student Governor
Ken McClure, Vice President for Administrative and Information Services
Steve Foucart, Chief Financial Officer
Jim Baker, Vice President for Research, Economic Development, and International Programs
Drew Bennett, Chancellor of the West Plains Campus (by conference call)
Penni Groves, General Counsel
Paul Kincaid, Chief of Staff
Matt Morris, Associate Vice President for Administrative and Information Services
Doug Sampson, University Architect and Director of Planning, Design and Construction
Kyle Moats, Director of Athletics
John McAlear, Secretary of the Board
2. Presiding – Ms. Beverly Miller, Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors, called the Executive Committee conference-call meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in Room 203 of Carrington Hall on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.
3. Approval of Minutes – Ms. Miller mentioned that the first item of business was the approval of the minutes for the open meeting of August 21, 2013. Mr. Hoven so moved, receiving the second of Mr. Hofherr.
Motion passed 3-0.
4. President – President Clif Smart presented a resolution (Item III.A.) approving a revision to Governing Policy G1.03 - Officers of the University. He explained that this resolution consisted of routine housekeeping items - some officer positions were added, some positions were deleted, and some job titles and duties were revised. Mr. Hoven moved for approval, receiving the second of Mr. Hofherr.
Motion passed 3-0.
President Smart next presented a resolution (Item III.B.) approving the addition of a women’s tennis program to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. He reminded the committee members that this was discussed at the Board’s August 1, 2013, retreat, but we could not move forward with this action until after the veto session of the legislature. Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of House Bill 253 was not overridden, so he released the $4.4 million from our FY14 appropriation that he had previously withheld. Mr. Kyle Moats, Director of Athletics, commented that it was nine months ago that President Smart commissioned a task force of community, faculty, coaches, and staff to study the need to increase our participation numbers in athletics to determine the best way to achieve proportionality. He reminded the committee that we have already implemented one of the task force’s recommendations by adding an assistant coach in track to increase numbers in that sport. He added that, if approved, the women’s tennis team will begin varsity competition with the 2014-15 academic year with an estimated budget of about $236,000. They will be practicing and competing at the Cooper Sports Complex. Women’s Tennis is a head-count sport so they will be funding full scholarships for eight student-athletes.
Mr. Hofherr moved to approve the resolution, receiving the second of Mr. Hoven.
Motion passed 3-0.
5. Research, Economic Development, and International Programs – Dr. Jim Baker, Vice President for Research, Economic Development, and International Programs, reported that the first contract for the International Leadership and Training Center (ILTC) is to provide customized training for Qingdao University. The Center will host a group of 19 biotechnology students and one faculty member from September 15, 2013, to January 10, 2014. This project utilizes faculty and staff from the ILTC, the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, the Biology Department, and the School of Agricultural Sciences. The total budget for the contract is $176,500 including $50,000 for housing. Dr. Baker reported that bids were solicited from three hotels and the Best Western Rail Haven bid was selected as the lowest and best bid. He disclosed that the selected hotel is owned by Governor Gordon Elliott. Dr. Baker ended his report by mentioning that they are currently working on another 5 to 6 potential contracts.
6. Procurement and Financial – Mr. Steve Foucart, Chief Financial Officer, then presented a resolution summarizing Procurement Services Office activities from August 17, 2013, through September 13, 2013 (Item V.A.). These activities include one item needing approval and two items for informational purposes only. The items are:
1) Approval is requested to enter into three separate contracts covering the use of temporary employment services for a one-year contract period with four one-year renewals with an estimated annual cost of $190,000. Five bids were received and the University has previously contracted with the three entities selected; Express Employment Professionals, Penmac Staffing Services, and Nursefinders LLC.
2) For informational purposes, as just discussed by Dr. Baker, three hotels, meeting the location requirement for the ILTC project with Qingdao University, were provided RFQs (request for quotations) for student and faculty lodging. We are providing this as informational only since the selected hotel, Best Western Rail Haven, is owned by Governor Gordon Elliott.
3) For informational purposes, during the February 2013 Board meeting in West Plains, Dr. Gloria Galanes and Dr. Julie Combs presented a specific enrollment fee for the Department of Music with the goal of using these fees to become an All-Steinway school. This fee was approved in March and we have just purchased six Steinway pianos.
Ms. Miller asked for a motion to approve the temporary employment service item. Mr. Hofherr so moved, receiving a second from Mr. Hoven.
Motion passed 3-0.
7. West Plains Campus --- Dr. Drew Bennett, Chancellor of the West Plains Campus, presented a resolution (Item VI.A.) for the renewal of the Service Agreement with Downtown West Plains, Inc., d/b/a Ozarks Small Business Incubator for the period of October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014. This agreement provides space for the Missouri State University – West Plains Small Business Technology and Development Center at the incubator. He added that the resolution also permits for the renewal of the Service Agreement for subsequent terms.
Mr. Hofherr so moved with Mr. Hoven providing the second to the motion
Motion passed 3-0.
8. Facilities and Equipment --- Mr. Ken McClure, Vice President for Administrative and Information Services, next presented the following resolutions for the committee’s consideration:
Approval to increase the project budget for the vivarium addition at Temple Hall (Item VII.A.) The $137,000 increase brings the new total project budget to $3,337,000. This budget increase will fund the procurement and installation of a vivarium monitoring system. The system will allow the vivarium manager to monitor temperature, humidity, light, and air flow in the animal holding rooms. This system will assist in verifying compliance with research protocols and grant requirements. In addition, this increase will fund an upgrade to the temperature controls system in the vivarium to provide improved connectivity to the campus-wide facility management system. The additional funds will be provided from the Provost ($42,000); Vice President for Research, Economic Development, and International Programs ($80,000); and the Facilities maintenance operating budget ($15,000).
Approval of apartment lease contracts for International Faculty Housing with Elm Apartments, LLC. (Item VII.B.). The request is for one-year lease contracts, commencing August 1, 2013, for two housing apartments, each apartment having two single beds (total of four beds). The monthly base rent per bed is $425 making the total monthly rent payment for the two apartments $1,700. This lease provides international faculty housing for visiting scholars and exchange faculty. The Vice President for Research, Economic Development, and International Programs will be responsible for subleasing the apartment and will develop a chargeback fee structure for short-term stays. It is anticipated that the subleases will greatly reduce the overall lease paid by the University.
Ms. Miller first asked for a motion for the budget increase for the vivarium addition (Item VII.A.). Moved by Mr. Hoven and seconded by Mr. Hofherr. When asked if there were adequate funds from the three sources funding these project improvements, Mr. McClure explained that these items were much desired from the start of the project but had to be removed when the bids came in higher than expected. He added that Dr. Frank Einhellig, Provost, and Dr. Baker requested to add these items to the project as they both had located funding for these project improvements. It was explained that all three funding sources were adequate to pay for the improvements.
Motion passed 3-0.
Ms. Miller then asked for a motion for the apartment leases (Item VII.B.). Moved by Mr. Hofherr and seconded by Mr. Hoven.
Motion passed 3-0.
9. New Business – President Smart next announced that official fall enrollment numbers are in and we have set a new university system record with more than 23,800 students. This is at the same time when many other universities and colleges are down as the pool of new freshmen students was smaller this year. This is a signature accomplishment and the result of the great work of hundreds of our employees.
Mr. Hofherr asked if our new differential fee structure affected any of our enrollment numbers. President Smart responded that the new higher fees in the College of Business did not affect enrollment as the College of Business led all of our colleges in the number of additional students over last year. He added that the new differential fees in Music and Media, Journalism, and Film did not hurt their enrollments as their enrollment numbers, when compared to last year, were relatively flat.
Ms. Miller asked if the Board members could be provided with a comparison sheet showing the fees for all of the Missouri public universities. Mr. Foucart commented that he has something that he can send out to the Board members with this type of information.
10. Adjournment — Ms. Miller adjourned the conference-call meeting at 4:40 p.m. upon the motion of Mr. Hofherr, the second of Mr. Hoven, and the unanimous vote of the committee.
John W. McAlear
Secretary of the Board