Dear Colleagues:

My apologies for the delay in providing an update on our search for the position of Vice President for University Advancement.   Unfortunately, our search was unsuccessful and no offers were extended.  The decision has been made to involve a search consultant with expertise in the area of advancement to assist with a renewed search to be launched as early as possible in the 2018 Spring Semester.  I will provide updates as soon as they become available.

I am very thankful to the search committee who worked tirelessly and with the utmost professionalism and to all of you who gave of your time and represented Truman so well in the search process.

Best regards,

Sue

Dear Colleagues:

Services for Denise Smith have been finalized.  Visitation will be Monday, November 13, from 4-7 p.m.  Funeral services will be Tuesday, November 14, at 10:30 a.m.  All services will take place at the Hutton & McElwain Funeral Home located at 301 N. Rubey in Macon, Missouri.

http://www.greeningeaganhayes.com/obituary/denise-smith

Regards,

Sue

 

 

Dear Colleagues:

It is with immense sadness I inform you that Denise Smith, Director of Alumni Relations and most recently Interim Co-Director of University Advancement, passed away yesterday afternoon.  Denise has been a member of the Truman community since 2000.  She was a valued colleague and dear friend, and she will be truly missed.  Our sympathy goes out to the Smith family and to all who had the joy of knowing Denise.

As funeral arrangements are pending, we will inform the campus community when more information becomes available.

Regards,

Sue

Dear Colleagues:

Thank you to everyone who helped to orchestrate a very successful Sesquicentennial Homecoming Celebration!  Even though the weather tried to dampen our festivities, spirits were high and the students, alumni and honorees all seemed to have a wonderful time.  It was a great pleasure to be involved in such a fun-filled weekend and it is one more example of why I am truly proud to be a Bulldog!

In conjunction with Homecoming, the Board of Governors held their annual October meeting under the leadership of Board Chair Mike LaBeth.  Representatives from RubinBrown LLP reported on the annual audit of the University.  Dr. Sharron Quisenberry, Chair of the Pursue the Future Campaign, and Charles Hunsaker and Denise Smith, Co-Directors of University Advancement, provided updates on advancement and the capital campaign, and Regina Morin, Vice President for Enrollment Management, provided the annual enrollment management report.  I also provided a President’s Report reflecting many of the campus and community activities that have occurred throughout the past few months.  In addition, the Board reviewed financial reports, received updates on various on-campus construction projects, and heard reports from their three committees.  Within those committee meetings, the Board received reports on the Constitution Day Celebration, the visit by the President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the upcoming searches for the Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Education and the Dean of the School of Science and Mathematics, and the Student Leave of Absence Policy.

In terms of action items, the Board approved architectural/engineering services for the Pickler Memorial Library Sprinkler/Alarm System Replacement Project and approved the purchase of a 35-passenger mini bus which will be used to transport student groups such as athletic teams, musical ensembles and field trips.  The bus purchase included a trade-in allowance for a 2009 33-passenger bus and will be funded by the Student Athletic Fee.

A copy of the complete agenda from the October 13 meeting can be found on the Board of Governors website located at http://www.truman.edu/about/our-people/board-of-governors/board-of-governors-agendas/.  The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for Saturday, December 2.

Have a wonderful end to the first half of the semester and here’s to a fantastic second half!

Best regards,

Sue

Dear Campus Community:

As we relaunch our search, I am pleased to announce that the following seven individuals, representing various constituent groups on campus,  have agreed to serve on the Vice President for Student Affairs Search Advisory Committee:

Michael Bazemore, Athletics
Elizabeth Clark, Social and Cultural Studies
Dave Lusk, Student Affairs
Stephanie Maiden, Biology
Luis Ortiz, student
Jonathan Vieker, Center for Academic Excellence
Jordan Webber, student

Elizabeth Clark will serve as committee chair.  Qualifications of the position and application requirements can be found at http://vpsa.truman.edu/.  Review of applications will begin September 28 with the goal to have the new Vice President for Student Affairs in place in January 2018.

This is a very talented and dedicated committee, and I thank each of them for their willingness to take on this important assignment.

Best regards,

Sue

Dear Colleagues:

It is with great appreciation that I inform you that Dr. Lou Ann Gilchrist has graciously agreed to postpone her retirement previously scheduled for August 31 and continue in the role of Vice President for Students Affairs for the Fall 2017 Semester.

As you are aware, we conducted a search for the next Vice President for Student Affairs at the beginning of the summer and brought three finalists to campus.  Unfortunately, the search did not come to a successful conclusion and it was closed.  I am very thankful to the search committee who worked tirelessly and with the utmost professionalism and to all of you who took time to participate in the search process.  A renewed search will be launched in the next few weeks.

Please join me in thanking Lou Ann for her continued willingness to serve Truman in this enormously important way.

Best regards,

Sue

Dear Colleagues:

The members of the Truman State University Board of Governors met this past Saturday in the Student Union Building.  Mike Bazemore, Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and Operations, and Liz Jorn, Faculty Athletics Representative and Instructor in Health and Exercise Sciences, provided the annual athletics report, and Jeremy Hopkins, Vice Chair of Staff Council and Coordinator of Testing, reported on the work of Staff Council throughout the past fiscal year.  In addition, reports were shared from the Board committee meetings which included updates from Academic Affairs on the Missouri Department of Higher Education Program Review and the University’s plan for The Great American Eclipse, data from Student Affairs related to Student Conduct Statistics, and updates on various on-campus construction projects.  The Board also conducted a review of year-end financial reports and I provided my regular President’s Report.

The Board reviewed and approved four actions items.  The Missouri Hall Dining/Kitchen Project, a project funded by the Auxiliary Capital Improvements budget, will update the dining room and kitchen areas that were not renovated when the majority of the building was updated in 2007.  Most of the kitchen design and equipment dates from the original construction of the building in 1964-65.  The Local Capital Budgets for Fiscal Year 2018 and the State Appropriations Request for Fiscal Year 2019 were approved.  The local capital budgets are reviewed and approved annually to provide funding for major building and renovation projects for the campus.  Truman’s FY19 State Appropriations Request includes funding based on the Performance Funding model, additional funds to expand training for mental health professionals as well as an increase for cooperative programs with community college programs and Maintenance and Repair funding.  Finally, the Board revised their Board policy related to the Department of Public Safety.  The approved changes will ensure that policies are consistent with state law and provide appropriate authority for the enforcement of traffic and other regulations for the management of University property.

A copy of the open session agenda can be found on the Board of Governors website located at http://www.truman.edu/about/our-people/board-of-governors/board-of-governors-agendas/.  The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for Friday, October 13, in conjunction with Truman Homecoming activities.

The Board’s annual August meeting signals the end of summer and the beginning of a new academic year.  Next week, a new class of freshmen and transfer students will converge on the Truman campus.  It will be a pleasure to welcome new faces to campus, including those of our new faculty and staff, and to reconnect with returning students and members of the University community.  I hope you had an opportunity to recharge and begin the exciting work of the coming year.  I look forward to seeing you at the Fall Opening Assembly scheduled for Thursday, August 17, at 10:15 a.m. in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall, followed by the Ready-or-Not Luncheon scheduled for 11:30 a.m. in the Georgian Room of the Student Union.

Best regards,

Sue

Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce the formation of the Vice President for University Advancement Search Advisory Committee.  The Committee will be of assistance to me as we reinitiate the search for the next Vice President for University Advancement.  Five members of the Truman community have graciously agreed to serve:

Janet Gooch, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Debra Kerby, Dean of the School of Business
Mike McClaskey, President of the Foundation Board of Directors
Sharron Quisenberry, Chair of the “Pursue the Future” Campaign Steering Committee
Jason Turk, St. Louis Alumni Chapter Member and 2015 Young Alumnus of the Year

Deb Kerby will serve as committee chair.  Qualifications of the position and application requirements can be found at http://vpua.truman.edu/.  Review of applications will begin August 21 and will continue until the position is filled.

This is a very talented and dedicated committee and I thank each of them for their willingness to take on this important assignment.

Best regards,

Sue

Dear Campus Colleagues:

Unfortunately, late Friday afternoon, the Governor withheld additional funding from higher education.  Truman, along with the other four year public higher education institutions, will be subject to a 9% reduction in core funding as opposed to the 6.58% that was recommended in the budget sent to the Governor (the Governor initially recommended a 9% cut to higher education).  Fortunately, we planned for the 9% cut in the FY 2018 bridge budget we developed during the end of the spring semester.

To control our own destiny, it is imperative we complete the third step of the budget process we developed in the spring semester.  The third step was initiated with the work of the Organizational Excellence Advisory Group (OEAG) that met three times during March and April (http://wp-internal.truman.edu/organizationalexcellence/).  The work of the OEAG and the next components of the decision making process will be presented at the Strategic Planning and Assessment Workshop (SPAW) in August.

We have difficult, but important decisions to make in this upcoming academic year.  I am confident in our ability to work together and generate solutions that are in the best long-term interest of our University.  Truman has faced its challenges head on in the past 150 years; as we begin our next 150 years, we owe it to those who came before us, those who are with us today, and those who will be with us in the future to face our current challenges head on.

I hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July holiday filled with family, friends, laughter and love.

Best regards,

Sue

Dear Colleagues:

The Truman State University Board of Governors met this past Saturday for their annual June meeting and retreat under the leadership of Board Chair Mike LaBeth.

During their retreat on Saturday morning, the Board heard a report on the University’s Sesquicentennial (150 years) Celebration and viewed the renovation progress at Baldwin Hall.  In addition, they spent the majority of their retreat focusing on the activities of the Organization Excellence Advisory Group including strategic planning and budget allocation.

During the meeting, the Board approved Operating Budgets and Salary Policies for Fiscal Year 2018.  Operating Budgets were developed through the three step process utilized this year due to reductions in state appropriations for both FY17 and FY18.  Following the mid-year withholding of $3.1 million for FY17, a plan to balance the budget was developed utilizing vacancies, deferred purchases and the use of contingency funds.  For FY18, a “bridge budget” approach was utilized to absorb a 9% reduction in state support.  This included a combination of one-time cuts and reductions in recurring costs.  For FY19 and beyond, the Organizational Excellence Advisory Group is providing the foundation for long-term strategies.

In regard to Salary Policies, full and part-time faculty and staff salaries will be maintained at the 2016-17 academic/fiscal year rates; however, the Board did approve the scheduled increase in faculty promotion adjustments for the 2017-2018 Academic Year.  The Board expressed their appreciation for the dedicated service of our faculty and staff, and the hope is that salary increases will be possible next year and I strongly agree with their sentiments.

In addition, the Board approved the FY 2019 to FY 2023 State Capital Improvement and Maintenance Request which includes requested funds for the top priorities including the Greenwood Center, Pershing Phase 2 renovation, and an emergency electrical backup system which would provide electrical power to campus.  Although it is not likely that these requests will be approved, the capital requests must be submitted each year to the Coordinating Board for Higher Education and the Division of Design and Construction, Office of Administration.

In addition, reports were shared from the three Board committee meetings held earlier in the week which included updates from Student Affairs on TruStar and career coaching, updates from Academic Affairs on the Online Program Management process, a review of financial reports and an audit preview, and updates on various on-campus construction projects.

During the closed session of the meeting, the Board reviewed recommendations for promotion and tenure effective at the beginning of the 2017-2018 Academic Year.  I congratulate these dedicated faculty members and thank them for all that they do on behalf of the University and our students.

Promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor:
Julia Edgar, Communication Disorders
Brian Snyder, Health and Exercise Sciences
Michael Rudy, Political Science

Promoted from Associate Professor to Professor:
Jennifer Hurst, Exercise Science
Philip Ryan, Mathematics
John Self, Communication
Marilyn Yaquinto, Communication

Granted Academic Tenure:
Brian Snyder, Health and Exercise Sciences
Michael Rudy, Political Science

A copy of the complete open session agenda can be found on the Board of Governors website located at http://www.truman.edu/about/our-people/board-of-governors/board-of-governors-agendas/.  The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for Saturday, August 5.

I hope your summer is enjoyable and productive!

Best regards,

Sue