Dear Colleagues:

The Truman State University Board of Governors met on campus this past Saturday for their annual June retreat/meeting under the leadership of Board Chair K. Brooks Miller, Jr. 

On a very full and productive day, the Board conducted a retreat Saturday morning in the Presidential Reading Room in Pickler Memorial Library and held their regular meeting in the afternoon in Georgian Rooms A and B of the Student Union Building.  The morning retreat focused on the lessons learned from the pandemic and what it means to be a public liberal arts and sciences university in 2021 and beyond. 

During the regular Board meeting, Governor Jennifer Kopp Dameron was officially recognized for her exemplary service as Board Chair for the 2020 calendar year.  In addition, Dr. Tyana Lange, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing, provided a report on admission and retention.  The Board reviewed financial, investment, and external auditor reports; received updates related to on-campus construction projects and the Faculty Handbook revision process; and learned about the new Summer Writing Initiative for New Grants (SWING) program.  I provided a President’s Report where I highlighted the successful end of the 2020-21 Academic Year and shared a current legislative budget update.  

Within the area of budget and capital projects, the Board approved Operating Budgets and Academic Promotion Salary Increases for Fiscal Year 2022 (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022).  The approved budget was developed using state funding based on recommendations by the Governor for the FY2022 appropriations.  The General Assembly added a 3.7 percent increase to the recommendation; however, since the Governor has not signed the FY2022 appropriation bill, the originally proposed appropriation was used to develop the FY2022 budget.  Should an increase in core appropriations happen, a revised budget will be proposed to the Board at their August meeting.  In addition, the Board approved Academic Promotion Salary Increases for the 2021-22 Academic Year ($1,000 Instructor to Assistant Professor; $3,600 Assistant Professor to Associate Professor; $7,200 Associate Professor to Professor).  As you will recall, the Board’s consideration of salary recommendations occurs at the December meeting, with the exception that faculty promotion amounts are approved in June.

Architectural services for the Greenwood Interprofessional Autism Center Final Phase project were approved by the Board.  The FY2022 capital improvements bill approved by the Missouri General Assembly includes $4.6 million for the project.  This funding will allow for the completion of the project.  Funding is not certain until the Governor signs the appropriation bill; however, conditional approval was sought now to allow the process to move forward as quickly as possible. 

Finally, within the area of budget and capital projects, the Board approved the FY2023 State Capital Improvement and Maintenance Request.  The top two priorities include a significant renovation of Kirk Building to house a comprehensive one-stop-shop Student Success Center and the construction of a building and purchase of generators to establish an Emergency Electrical Backup System which would provide electrical power to campus in the event of a natural disaster.  Although it is not likely that there will be state funding for these requests, 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.

Within the area of Academic Affairs, the Board approved the addition of two graduate programs:  Disability Studies: Applied Behavior Analysis, M.A. and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis.  Both programs will be delivered entirely online, with the exception of clinical internships.

During the closed session of the meeting, the Board approved recommendations for promotion and tenure effective at the beginning of the 2021-22 Academic Year.  Please join me in congratulating these dedicated faculty members and thank them for all they do for our students and our University.

Promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor
Granted Academic Tenure

School of Arts and Letters
Jack Davis, German
Amy Norgard, Classics
Oscar Sendon, Spanish

School of Business
Isaac Ison, Accounting

School of Health Sciences and Education
Nancy Daley-Moore, Health and Exercise Sciences
Enrique Pareja, STEM Education

School of Science and Mathematics
Brett Berke, Biology
Bill Miller, Chemistry

School of Social and Cultural Studies
Ashley Ramsey, Psychology

Promoted from Associate Professor to Professor

School of Science and Mathematics
Stephen Hudman, Biology

A complete copy of the open session agenda can be found on the Board of Governors’ website located at https://www.truman.edu/about/our-people/board-of-governors/.  The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for Saturday, August 7.

I hope you are having a wonderful summer!

Best regards,
Sue