Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to invite you to the Spring Mini-Strategic Planning and Assessment Workshop (SPAW) and provide a report on the February 3rd Board of Governors Meeting.

Truman’s 2024 Spring Mini-SPAW is scheduled for Wednesday, February 21, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the Georgian Room of the Student Union Building.  The Mini-SPAW will include my annual All-University Address, this year entitled “Spirit of ‘24,” followed by an update session focusing on the strategic plan and its three initiatives.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Truman’s Board of Governors met this past weekend under the leadership of Board Chair Nancy Gingrich.  Governor Gingrich presented Governor Cheryl Cozette with a framed gavel in recognition of her service as Chair for the 2023 calendar year, and the Board approved a resolution of appreciation for Governor K. Brooks Miller, Jr., who served on the Board from April 26, 2018, to December 31, 2023.  The hope is that Governor Miller will return to campus in April or October when the Board can appropriately thank him in person for his service.

The meeting consisted of several reports.  Mike Gibbons with GibbonsWorkman, Truman’s Missouri Governmental Relations Services Consultant, shared his perspectives on the 2024 Missouri Legislative Session, and Colleen O’Reilly and Mairin Warner, President and Vice President of Student Government, provided the annual Student Government Report highlighting the organization’s many impactful activities and initiatives.  Provost Eric Freedman gave an Academic Affairs Report, sharing an overview of Fall 2023 accomplishments.  During the President’s Report, I highlighted a recent trip to Washington D.C., comprised of meetings of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), a Washington D.C. Alumni Reception, and a session with representatives of Venable LLP, Truman’s Federal Governmental Relations Service Consultant.  I ended my report with a shout-out to the Physical Plant staff for their tireless work to ensure that Truman’s parking lots and over eight miles of sidewalk were as clear as possible following our recent winter storm.  In addition to receiving reports from their committees, the Board also heard a report on the January Foundation Board of Directors Meeting/Retreat and reviewed their conflict of interest policy.

The Board approved three action items in open session:

–Food Service Contactor.  The University sought food service proposals via a competitive procurement process, and the Board voted to extend the contract with Sodexo Food Services through May 15, 2029.  The Sodexo proposal laid out a comprehensive strategy for updating the University’s food service operation to include more retail dining choices while maintaining a single conventional “all you care to eat” cafeteria in Ryle Hall.  Sodexo proposed converting the current Missouri Hall cafeteria into an additional retail dining facility, including national brands such as Qdoba.  The renovated Missouri Hall dining location would be organized as a Sodexo “ghost kitchen,” where a full menu of branded products would be available to the campus community for pick-up.  This type of food service facility is designed to reduce the expense associated with conventional restaurants and provides the online ordering convenience that most students prefer.  Finally, the Sodexo proposal also included an update of the Student Union Building’s Main Street Market, including a mandatory upgrade of the Chik-fil-A location to a full-service franchise.

–Board Charges 2024-2025.  The proposal for meal plans effective with the 2024 spring semester was approved.  Recommendations for board charges were deferred from the December meeting as the competitive bid process was underway for campus food service.  Based on the competitive bid process and recommendations from Sodexo, the selected vendor, a four percent increase in meal plan rates for 2024-2025 was approved.  This increase will keep Truman’s meal plan prices competitive with other colleges and universities in the region.

–Architectural Services – 2024 Roofing Projects.  The Building Resource Studio LLP proposal to provide architectural services for the 2024 Roofing Projects was approved.  Several major buildings, including Magruder Hall, Pickler Memorial Library, and Ophelia Parrish, need partial roof replacements.  Each of these buildings has multiple sections of roofing with different ages and conditions due to previous renovations and additions.  This project will address the sections that need replacing and was bid with a schedule designed to allow work to be completed during the summer of 2024.

A copy of the February 3^rd open session agenda can be found on the Board of Governors Agendas website.   The Board’s next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, April 6, 2024.

Enjoy the warm weather!
Sue