Dear Colleagues:

Our Board of Governors met on Saturday, December 7, under the leadership of Board Chair, Laura A. Crandall.  The Board elected officers and assigned committee membership for the 2020 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, Jennifer Kopp Dameron; Vice Chair, K. Brooks Miller; and Secretary, Sarah Burkemper.

Provost Janet Gooch provided an Academic Affairs Report.  During her report, Rebecca Walker, a senior communication major, presented her persuasion speech, and Chris Outzen, Director of Forensics, spoke to the success of the Forensics Team.  I provided a President’s Report highlighting campus and community activities that have occurred since the last meeting of the Board.  In addition, the Board reviewed financial reports, received an update on construction projects, and heard reports from their committees.

In terms of action items, the Board approved Salary Policies for 2020.  As you will recall, starting with Fiscal Year 2020, the Board adopted a new timeline for salary policies, adjusting salary increase consideration to the calendar year rather than the fiscal year, a change which will allow consideration of final enrollment numbers and a more accurate state appropriation projection.  The approved salary increases will take effect January 1, 2020, for employees on the payroll as of that date, and will increase employees’ base salary or hourly wage rate.

All full-time faculty academic year salaries will be increased by at least $400, with salaries of 103 faculty increasing up to $1,800.  These increases were informed by the work of the Faculty Compensation Committee, with the goal to move faculty compensation closer to the Colleges and Universities Professional Association (CUPA) discipline national medians for bachelors and masters institutions.

The increases for staff follow the recommendations of the Staff Compensation Committee with a focus on raising the lowest staff salaries the most, as well as the Missouri minimum wage increases which phase in through 2023.  Those earning a salary of $29,999 or less will receive a 55¢ per hour increase or $1,144 for those on contract. Those earning a salary of $30,000 to $49,999 will receive a 40¢ per hour increase or $825.  Those earning over $50,000 will receive a 36¢ per hour increase or $750.  Finally, the starting wages for hourly employees in clerical, secretarial and similar office positions and for employees in Unit 1 (Grounds Mechanic, Groundskeeper, Mover/Laborer and Housekeeper) will increase by 35¢ cents per hour, and the starting salary for Controls Technician, Mechanical Services and Building Trades will increase by $1.  Salary increases for part-time staff will be prorated based on FTE status.

Even with enrollment down significantly for the second straight year, these salary increases are possible because of the commitment and hard work of the campus to reallocate resources to enhance compensation.  New contracts and hourly salary letters for staff will not be issued since everyone received a letter or contract in June.  Faculty, however, will receive a letter from Provost Gooch reflecting the amount that their base salary will increase.  For questions, staff should contact Payroll while faculty should contact the Provost Office.

Housing and food plan charges effective with the 2020 Fall Semester were approved.  The Board approved an overall average increase of 1.5% in room rates and an average increase in meal plans of 2.36% to offset anticipated operating costs such as the minimum wage increase and utility costs.  The overall increase for on-campus housing/food under typical circumstances will be 1.96%.

In terms of construction projects, the Board approved the Soccer/Tennis Restroom Project, a project funded by the Student Athletic Fee, which will add a restroom facility to serve both the soccer stadium and tennis courts.  Architectural Services were approved for the McClain Hall Elevator Project with the plan that the elevator work will begin immediately after the end of the Spring 2020 Semester.  The project will require at least ten weeks to complete and is funded by the local capital budget.  Lastly, the Board approved the Greenwood Center Abatement Project which will allow the addition of asbestos abatement and is funded by the FY20 state appropriation for the Greenwood Center.

Last, but certainly not least, the Board approved faculty sabbaticals for the 2020-21 Academic Year.  Please join me in congratulating the following faculty members:

2020-21 Academic Year
Robert Mielke, Professor of English

2020 Fall Semester
Zhang John Ma, Professor of Biology
Yung-hwal Park, Associate Professor of Business Administration
Michael Seipel, Professor of Agriculture
Dana Smith, Professor of Theatre

2021 Spring Semester
Anton Daughters, Associate Professor of Anthropology

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 8, 2020.

Best wishes to each of you for a fantastic end to your fall semester!

Sue