Dear Colleagues:
On Sunday, we were informed of the death of Dr. Martin Erickson, Professor of Mathematics. Marty will be missed on the Truman campus, and our hearts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time. Funeral arrangements are pending. We will inform the campus community when more information on services becomes available.
Sincerely,
Troy
Dear Colleagues:
I write today to provide an update on the University’s examination of the Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP) as a tool we might use to reform our learning outcomes and to provide a report on the April Board of Governors meeting.
I am pleased to report that Dr. Paul L. Gaston, III, trustees professor at Kent State University and one of four authors of The Degree Qualifications Profile (2001), published by the Lumina Foundation, has agreed to be our May 2013 Commencement speaker. While on campus, Dr. Gaston hopes to meet with representatives of the Assessment Committee.
In addition, Dr. Peter T. Ewell, vice president of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), another co-author of The Degree Qualifications Profile and a former member of the Truman Board of Governors, has agreed to visit campus on Tuesday, May 14, for a daylong session in regard to the DQP. The final schedule for Dr. Ewell’s visit is yet to be confirmed, but the initial draft schedule includes meetings with the Assessment Committee, Faculty Senate, deans, department chairs and breakout sessions for faculty and/or staff. Please watch for further updates from Academic Affairs.
On Saturday, the Truman Board of Governors held their annual April meeting under the leadership of Karen Haber, Board chair. John W. Bohac, president of the Faculty Senate, and Torbjorn Wandel, president pro tempore, provided the annual Faculty Senate Report. Mark Gambaiana, vice president for University Advancement, provided an update on Advancement activities and a report on the Foundation Board meeting held earlier that morning. I provided my regular President’s Report, which included an update on recent campus activities, enrollment projections, an update on the proposed funding formula and other legislative issues that may impact our FY14 budget, an update on our work with Stamats in regard to marketing and a redesign of our website and a report on the University’s efforts to once again focus on outcomes rather than inputs through such initiatives as the DQP. During my report, I also extended congratulations to Governor Sarah Burkemper on being named one of the “50 Missourians You Need to Know” in Ingram’s (March 2013) and toGovernor Susan Plassmeyer for being named Alumna of the Year by our School of Business. All 10 members of the Board provide superior guidance and leadership and always have the best interests of the University and its students as their first priority. In addition, reports were shared from the three Board Committee meetings held earlier in the week, which included a review of financial reports and updates on various on-campus construction projects.
The Board took action on the following items.
–The Board approved the Kirk Memorial Exterior Repairs Project, a project that will address several issues at Kirk Memorial. Tuck pointing of bricks and replacement of damaged stonework will occur on the exterior. All windows, which are original from 1940, will be replaced with new windows that will maintain the historic appearance of the building. Work on the dome will include the addition of insulation to control water vapor, repair of the outer dome structure and underlayment. The existing clay tile roof will be reinstalled, and the cupola replaced.
–The Board approved the Student Union Building Elevator Repairs Project. This project will replace the mechanical and electronic components on the Student Union service elevator, that serves the food service areas and is utilized by the staff for deliveries as well as movement of large items in the three-story building. The elevator was installed in 1993 and has had several mechanical issues in recent months.
–The Board approved the Summer 2013 Concrete Project, a project which includes repair of sidewalks in numerous locations, driveways and parking lots needing repair or replacement due to extreme hot weather last summer followed by heavy snows this past winter.
–The Board approved the Baseball/Softball Fields Improvement Project, a project funded by the Student Athletic Fee. This project will provide a drainage system to remove water from the fields and an irrigation system to water the field at appropriate times. In addition, this project will include installation of a warning track along the fence at the softball field, which is highly recommended by the NCAA for safety purposes. There will also be a new backstop at the baseball field, similar to the net system at the softball field, replacing the current chain link backstop system.
–The Board approved the purchase of an Integrated Hardware/Software Digital Recording System for the Truman Speech and Hearing Clinic, to be funded by a HUD grant. The new system will provide recording of high-quality digital audio and video in eight therapy rooms simultaneously, as well as delivery of the digital audio and video simultaneously to several remote clinical supervisor locations, such as faculty offices.
–And, finally, the Board approved enrollment fees for the 2013-14 academic year. This includes a new iTech fee supported by the student body which results in a 2.1% increase in tuition and fees for a Missouri undergraduate, a 2.2% increase for a non-resident undergraduate, a 2.2% increase for a Missouri graduate and a 2.1% increase for a non-resident graduate.
A copy of the complete open session agenda can be found on the Board of Governors website located at http://governors.truman.edu/agendamaterials.asp. The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for Saturday, June 15.
Troy
Dear Friends:
Dave West, a dear colleague and carpenter-mason, passed away on Friday. Dave will certainly be missed on the Truman campus, and our hearts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, March 27, at 11:00 a.m. at Travis-Noe Funeral Home, with visitation scheduled on Tuesday, March 26, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Expressions of sympathy in memory of Dave may be made to Hospice of Northeast Missouri. Memorials may be left at or mailed to Travis-Noe Funeral Home, P.O. Box 306, Kirksville, Missouri 63501.
Sincerely,
Troy
Dear Colleagues and Students:
Truman State University has contracted with Stamats, Inc., a higher education research and consulting firm, to determine the perceptions of the University among a variety of audiences. As part of this process, we would like feedback regarding your experiences with Truman. Your input will allow the University to determine key messages that best tell the University’s story.
Please keep an eye on your email inbox. In the next couple of days, you will be receiving an email from sally.olinger@stamats.com with the subject line: “Truman Survey: We Need Your Input” asking for your participation in this survey. We hope you will be able to take the few minutes needed to complete this survey. We value your opinions and consider your participation critical to the success of this project.
Thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Troy
Dear Colleagues and Students:
All classes will resume on Wednesday, February 27, and all offices will be open normal hours.
I extend a very special thank you to all who have been working hard to clear the campus. I also want to thank those who made certain that our dining halls remained open as well as the Student Recreation Center, Student Union and the Library. Thank you to all who helped in so many different ways during the past 24 hours.
Sincerely,
Troy
