Infrastructure

Vision

Mindful of the importance of sustainability and accessibility, Missouri State University provides facilities and information services that advance teaching, learning, research, service and operations.

Campus is the home-away-from-home for students for several years. Faculty and staff spend more waking hours on campus than they do at home. Campus is where faculty educate students and prepare them to succeed in their careers and in life, complete their research, and where faculty and staff explain and model the university’s statewide mission in public affairs.

Student learning depends on infrastructure, including facilities, personal safety and cybersecurity, accessibility and technology, especially as online and distance learning continue to expand. The commitment to sustainability matters. Creating a positive environment for students, faculty and staff is an important priority for Missouri State, an environment that encourages students and employees to adopt healthy lifestyles and seek appropriate work-life balance.

The next five years will require organizational agility as Missouri State strives to respond to changing conditions, new developments and emerging opportunities. The university will begin the process by assessing its current situation and identifying gaps that need to be addressed, as well as opportunities that should be seized.

Safety

Missouri State strives to be a safe and secure campus, the result of a variety of initiatives: a fully staffed Springfield Police Substation located on campus, an around-the-clock safety staff, an extensive lighting system, a comprehensive shuttle system, an expanding video surveillance system, training on responding to emergencies and a deep-seated commitment by university leaders. There is no higher priority for the university than creating and maintaining a safe and secure campus for its students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Facilities

Missouri State’s campus is as functional as it is beautiful. It has grown and developed over the years — in the past 20 years, for example, the square footage of the buildings on the Springfield campus has nearly doubled.

The facilities represent the university’s largest single investment — the total value of the buildings and grounds on all campuses is estimated to be $1.28 billion. A major challenge is to protect and leverage that investment. Managing deferred maintenance promises to be an on-going challenge.

Other issues include efficiently scheduling existing facilities and funding new facilities to accommodate enrollment growth. In all cases, the facilities will be made accessible to all students, including those with disabilities.

Technology

Technology is key to student learning today and in the future. Online environments for teaching, learning and working are evolving rapidly. Use of data and analytics is expanding. Techniques such as data centers and cloud storage are being implemented.

Missouri State’s goal is to provide the state-of-the-art technology Missouri State graduates will use in their careers. To achieve this goal, the university will work to develop a flexible infrastructure that can quickly accommodate emerging technologies and support user needs. The issues are likely to deal with mobility, accessibility, wireless access, reliability, band width and, as always, cost.

Cybersecurity is a growing concern for all colleges and universities. Missouri State will continue its vigilance in preventing identity theft, cyber-terrorism, online fiscal malfeasance and other security threats.

Sustainability

Today’s students are passionate about sustainability, sustainable living and "sustainable communities," all of which focus on environmental and economic sustainability, urban infrastructure, social equity and municipal government. Students at Missouri State and across the country have voiced their support for sustainability and championed sustainability initiatives.

Missouri State will take into account the sustainability impact in all of its major decisions. All members of the university will be encouraged to make sustainable decisions in day-to-day activities.

The university will emphasize sustainable and efficient use of its facilities, seeking high ratings from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). In addition, the university will efficiently use water and energy, including heating and cooling systems, and continue to improve its recycling and waste management programs. Missouri State also will consider expanding its investment in sustainability by exploring alternative sources of energy, rain water reclamation and other environmentally friendly practices, especially as the lag time on return on investment (ROI) declines.

Transportation

Issues of parking and transportation will require increasing attention, particularly as campus enrollment grows and as facilities are added that are not within easy walking distance of the campus core. While being environmentally friendly, transportation alternatives — mass transit, shuttles, walking, bicycles, personal transportation devices and so forth — produce their own challenges. To address these issues, Missouri State must continue to collaborate with city, regional and state authorities to improve transportation options.

Strategic priorities

• Maintain the strong commitment to make people, campuses, equipment, networks and data safe and secure.
• Take necessary actions so Missouri State’s facilities meet current and foreseeable needs. 
• Act intentionally to keep the information technology innovative, accessible and useful.
• Through education and community outreach, instill the sustainability values and skills of socially, economically and environmentally responsible citizenship.

University goals

• Take necessary measures to ensure the campus — including people, facilities, networks and data — remains safe and secure.
• Manage facilities and deferred maintenance to meet enrollment demands and sustain quality programs.
• Evaluate and strengthen the plan to enhance technology infrastructure to better serve the university community.
• Incorporate sustainability into campus operations, while also fostering principles of environmental stewardship among university employees and students.
• Increase partnerships on issues and opportunities related to Missouri State’s campuses, safety, sustainability and information technology.