December 10, 2020 - Official Minutes - Board of Governors

Minutes of the
Board of Governors Meeting
Missouri State University
Thursday, December 10, 2020, 1:00 p.m.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89096049343

1. Roll Call

Present:

Mr. Craig Frazier, Chair
Ms. Amelia “Amy” Counts, Governor
Mr. Briar Douglas, Student Governor
Mr. Gabriel E. Gore, Governor
Ms. Beverly Miller Keltner, Governor
Ms. Lynn Parman, Governor
Ms. Carol Silvey, Governor
Ms. Carrie Tergin, Governor
Mr. Chris Waters, Governor

Absent:

Mr. Jay Wasson, Governor

Also Present:

Mr. Clifton M. Smart III, President
Dr. Jim Baker, Vice President for Research and Economic Development & International Programs
Ms. Donna Christian, Director of Internal Audit and Risk Management (via webinar)
Mr. Jeff Coiner, Chief Information Officer (via webinar)
Mr. Ryan DeBoef, Chief of Staff and Assistant to the President for Governmental Relations
Ms. Rachael Dockery, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer
Mr. Brent Dunn, Vice President for University Advancement (via webinar)
Dr. Frank Einhellig, Provost
Mr. Steve Foucart, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. David Hall, Director of University Safety
Dr. Rob Hornberger, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Services
Dr. Dennis Lancaster, Interim Chancellor of the West Plains Campus
Mr. Kyle Moats, Director of Athletics
Mr. Matt Morris, Vice President for Administrative Services
Ms. Tara Orr, Student Body President
Dr. Michelle Olsen, Director of Institutional Research
Mr. Wes Pratt, Chief Diversity Officer and Assistant to the President
Ms. Suzanne Shaw, Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Dr. Dee Siscoe, Vice President for Student Affairs
Ms. Rowena Stone, Secretary to the Board of Governors
Dr. Barri Tinkler, Associate Dean of the College of Education
Dr. Cameron Wickham, Chair of Faculty Senate
Mr. Mark Wheeler, University Architect and Director of Planning, Design & Construction

2. Presiding – The presiding officer for the meeting was Mr. Craig Frazier, Chair of the Board of Governors. He called the meeting to order at 1:03 p.m. in the Bond Learning Center Ballroom at the Missouri State University Darr Agriculture Center. The meeting was livestreamed via Zoom webinar.

3. Approval of Minutes – Mr. Frazier mentioned that the first item of business was the approval of the minutes for the open and closed meetings of October 16, 2020. Ms. Lynn Parman so moved, receiving a second from Ms. Carol Silvey.

Motion passed 8-0.

4. Consent Agenda – Mr. Frazier noted that the next item of business on the agenda was the approval of the Consent Agenda. The items included in the Consent Agenda are:

President:

Approval of Employment Agreement for Athletics (Human Resources No. 1662-20)

Procurement and Financial:

Approval of Procurement Activity Report (Purchasing Activity Report No. 496-20)
Approval of transfer of fifteen tracts of land in Taney County from the MSU Foundation to the Board of Governors of Missouri State University (Land No. 124-20)

Facilities and Equipment:

Approval of the Second Amendment to Single Site Agreement – Joplin (Amendment) by and between SBA Structures, LLC and the Board of Governors of Missouri State University for the renewal, amendment, and supplementation of the current broadcast tower lease for KSMU-Joplin (Agreement No. 442-20)

Human Resources:

Approval of Actions Concerning Academic Employees (Human Resources No. 1663-20)
Approval of Actions Concerning Non-Academic Employees (Human Resources No. 1664-20)

West Plains Campus:

Approval of Actions Concerning Non-Academic Employees (West Plains Campus Personnel No. 456-20)

Ms. Silvey made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda, receiving a second from Ms. Amy Counts.

Motion passed 8-0.

5. Making Our Missouri Statement Moment – Board of Governors Citizen Scholar Award Recipients – Dr. Dee Siscoe, Vice President for Student Affairs, read the Citizen Scholar resolution (Award No. 95-20) and requested approval of the following students as Citizen Scholars for 2020-2021: James Cayley, Alye Darter, Allison Garrett, Sarah Gray, Rachael Ingram, and Lyndsey Parker. A motion was made by Ms. Beverly Miller Keltner and seconded by Ms. Counts.

Motion passed 8-0.

6. Committee Reports:

Mr. Frazier reported on the November 18, 2020, Executive Committee meeting. During the meeting, President Clif Smart updated the committee on the university’s plans and actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. President Smart also presented a FY2021 budget update to the committee that included a plan to use recently released state funding for a full-time faculty and staff $600 per year compensation increase. Additional plans for the funds included an adjustment to the university’s staff salary ranges to keep up with market conditions and to temporarily restore part of the university’s facility repairs and classroom upgrades budget. The committee was favorable of the plan and encouraged President Smart to move forward with it. The committee also approved a procurement activity report that included journal subscription renewals, equipment, furnishings, and facility updates to comply with public health emergency guidelines at the efactory and JVIC, insurance contracts related to employee benefits, and stop loss reinsurance for the university’s employee group medical plan. Lastly, the committee awarded the construction contract for the Springfield Public Schools agriculture magnet school at the Darr Agriculture Center to Larry Snyder & Company.
Ms. Counts reported on the Risk Management and Audit Committee meeting. Ms. Kim Hamm, Mr. Kyle Miller, and Mr. Matt Cash of BKD presented results of the independent audit for fiscal year 2020 and management letter review. BKD advised the university had a clean audit. There were no reportable matters related to alternative accounting treatment or auditor’s judgements about the quality of the entity’s accounting principles. There were no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies reported during the audit.
Ms. Carrie Tergin reported on the Finance and Facilities Committee meeting. During the meeting, President Smart, Ms. Natalie McNish, and Mr. Steve Foucart presented a review of CARES Act Funds awarded to the university. President Smart and Mr. Foucart also presented a FY2021 budget update, sharing the Springfield operating fund is $5.5 million ahead of budget and the West Plains operating fund is $300,000 ahead of budget. These totals include more than $4.5 million in university reserves that were allocated when the board originally approved the FY2021 budget in June. Additional discussion occurred on the approval of a budget adjustment that will be voted on later in the meeting. President Smart and Mr. Foucart also presented a new tuition and fee model for discussion that has the same tuition rate for seated and online classes. The committee discussed and provided feedback on the proposed model, approving the university to continue to work on a formal proposal to be voted on by the board in the spring. Mr. Foucart reviewed year-to-date financials and Mr. Brent Dunn provided a development report from the foundation.
Ms. Silvey reported on the Programs and Planning Committee meeting. The committee discussed and updated criteria for selection of citizen scholars. Dr. Dee Siscoe moderated a panel discussion with this year’s citizen scholar award recipients. The committee received an update on strategic enrollment management and reviewed the final version of the university’s strategic enrollment management plan. Approval of the plan will be voted on later in the meeting. The committee received an update on the long-range plan in regard to the steering committee’s work with the university’s strategic partner, EAB. The university has conducted a series of webinars, workshops, and brainstorming sessions that will form the basis for a draft long-range plan that will be presented to the board for approval next summer.

7. Presidents Report

Preview Winter Graduations – President Smart shared that on Friday, December 11, 2020, the university will graduate 1,568 students in three ceremonies at JQH Arena. This total number of graduates includes 1,142 undergraduate and 426 graduate, 14 of which are doctorates. He highlighted that Bronze Bear Award recipients Robert and Marlese Gourley will be featured at the 9 a.m. ceremony and Government Excellence Award recipient Mayor Ken McClure will speak at the 5 p.m. ceremony. He commented that the university has worked to make commencement as safe as possible by socially distancing all participants, requiring masks, and limiting the size of the audience.
COVID-19 Update – President Smart shared information about COVID-19 cases, testing, and campus housing numbers for the fall semester on the Springfield campus. He commented that the numbers reflect how the university was able to manage the semester safely and successfully. He shared that the university has updated five policies for the spring semester that include the masking, testing, emergency paid leave, events, and return-to-campus and travel policies. Additional adjustments for spring include modality of delivering classes with one-third still being offered in a traditional, seated format and additional classroom upgrades to offer more blended and online formats. He shared that the biggest change for spring is that the university will have the ability to do significantly more testing, including that all students living in the residence halls will be tested upon their return to campus. The university will also start doing wastewater testing. He commented that the university is potentially a holding site for the Pfizer vaccine as well as a distribution point that will allow the university to begin vaccinating its own employees as early as the end of January. Lastly, he stated the university has better tools, more experience, and additional help coming in order to continue to operate as planned in the spring.
Government Relations Update – President Smart shared a government relations update. General Assembly will start a new session in January and the university will focus on two main legislative priorities. The first being core restoration. For the past two years, the university’s core operating appropriation has been $94 million; however, a significant amount of funding was withheld in each of these years due to the pandemic. Missouri State’s top priority is to receive the full $94 million operating appropriation in the coming fiscal year.

President Smart shared that a part of this priority involves the sources of the university’s funding. In FY2020, core appropriation was funded from two sources - general revenue and lottery funds. Last year, the General Assembly found a creative solution to avoid cutting the university’s core operating appropriation. They created a third funding source called the budget stabilization fund. This made $8.4 million of core funding contingent on the state receiving a Medicaid reimbursement. That contingency occurred, and the university is working with Governor Parson in hopes of receiving those funds this fiscal year. He shared that while the budget stabilization fund was a good idea, it was a single year solution. The university will advocate this year that its core appropriation returns to the way it has traditionally been sourced through general revenue and lottery funds.

President Smart stated the second priority relates to the new tuition and fee model discussed at the Finance and Facilities Committee meeting earlier in the day. He reviewed the remaining Legislative Guide materials that were distributed. Highlights of the other materials included a 50/50 matching funds request for renovations to Kampeter Hall and a matching funds request for the magnet school and small animal facility at Darr Agriculture Center. President Smart added that if the opportunity presents itself, the university will also advocate for funding for the JVIC expansion project which was approved for a MoExcels grant last year, but the grant was not funded during the appropriations process.

8. West Plains Campus – Dr. Dennis Lancaster, Interim Chancellor of the West Plains Campus, provided an update for the West Plains campus. Highlights of his report included updates on COVID-19 on campus, the advanced fabrication program, and the Title III cooperative grant.

9. Academic Affairs

Faculty Senate Report – Dr. Cameron Wickham, Chair of Faculty Senate, reported on Faculty Senate activities. Highlights of his report included a senate action summary, proposed changes to the faculty handbook, findings of the Faculty Senate Committee on University Budget and Priorities, and leadership lunches. Dr. Wickham concluded his report by reviewing the fall 2020 salary report card compiled by the Faculty Senate Committee on University Budget and Priorities included in the board materials. President Smart commented that administration and the board is committed to raising compensation as well as evaluating the dental proposals submitted by Faculty Senate.
Report from the Provost – Dr. Frank Einhellig, Provost, introduced Dr. Barri Tinkler. Dr. Tinkler will assume the role of Interim Dean of the College of Education for the next year and a half. A national search will be conducted next fall to fill the position. He shared that Dr. Tinkler currently serves as Associate Dean of the College of Education and Interim Department Head of Counseling, Leadership, and Special Education. Dr. Tinkler made remarks.

Dr. Einhellig discussed the faculty hiring processes initiated for fall 2021 appointments. The university currently has 742 full-time faculty. With the improved budget outlook, the university looks to fill additional faculty lines. He shared the ad that will be placed in the Chronicle of Higher Education to attract applicants.

Dr. Einhellig shared information on academic plans for the spring and summer 2021 semesters. He commented that the spring semester will look much like the current semester in that classes will be agile and diversified in how they are offered. In the registration process, just over 5,000 sections of classes are being offered in traditional (36%), online (24%), web-conferencing (9%), and blended (20%) formats. He added that these numbers may fluctuate over the semester as needed. Dr. Einhellig shared that over winter break, 60 additional classrooms will be equipped with Zoom capabilities. This will bring the total number of Zoom capable classrooms on campus to 140 out of 500. He commented that the university is planning for a primarily online summer. He added that before COVID, 64% of summer credit hours were online, but this last summer they were offered over 90%. As the demand of summer classes is likely to be high again, the Provost’s Office provided salary money from reserves to try and offer as many summer courses as can be filled with hopes of a robust summer semester.

Dr. Einhellig’s other updates pertained to the nursing and nurse anesthesia programs. Enrollment for the Nursing program has improved, and the spring semester has 199 students at the bachelor’s level. The completion program, which is primarily RNs returning to get earn a bachelor’s degree has almost doubled from last fall. He added that there are 2+2 agreements with OTC, Crowder College, and the West Plains campus for this program. Dr. Einhellig concluded his report by stating the Nurse Anesthesia Program has 150 students and the university is excited to have students back in Mercy facilities for clinical sites.

10. Student Affairs

Report from the Student Body President – Ms. Tara Orr, Student Body President, highlighted efforts made by the Student Government Association (SGA) for the past semester. Highlights of her report included SGA donating masks to local Springfield schools and the Bear Pantry, the annual campus safety walk, working on upgrades for shuttle services on campus, hosting a walk for freedom, creating a green elections guide for students, and creating a professional development week with the Career Center.

11. Financial

Mr. Steve Foucart, Chief Financial Officer, presented a resolution for Approval of FY2021 Internal Operating Budget Adjustments (Finance No. 1089-20). Adjustments to the FY2021 budget include:
1. A $600 across-the-board salary increase for full-time faculty and staff hired on or before November 30, 2020, with such increase to be effective as of January 1, 2021, for 12-month employees and February 1, 2021, for 9- and 10- month employees;
2. Adjustments to the university’s pay ranges commensurate with the calendar year 2019 employment cost index; and
3. A temporary, one-time restoration of funding in the budgets for facility repairs and classroom upgrades, in the amount of $660,535 for the Springfield campus and $50,361 for the West Plains campus.
Ms. Tergin moved to approve the resolution, receiving a second from Ms. Counts.

Motion passed 8-0.

12. Old Business – Updates on University Planning

Visioning Guide Update – Mr. Mark Wheeler, University Architect and Director of Planning, Design, and Construction, provided an update on the visioning guide. He shared that the university is consulting with a variety of architects who have experience in planning, design, and construction of higher education institutions and that he is planning to take tours of other campuses that are of similar size to Missouri State. Several diagrams and renderings of campus projects were viewed. He stated that the university has completed the analysis of the ADA masterplan, the College of Natural and Applied Sciences masterplan, the Residence Life Condition Assessment, and the Ann Kampeter Health Sciences Hall. Mr. Wheeler concluded his report by stating 80% of the first two phases of the visioning guide process have been completed and the university is on track to complete and published the guide prior to June 30, 2021.
Approval of Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan – Dr. Rob Hornberger, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Services, presented a resolution for Approval of the 2020-2026 Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan (Board Policies No. 126-20). Mr. Chris Waters provided a motion to approve the SEM Plan, receiving a second from Ms. Miller Keltner.

Motion passed 8-0.

13. New Business

A. Key Performance Indicator Update – Dr. Einhellig provided an overview of the history of key performance indicators (KPIs) at the university. He shared that the university uses key performance indicators, along with performance funding measures from the State of Missouri to monitor the university’s progress towards achieving the measurable goals set by the board and included in the long-range plan.

President Smart reviewed the measurable goals and targets set by the board. The four major areas include number of credentials awarded, first to second year retention rate, six-year graduation rates, and faculty and staff diversity. He shared the university’s progress on each of these goals:

Degrees and certificates awarded – the university had an original goal of 4,900 which was revised to 5,200 by fall 2021. The university has already achieved the revised goal.
First year to second year retention of first-time full-time new in college students – the university has stayed between 77% and 79% during the past five years. With the goal of 82% by fall 2021, the university has new plans, strategies, and people working on getting closer to the goal by this time next year.
- President Smart shared information on the subgoals for this area noting that there is work to be done in each area to hit the subgoals of 79% for each category of students.
Undergraduate six-year graduation rate – the university has already achieved the 2021 goal of 57%.
- President Smart commented that some progress has been made within each of the specific groups of students and believes the university will hit more of the targets by the end of the fall 2021 semester. He also shared data comparing Missouri State to other universities for this goal.
Historically underrepresented and international faculty and staff – the university had obtained the original goal of 14% which was revised to 16% by fall 2021.

Dr. Einhellig reported on the six state performance measures for the reporting timeframe of 2017 to present. These measures are intended to reflect student success, quality of learning, and institutional efficiency:

Completions per student FTE (full-time equivalent)
Student success/passing rate on licensure exams
Student placement after graduation (Career Outcomes)
Total (academic) core expenditures compared to total expenditures
Change in operating salary expenditure compared to median household income
Change in tuition and fee revenue collected from Missouri resident degree-seeking undergraduates compared to median household income

Dr. Einhellig shared that each year Missouri State has met all of these measures and when the data is reported to the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD) later this year, he anticipates again meeting these goals. The threshold for passing the first measure, completions per student FTE, is 25% and the university will report 34%. Passing the second performance measure above requires students taking licensure exams to pass at the rate of 90%, or above. The health-care programs where licensure pass rates were utilized have typically had pass rates at or near 100%. The third measure focuses on student placement after graduation. Passing this performance measure is achieved by having a knowledge rate above 60% and employment or further education placement above 75%. In most recent data, the university graduates (undergraduate only) outcomes exceeded these benchmarks with 89% knowledge rate and 90% placement.

The university’s core academic expenditures as a percent of total expenditures is 69% which exceeds the minimum threshold. The other two state performance measures are passed when the institutions change in salary expenditures and change in tuition/fee revenue are less than the percent increase in the Median Household Income. In both cases the percentage change for these variables at the university was below the change in the benchmark median household income.

Dr. Einhellig then provided an update on the status of long-range plan measurable goals. Highlights of his presentation included data on undergraduate cost of attendance, enrollment, grant and contract activity, and diversity of students, faculty, and staff. Dr. Einhellig called upon Dr. Michelle Olsen, Director of Institutional Research, to provide a live demonstration of how to navigate the KPI dashboards on the Office of Institutional Research’s website. President Smart commented how the dashboards help the university figure out how to engage students more and retain them.

Dr. Dennis Lancaster, provided an update on the state performance funding measures and KPIs for the West Plains campus. He shared that MDHEWD has stated that if performance measures are used this year to determine the percentage of any new state appropriations that the campus will only be measured by two of the typical six funding performance measures applied to the state’s community colleges. The West Plains campus met both of the measures for the current year, increasing its completion/transfer rates for full-time, first-time students from 30.1% to 33.9% and increasing the licensure/certification exam success rate from 95.2% to 96.9%. Additional highlights of his presentation included data on enrollment, retention and success, awards, licensures, and certifications, and workforce diversity.

B. Board Recognitions for Outgoing Board Members – President Smart presented three separate resolutions of recognition for Governors Gore (Recognition No.1-20), Miller Keltner (Recognition No. 2-20), and Tergin (Recognition 3-20). Governors Gore, Miller Keltner, and Tergin all made remarks. Mr. Frazier made a motion for approval of all of the resolutions, receiving a second from Ms. Counts.

Motion passed 8-0.

C. Approval of the 2021 Executive Committee to the Board of Governors – Mr. Frazier called upon Ms. Counts, Vice Chair of the Board of Governors, to announce the appointments to the Board of Governors committees. Ms. Counts called for Approval of the 2021 Executive Committee of the Board of Governors (Administration No. 50-20) as Ms. Amy Counts, Chair; Ms. Carol Silvey; Mr. Craig Frazier; and Mr. Chris Waters. Mr. Frazier provided a motion, receiving a second from Ms. Tergin.

Motion passed 8-0.

D. Announcement of Board Committee Appointments – Ms. Counts announced the appointments to the other 2021 Board of Governors committees. They are as follows:

The Risk Management and Audit Committee is comprised of Ms. Carol Silvey, Chair; Ms. Amy Counts; Ms. Lynn Parman; and Mr. Jay Wasson.
The Finance and Facilities Committee is comprised of Mr. Chris Waters, Chair, and all members of the Board of Governors.
The Programs and Planning Committee is comprised of Ms. Lynn Parman, Chair, and all members of the Board of Governors.
The Board representative to the Missouri State University Foundation is Mr. Craig Frazier.

14. 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. Mr. Frazier 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 during a recess of this December 10, 2020, meeting of the Board of Governors to consider items of business pursuant to:

R.S.Mo. 610.021(1). “Legal actions, causes of action, or litigation involving a public governmental body...”

Ms. Counts moved the approval of the resolution and Ms. Silvey seconded the motion.

A roll call vote on the motion was as follows: those voting in favor – Governors Counts, Frazier, Gore, Miller Keltner, Parman, Silvey, Tergin, and Waters; those voting against – none.

Motion passed 8-0.

The open meeting recessed at 4:43 p.m. to go into closed session.

The open meeting was reconvened at 5:33 p.m.

15. Adjournment – With no further business needing to be discussed, Mr. Frazier adjourned the meeting at 5:34 p.m. on the motion of Ms. Miller Keltner and second of Ms. Counts.

Motion passed 8-0.

Rowena Stone

Rowena Stone
Secretary to the Board