Mountain Grove Campus Task Force
Final Report Executive Summary
December 15, 2005
The Mountain Grove Task Force was charged with determining the role the campus will play in support of the Missouri State University System. Specifically, assess what is the best focus or direction for research and scholarship at the campus that will foster prominent, influential and significant programs.
This report covers three main aspects of the Mountain Grove campus: (1) the place it holds in the Missouri State University System, (2) education/outreach/research/service, and (3) physical plant needs. System issues include campus representation, budget, local coordination, housing, and MVEC partnerships. The second section includes all strengths, concerns and recommendations related to education and outreach, research, and service. Infrastructure issues related to the physical plant include property and facilities, equipment, technology, and other needs.
The Task Force recommends that the Mountain Grove Campus have a voice at Administrative Council and that this may be in the form of a chancellor, however, the task force did not feel qualified to recommend whether the chancellor should be the Provost or the Vice-President of Research and Economic Development - or a new position. This recommendation should come from a broader-based task force.
The Task Force also recommends that clear lines of authority be developed with up-to-date position descriptions, including a coordinator who will manage campus resources and act as an available liaison to the community. In addition, recommendations have been made to address the reasons employees choose to live outside the Mountain Grove area and the effect they have on recruitment, and the development of MVEC partnerships.
The Mountain Grove community would like to support the Mountain Grove Campus in a significant way. Faculty and staff on the Mountain Grove Campus have developed and nurtured many partnerships with fruit growers, research collaborators, and others. Communication with all external and internal constituents (including the Springfield and West Plains campuses) on an on-going basis will allow for enhanced partnerships and support.
The Mountain Grove campus is an important part of the academic mission of Missouri State University. The recommendations from the Task Force are designed to bring the research conducted at the campus into international prominence, provide a practical and innovative environment for graduate students and post-doctoral scholars, and maintain a communicating, working relationship with the community and the area
Physical plant needs have a major impact in support of the academic endeavors at the campus Recommendations address the direction research should take, the information technology needed to support the research (as well as administrative IT needs), and the academic/industrial outreach that results from that research. Other recommendations cover the equipment needs of the campus and the grounds maintenance that is outwardly visible to the community.