Dear Colleagues:

Our Board of Governors met on Saturday, December 5, under the leadership of Board Chair, Jennifer Kopp Dameron.  The Board elected officers and assigned committee membership for the 2021 calendar year.  New officers who will take office for a term of one year commencing at the first regular meeting of the calendar year are:  Chair, K. Brooks Miller, Jr.; Vice Chair, Sarah Burkemper; and Secretary, Cheryl J. Cozette.

Within the President’s Report, I highlighted our successful completion of in-person instruction for the 2020 Fall Semester.  Following CDC based guidance, Truman stayed true to who we are and pursued what we value.  We remained committed to moving forward and stepped up to meet every challenge, and through creativity, collaboration, and a focus on community, we were able to create impactful and transformative curricular and co-curricular experiences.  While it was not easy, there is much to celebrate because of the caring, can-do spirit of our committed Truman community.

Provost Janet Gooch provided the annual Academic Affairs Report.  She highlighted many student successes which have taken place during the Fall 2020 Semester, despite the many challenges that were faced due to COVID-19.  She highlighted accomplishments, activities and events which took place within each of the five academic schools, and she praised the good work of our students, faculty, and staff.  Provost Gooch then summarized the process that led to the creation of the proposed University Strategic Plan, sharing appreciation of the work of the Strategic Plan Drafting Team led by Dr. Tim Walston, Dean of School of Science and Mathematics, and the members of metric teams and groups.  In addition, the Board reviewed financial reports, received an update on construction projects, and heard reports from their committees.

The Board took action on the following items:

• A resolution of appreciation was presented and adopted in honor of Warren Wells, General Counsel, in recognition of his upcoming retirement on January 31, 2021, as well as his distinguished and laudable service to the Board and the University.
• The proposed Truman State University 2021-25 Strategic Plan was endorsed and incorporated into the Code of Policies of the Board of Governors.
• The Board approved the addition of a new undergraduate program, pending the approval of the Coordinating Board for Higher Education.  The new Music Therapy, B.S. degree will provide students with the academic and clinical preparation necessary to, upon successful performance on the national examination, earn the credential of Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC).
• Housing and food plan charges effective for the 2021 Fall Semester were approved.  Due to projected food and labor costs associated with the 2021-22 Academic Year, the typical increase for on-campus housing/food will be 2.5%.
• The Board approved salary and wage policies for the 2021 calendar year.  The proposed increases for 2021 are limited to a small group of non-exempt (hourly) staff due to the Missouri minimum wage rate increasing to $10.30 per hour on January 1, 2021.  The primary impact will be starting salaries for office staff and physical plant employees.  These increases are necessary to remain competitive in the local labor markets.
• Faculty sabbaticals for the 2021-22 Academic Year were approved (2021 Fall Semester:  Don Krause, Professor of Communication; 2022 Spring Semester: Anton Daughters, Associate Professor of Anthropology, and Amanda Medlock-Klyukovski, Associate Professor of Communication).  Please join me in congratulating these faculty members.  We look forward to hearing about the impactful outcomes of their sabbatical work.

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 regular meeting of the Board of Governors is scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2021.

Our Board is extremely pleased with the efforts of everyone on campus to successfully complete the semester.  They and I wish you the very best during Finals Week and the upcoming holiday season.

Take care and be well,

Sue