Article X: Officers of the University

G1.01-10 Article X: Officers of the University

Section 1. President's Employment

The terms and conditions of the employment of the President of the University shall be fixed by the Board by written contract as the Board deems appropriate.

Section 2. Powers and Duties of the President of the University

The President of the University shall be the Chief Executive Officer and Academic Officer of the University.  He/she shall be directly responsible to the Board of Governors for the operation of the University.  He/she shall be the official advisor and executive agent of the Board.

He/she is hereby delegated the general authority to act for and on behalf of the Board of Governors of the University, as its agent, to administer the University's affairs pursuant to policies established by the Board.

Without limiting the generality of the aforesaid authority, the Board delegates the following specific authority to the President of the University:

  1. To exercise a general superintendence and control, subject to approval of the Board, over all the affairs of the University, and bring such matters to the attention of the Board as are appropriate to keep the Board fully informed in meeting its policy-making responsibility, and such other matters as the Board shall from time to time direct;
  2. To select and recommend for employment all administrators, faculty, teachers and non-academic employees of the University, and to recommend the terms of their employment within budgetary limits, subject to approval by the Board.  The President, and such other officers or employees of the University as the President may authorize, may employ and determine the terms of their employment of temporary employees and graduate, resident, and other student assistantships and employment without Board approval if funds have been authorized in the annual budget;
  3. To recommend to the Board all academic appointments, reappointments, rank, promotions, grants of tenure, discharge and discipline of faculty; to change salaries and assignments of faculty and staff, with approval of the Board, and to accept resignations of employees;
  4. To terminate the employment of any employee, subject to the grievance and appeal procedures of the University.  Further, the President may delegate to the Director of Human Resources the authority to terminate any non-faculty employee or classification of employees, other than those employees who report directly to the President, with those employees entitled to pursue University grievance and appeal procedures;
  5. To insure the appropriate supervision and direction of all administrators, staff, faculty and non-academic employees of the University;
  6. To maintain the academic programs in accordance with accreditation standards;
  7. To be the primary liaison between the University, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, the General Assembly, and the Governor of the State of Missouri, concerning the affairs of the University;
  8. To prepare and present to the Board for its approval, an annual budget for the operations of the University;
  9. To maintain expenditures of the University in balance with available revenues;
  10. To be responsible for preparing and presenting to the Board, for its consideration, programs designed to fulfill the mission of the University; procurement of staff; establishment and maintenance of any separate schools or campuses, colleges and departments of instruction in the University; and the planning, development and implementation of all research projects;
  11. To preside and vote at all meetings of the faculty, or to designate a representative to so preside;
  12. To attend all meetings of the Board, so far as his/her duties will permit, but may be excused by the Board if necessary;
  13. To report, at each regular meeting of the Board, upon the progress, condition and needs of the University, and recommend such measures as in his judgment will promote the University's interests;
  14. To appoint such committees of the faculty or academic staff as he/she deems necessary and prescribe their function, which are in addition to those committees provided in the Faculty Handbook, unless otherwise provided by the Board;
  15. To make such investigations as he/she deems necessary to provide information to the Board regarding the operation of the University;
  16. To recommend the declaration of a financial exigency, and suspension or elimination of programs, or a reduction in force designed to meet such exigency, should such occasion arise;
  17. To authorize any member of the University temporarily to exercise authority as President during his absence from the city;
  18. To formulate, establish, and enforce student admission standards;
  19. To approve Operating Policies of the University.  Operating Policies provide interpretation and implementation of University Governing Policies which have been approved by the Board.  The President has final approval of Operating Policies;
  20. To preside at commencement and any other public function sponsored by the University;
  21. To be the primary spokesperson for the University at public affairs, and media contacts;
  22. To confer all degrees authorized by the Board of Governors and recommend to the Board the conferring of honorary degrees; the President is authorized to delegate to the chancellors of other campuses the authority to confer degrees earned at those campuses, including degrees awarded by the Springfield campus and taught by distance learning or cooperative programs on other campuses, and to otherwise delegate authority to confer degrees in the absence of the President or Chancellor;
  23. To delegate, in whole or in part, his administrative authority granted under the Bylaws, or Governing Policies, to such other officers, faculty, and employees of the University as he may designate, either by general or specific delegation, with the right to revoke such delegation at any time;
  24. To administer the affairs of the University in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations;
  25. To perform all other acts not herein enumerated which are necessary and reasonable appertaining the administrative functions of the President of the University.

Section 3. Vice Presidents and Other Officers

  1. Establishment and Authority 
    The Provost, Vice Presidents, Chancellor for the West Plains Campus, Chancellor for the Mountain Grove Campus, and General Counsel for the University shall be selected by the President of the University, with the approval of the Board, and assigned such duties and have such general authority as may be assigned by the President of the University.  In the case of the absence or disability of the President of the University, the duties of that office shall be performed by any vice president designated by the President of the University, or in the absence of such designation, by the Board, or in the absence of either such designation, by the Provost.

Section 4. Files for University Policies, Executive Orders, and  Delegations of Authority

All Governing Policies of the University, or Executive Orders of the President of the University, or delegations of general authority promulgated by the President of the University shall be filed by subject matter with the Secretary of the Board, and indexed, and unless otherwise specified shall be effective from the time of such filing until changed, modified or repealed by the President of the University or by the Board.