Vol. 1, No. 5

In July, I appointed a number of task forces and committees to make recommendations about the University, its priorities, policies, and structure. In addition, previously appointed task forces were also completing work relevant to the HLC accreditation visit and the long-range plan. Reports from several of these groups have been received in the past month and have been posted on the University webpage or distributed in other ways. It is now time to summarize the results and implications of these reports and refine and initiate those next steps that appear warranted. In addition to these reports, changes in administrative personnel have taken place or will occur that could have implications for the University's organization. The unique joinder of these recommendations and personnel decisions affords us an opportunity to sharpen our focus on priorities, to streamline our University structure, and to gain some recurring budgetary savings that can be reallocated to institutional priorities.

As has been my practice, we will have a Town Hall Meeting on the organizational changes identified in this issue of Friday Focus. That Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for 3-4 p.m. on Tuesday, January 31, in the Theatre of Plaster Student Union. That will give you a few days to review this material before that meeting. Following our discussions, I will present my recommendations to the Board of Governors at the March meeting.

Intercollegiate Athletics Priorities Committee (IAPC)

The Report from the IAPC is on the web and has been well-publicized. It identified three possible scenarios for reducing the scope of the intercollegiate athletics program – one that eliminated three sports, a second that eliminated four sports, and a third that eliminated five sports. (See this web link for more information: http://www.missouristate.edu/president/iapriorities/)

Actions:

• Based on the recommendations of this committee, I concluded that the University should discontinue five varsity sports, effective June 30, 2006. At its December, 2005 meeting, the Board of Governors concurred and approved the elimination of these five sports. It is estimated that the eventual savings from these actions will total $300,000-350,000 per year. All athletes on any discontinued team will be able to continue on their scholarships through their individual periods of eligibility.
• In addition, I made a change in the reporting relationship for the Director of Athletics, who now will report directly to me rather than to Vice President Greg Onstot. This change, which became effective on January 1, 2006, will allow Vice President Onstot to focus more of his time on University advancement, particularly in the areas of development and alumni affairs.
• Finally, consistent with the recommendations of the IAPC, I will appoint an Athletics Facilities Planning Sub-committee, which will meet at least quarterly and provide input regarding the status and needs of athletic facilities to the University's Master Planning Committee.

Task Force on Missouri State University Futures

This report includes a number of recommendations and strategies, including: 1) the identification of 11 areas of research and scholarship as special targets of opportunity for the University; 2) the initiation of an internal RFP (Request for Proposals) by which Deans, on behalf of one or more colleges, can request and compete for new investments (faculty lines, graduate students support, renovations, etc.) in one or more of the priority areas; 3) the development of several areas of research infrastructure that will enable the University to increase the amount and quality of its research achievements; 4) an evaluation and possible modification of our Indirect Cost Recovery and allocation policies; 5) facilitation through policies and organization of multidisciplinary research efforts and successes; 6) the regular evaluation of the University's centers and institutes in a way that parallels the evaluation of academic departments. (See this web link for more information: http://www.missouristate.edu/president/futures/)

Actions:

• We will begin the RFP process immediately with the formation of an ad hoc committee, chaired by Vice President for Research and Economic Development Jim Baker, and composed of a subset of faculty drawn from the Futures Committee. This Committee will evaluate proposals and recommend which should be funded to the Provost, who will work with me to identify the funds that will be expended to support an initial group of proposals.

Mountain Grove Campus Task Force

This task force evaluated the scope of the Mountain Grove Campus and recommended that 1) the Mountain Grove Campus continue to be represented at Administrative Council through a Chancellor who would be either the Provost or the Vice President for Research and Economic Development; 2) clear lines of authority be established for the operations of the Mountain Grove campus to include the appointment of a Director or Coordinator of operations; and 3) policies be established and support be provided for the research and outreach missions of the campus and for improved communications between the campus and its external constituents. (See this web link for more information: http://www.missouristate.edu/mgtf/)

Actions:

• As a result of recommendations from both the Futures and Mountain Grove task forces, I have decided that closer connections must be forged between the Mountain Grove research enterprise and the various agricultural programs on the Springfield campus. Therefore, effective June 30, 2006, I will recommend to the Board that the School of Agricultural Sciences be discontinued, and the Department of Agriculture be reconstituted, merging the following units: Department of Agriculture, Department of Fruit Science, and the Mountain Grove Campus.
• Because of the importance of maintaining a strong presence in the Mountain Grove community and of ensuring system-wide visibility of the Mountain Grove Campus, the Provost will also serve as the Chancellor of that campus and represent it directly on the Administrative Council.
• I will recommend to the Board that we appoint a Director of Operations as a part-time responsibility for one of the current employees at the Mountain Grove campus.

Peers of Aspiration

The Ad Hoc Process Improvement Committee has identified a list of 13 public universities that could serve as benchmarks for Missouri State University. Reflecting the complexity of our University, this list includes a number of different kinds of institutions; some emphasize undergraduate education, others are stronger in terms of graduate and professional education: some are national in scope, others are more regional; some exceed our research achievements by a considerable magnitude, others are comparable in their research profile. The intent is for this group of institutions serve as an aspiration cohort that Missouri State can measure itself against in terms of important educational, research, and service accomplishments, as well as staffing levels. In addition, this group should serve to inform us about current standards and best practices in areas such as governance, faculty affairs, compensation, administrative processes, student life, and university advancement. (See this web site for more information: http://www.missouristate.edu/president/pic/)

Actions:

• Over the next two months, we intend to seek input from various groups and the campus community on this recommendation before taking a final set of benchmarks to the Board of Governors for its consideration. The Ad Hoc Process Improvement Committee has already presented the proposed list of Peers of Aspiration to Faculty Senate and Staff Senate to collect feedback.

Task Force on International Programs

This group considered several different models for improving the coordination of international activities at the University. Its recommendations were aimed at creating a more centralized and accountable organization of several offices that are currently dispersed and sometimes perceived as insufficiently responsive to the needs of international students. Citing a number of options for organization, the Task Force suggested the creation of an Office of International Programs that would report through the Office of the Provost and include: a) study away, b) support services, c) International Student Services, d) international education centers, e) those activities involved in the recruitment of students and the on-campus/community orientation and integration of international students, and e) Fulbright-related activities.

Actions:

• I will recommend to the Board that we form an Office of International Programs under the leadership of a new position, the Director of International Programs. This Director will report to an Associate Provost. This office will centralize the following programs: Study Away, Support Services for International Faculty, International Academic Centers, Fulbright activities, and all international education MOUs and exchange programs. (At the current time, International Student Services will continue to report to the Vice President for Student Affairs, but will concentrate all of its efforts on admissions-related requirements, retention programs, and procedures for international students. The office will be renamed International Student Admissions and Retention.)
• The Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School will continue all current duties, and in addition, will assume responsibility for supervision of the Director of the Office of International Programs.
• I will recommend that a Director of International Programs be appointed as a 50-percent administrative effort by a senior faculty member.

Other Organizational Changes

University College

Last week's retirement of Dean Curt Lawrence, coupled with the continuing implementation and evolution of the Provost model, gives us a chance to reduce administrative overhead and centralize several international programs, as has been recommended.

Actions:

• Specifically, effective July 1, 2006, I will recommend that the current offices of University College and the various offices involved in international services and activities all be assigned to the Provost, with oversight provided by one of three existing Associate Provosts.
• I will recommend that the current Associate Dean of University College become the Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Studies and report to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education (currently, Dr. Tammy Jahnke). The Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Studies will be responsible for the direct oversight of Honors College (which will need a new director in place on July 1), Writing Center, General Education, Advisement Center. Academic Assistance, and Student Success.
• I will recommend that a Director of the Honors Program be appointed as a 50-percent administrative effort by a senior faculty member.
• I will recommend that the current Collegiate Reading and Learning Programs and the Pre-College Summer Academy be discontinued, effective June 30, 2006.

TRIO Programs

I believe it is to our advantage to integrate all TRIO programs at the University.

Actions:

• Effective February 1, pending final approval from the Board, the TRIO Student Support Services report to Don Aripoli, Vice President for Student Affairs, along with Upward Bound.

Public Affairs

I believe it is important to integrate the Public Affairs mission and activities into the overall academic structure and priorities of the University.

Actions:

• Effective February 1, pending final approval from the Board, the Assistant to the President for Public Affairs will become Assistant to the Provost for Public Affairs and become a member of Academic Council.

Estimated Savings

As a result of these changes, the position of Dean of University College will be eliminated as will certain staff positions in University College to be determined later. A Director of Honors will need to be appointed as will a Director of International Programs. Both of these latter positions should require about 50-percent administrative effort by a senior faculty member. I estimate the ultimate net, recurring savings from these changes to be approximately $250,000.

I invite your comments and suggestions on these matters. Because of their importance to the University, I plan to discuss some of them in numerous venues before final decisions are made. Together with the reports and decisions yet to come from the Compensation Committee, the Public Health Task Force, and the President's Commission on Diversity, we should have an energizing and significant semester.

Send Comments to the President's Office