Minutes of the Executive Committee
of the Board of Governors
Missouri State University
September 16, 2020
Roll Call:
Present –
- Ms. Amelia “Amy” Counts, Governor
- Mr. Gabriel Gore, Governor
- Ms. Beverly Miller Keltner, Governor
Absent – Mr. Craig Frazier, Chair of the Board
Also Present –
- Mr. Clifton M. Smart III, President
- Mr. Macon Allen, Administrative Specialist, Disability Resource Center
- Ms. Kerri Cauldwell, Access Advisor, Disability Resource Center
- Ms. Donna Christian, Director of Internal Audit and Risk Management
- Mr. Jeff Coiner, Chief Information Officer
- Mr. Ryan DeBoef, Chief of Staff and Assistant to the President for Governmental Relations
- Ms. Rachael Dockery, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer
- Mr. Briar Douglas, Student Governor
- Dr. Frank Einhellig, Provost
- Mr. Steve Foucart, Chief Financial Officer
- Mr. David Hall, Director of University Safety
- Dr. Dennis Lancaster, Interim Chancellor, West Plains Campus
- Mr. Justin Lozano, Director of Disability Resource Center
- Mr. Rob Martin, Information Security Officer
- Ms. Natalie McNish, Senior Auditor
- Ms. Andrea Mostyn, Director of University Communications
- Ms. Lynn Parman, Governor
- Mr. Ryan Reed, Chair of Staff Senate
- Ms. Claudette Riley, Education Reporter, Springfield News-Leader
- Ms. Suzanne Shaw, Vice President for Marketing and Communications
- Ms. Carol Silvey, Governor
- Mr. Shamshir Tarlanov, Access Advisor, Disability Resource Center
- Ms. Carrie Tergin, Governor
- Mr. Chris Waters, Governor
- Mr. Mike Wills, Director of Procurement
- Ms. Rowena Stone, Secretary to the Board of Governors
Presiding – Ms. Amy Counts, Vice-chair of the Board of Governors, called the Executive Committee meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. via Zoom webinar.
Approval of Minutes – Ms. Counts mentioned that the first item of business was the approval of the open and closed minutes for the Executive Committee meetings of March 18, 2020. Mr. Gabriel Gore so moved, receiving a second from Ms. Beverly Miller Keltner.
Motion passed 3-0.
Coronavirus Update – President Clif Smart provided an update on the university’s response to the COVID‑19 pandemic. He covered five topics that included funding, testing, course delivery, the COVID‑19 Response Team, and modifications to the university’s masking policy.
President Smart shared that the university has been allocated $28,109,104 of federal CARES Act funds. The university has received $18,463,518 and will continue to submit requests for reimbursement of the remaining available funds. He called upon Mr. Ryan DeBoef, Chief of Staff and Assistant to the President for Governmental Relations, to expand on how the university plans to use the funds and apply for reimbursement. Mr. DeBoef stated that the university has expenses that are not typical for coronavirus reimbursements but continues to work on fitting expenses within the federal requirements for funding.
President Smart discussed the COVID‑19 cases on campus, reviewing the numbers of the first four weeks of the semester. He stated that to date, only one faculty member had contracted the virus and it was unrelated to activities on campus. He shared that testing on campus is robust and free for students and employees. The university provided free random testing on campus for individuals who may be asymptomatic which resulted in all 59 tests being negative. The university will offer additional random testing on campus in the coming weeks with the goal of completing 120 tests per week. His last testing highlight included the COVID‑19 cases in campus housing, sharing that the number of cases has steadily declined.
President Smart reviewed the course delivery changes due to the pandemic for the fall 2020 semester. At the beginning of the semester, 32% of courses were blended, 32% were seated, and 36% were online. He stated that since opening day, 85 sections changed from seated to blended, 11 sections changed from seated to online, and more than 120 sections changed from blended to online or Zoom format. He added that these modifications are more temporary and many classes will go back to their original format later in the semester.
President Smart shared data pertaining to the COVID‑19 Response Team. The team consists of 14 new employees hired to complete contact tracing and monitoring of students in quarantine or isolation. Of these new employees, nine have a background in healthcare or public health. To date, the team has managed 1,600 people in either quarantine or isolation and monitored over 175 students in the first four weeks of the semester that are in university isolation or quarantine housing.
President Smart shared modifications made to the university masking policy. Revisions included specifications to the type of acceptable masks, masks being required in exercise facilities other than when exercising, and exceptions for guest speakers to speak unmasked if there is 20 feet of distance between them and audience members.
Lastly, President Smart stated that the actions taken by the university to prevent the coronavirus will hopefully prevent the spread of the flu. The university is providing an incentive for employees to save $360 on their healthcare premium by getting a flu vaccine. He stated that he believes the masking policy is working, students are taking things seriously, and that the university will continue to remain vigilant.
Academic Affairs – Dr. Dennis Lancaster, Interim Chancellor of the West Plains Campus, presented the Executive Committee with a resolution for revisions to the Missouri State University-West Plains 2020-2021 Academic Calendar (West Plains Curriculum 104-20). The resolution included a revision to the spring 2021 academic calendar with spring break occurring one week earlier than originally planned, thus falling between the two eight-week block sessions. Ms. Miller Keltner moved to approve the resolution, receiving a second from Mr. Gore.
Motion passed 3-0.
Procurement and Financial – Mr. Ryan DeBoef presented a resolution summarizing activity of the Office of Procurement Services from July 10, 2020, through September 11, 2020 (Purchasing Activity Report No. 493-20) for approval. The one item included in the resolution was for the approval of extending an existing contract with Dynamic DNA for COVID‑19 testing services to support the Magers Family Health and Wellness Center for a total estimated cost of $615,164.96. Mr. Gore made a motion to approve the purchasing activity report, receiving a second from Ms. Miller Keltner.
Motion passed 3-0.
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. Ms. Counts 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 September 16, 2020, Executive Committee meeting of the Board of Governors to consider items of business pursuant to:
R.S. Mo. 610.021(3). “Hiring, firing, disciplining, or promoting of particular employees by a public governmental body…;”
R.S. Mo. 610.021(13). “Individually identifiable personnel records, performance ratings, or records pertaining to employees or applicants for employment…;”
R.S. Mo. 610.021(17). “Confidential or privileged communications between a public governmental body and its auditor…"
Mr. Gore so moved the approval of the resolution and Ms. Miller Keltner seconded the motion.
A roll call vote on the motion was as follows: those voting in favor – Governors Counts, Gore, and Miller Keltner; those voting against – none.
Ms. Counts declared the resolution passed and the open meeting was recessed at 4:43 p.m. to go into closed session.
The open meeting was reconvened at 4:53 p.m.
Adjournment – Ms. Counts adjourned the meeting at 4:54 p.m. on the motion of Mr. Gore, the second of Ms. Miller Keltner, and a vote of 3-0 of the committee.
Rowena Stone
Secretary of the Board