Hello Colleagues,

This past weekend, Truman’s Board of Governors held its annual April meeting in conjunction with the Foundation and Alumni Boards meetings and the Foundation’s yearly recognition celebration.

During the Foundation Celebration, we honored several individuals and organizations whose generosity has earned them a place in one of our prestigious recognition societies.  In addition, the Distinguished Corporation/Foundation Award was presented to Mastercard.  Mastercard has supported Truman in many impactful ways, providing not just financial resources but the knowledge and talents of its Truman alumni employees to enrich the educational experiences of our students.  The President’s Leadership Award was presented to the Honorable Ann Covington, a Missouri judicial pioneer who has a number of powerful connections to the University.  We celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of the General John J. Pershing Scholarship.  Many current and past Pershing Scholars attended.  Dale (‘83) and Shari (’83, ‘93) Schenewerk, two former Pershing Scholars, provided remarks, and Christine Chen was recognized as the 2024-25 Charles J. McClain Pershing Scholar.  Several other bright, talented, and impressive students thrilled and amazed those attending the celebration.  Jared Sacquitne-Darrington highlighted his time at Truman and thanked those in attendance for the exceptional opportunities their contributions provide to our students; cast members from the Peter and the Starcatcher theatre performance shared a sneak peek of their upcoming production; and the President’s String Quartet entertained guests during the reception.  I extend my congratulations and great appreciation to everyone involved in an inspiring celebration, most especially the Advancement Office and Sodexo.

The Board of Governors meeting, held Saturday afternoon, was led by Board Chair Philip J. Christofferson.  Dr. Calaneet Balas (’98), President of the Foundation Board of Directors, and Lori Hart (’84), President of the Alumni Board of Directors, joined Charles Hunsaker, Associate Vice President for University Advancement, to provide updates from their respective boards and the Advancement Office.  In the President’s Report, I shared budget and legislative updates at the state and federal levels.  I commended Truman’s Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Steering Team for their exceptional work in preparation for the recent HLC Open Pathway Comprehensive Evaluation Team Visit.  Although we will not have HLC’s final report for a number of weeks, my informal exit meeting with the team was positive.  They enjoyed their time on campus and the interactions with campus community members, and they were impressed with the pride expressed across all constituency groups and our beautiful and well-maintained campus and classroom technology.  I also highlighted the 2025 Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games, which will be held on the Truman campus from May 30 to June 1. The Board also reviewed financial reports and received status updates on enrollment and on-campus construction projects.

During their meeting, the Board approved several action items:

Enrollment Fees for the 2025-26 Academic Year
To offset cost increases due to inflation that state appropriations will not cover, a 4% increase was approved for both in-state and out-of-state undergraduate tuition for the 2025 Fall Semester.   

2025 Summer Roof Replacement and Masonry Repairs Project
The approved project will address roof sections needing replacement on several major buildings, including Magruder Hall, McClain Hall, Missouri Hall, and Pickler Memorial Library.  Each of these buildings has sections of roofing that vary in age due to renovations and additions.  The project will also address masonry repairs, with work starting in May.     

Equipment Purchases
Three purchases of equipment were approved.  The purchase of a John Deere 320P-tier Backhoe Loader for the Physical Plant was approved.  Due to the age of the current loader, maintenance costs have become significant, and repair times are impacting campus projects.  The second item approved was an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) upgrade in the Information Technology Services data center.  UPS units provide conditioned power to all equipment in the data center so that the power stays at an even and reliable level.  The new units will include newer battery technology and the capability to expand the system to support a longer hold time in the event of an outage.  Finally, a Banner Server Upgrade was approved.  The  Banner server supports the finance, budget, financial aid, student accounts, human resources, registration, advising, degree audit, and academic records systems.  The upgrade will allow continued vendor support and maintenance and provide a reliable infrastructure for these systems.  

Faculty Senate Bylaws
The Board, as mandated by its Code of Policies, approved amendments to the Faculty Senate Bylaws, which were approved by the Faculty Senate in November and approved by an online vote of the faculty in February.  The bylaws were amended to reflect the recent reorganization of Academic Affairs.  

Amendments to Chapter 6 of the Code of Policies of the Board of Governors Pertaining to Academic Affairs Faculty
The Board amended Chapter 6 of its Code of Policies regarding the composition and procedures of the Faculty Conduct Committee in light of the recent Academic reorganization.  The Faculty Senate approved the suggested recommendations at their February meeting.

Treasurers for Fiscal Year 2026
Finally, the Board approved treasures for Fiscal Year 2026.  The Board annually appoints treasurers who are responsible for administering institutional funds.

A complete copy of the open session agenda can be found on the Board of Governors website.  The next regular meeting of the Board is scheduled for Saturday, June 14.

As we enter into the homestretch of the semester, I want to share an item I shared with the Board on Saturday.  I received an email on Friday from a freshman’s father who shared his perspective on the Truman experience.  He stated that shortly after arriving at  Truman, he knew we would be a perfect fit academically and personally for his son. He raved about professors and staff going above and beyond to create a caring, supportive, and personal environment.  He said he knew Truman was a great educational institution that would challenge his son’s mind, but he couldn’t even begin to imagine how Truman would help his son grow from a holistic perspective.  He is very grateful.

In these times of great uncertainty, please do not lose sight of the impact you have because of what you do and how you do it.  I am very grateful for you.

Here’s to a fantastic end to the semester!
Sue