Latest entries in Live Blog: UM system Board of Curators meeting
Follow The Maneater's coverage of the UM system Board of Curators today. The board is the governing body of the four-campus university system, including MU, UM-Kansas City, UM-St. Louis and Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Oct. 24, 2008
Forsee speaks at press conference
During a press conference after the meeting was over, Preisdent Forsee spoke to the history of the strategic direction report. He said it came from requests from constituents such as alumni and trustees and serves as a vehicle for him to measure the progress of the University.
"This is dynamic, it's not just a binder we'll put on the shelf," Forsee said.
He said while the economy is weak, and it is too early to know for sure the impact the economy will have on the University. He said he is certain he has made clear that an investment in higher education will return job creation and security of Missouri's future.
"Our message will resonate," Forsee said.
The endowment which allows students to receive scholarships may suffer due to the economy, but Forsee said he is sure the endowment will yield at least 96 percent of the amount it yeilded for the 2008 school year.
President Forsee addresses strategic direction
UM System President Gary Forsee gave his Strategic Direction Presentation for a third time this morning.
Forsee highlighted his plan to provide more schlarshops, and manage enrollment growth through expanded graduate programs and improved retnetion and graduation rates. He said Service Learning is key.
Forsee spoke on the importance of research, touching on the new International Institute of Nano and Molecular technology.
Forsee said he will make it his priority to be "best in class" in accountabiliity. He said some things that impede our progress as a University include the ability to recruit and retain high-caliber faculty, affordability and access, and changing enrollment trends in math and science.
"We are and we have continuted to askt he state for some target investments," Forsee said of the system's lack of resources.
He higlighted the systems international connections, accademic and professional programs and quality of students and staff as strengths within the system.
Following his address, the public meeting was adjourned.
Deaton addresses Board of Curators
At the board of curators meeting Friday morning, each campus' chancellor gave a report on their respective campus. After chancellors of Rolla, MS&T, UMSL and UMKC gave their report, MU Chancellor Brady Deaton greeted the audience with a "warm homecoming welcome."
Deaton mentioned that, despite the rough economic times, "MU continues to be an example of stableness and reliability."
Deaton introduced the new Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, Dr. Harold Williams, who is responsible for all academic, clinical and business operations within his department.
Deaton also recognized MU's engineering team, which won first place in a national seismic design competition in July and two student teams from Architectual Studies, which recieved honorable mentions in a national design competition sponsored by the Green House Project on Oct. 12.
Neal E. Boyd, winner of NBC's America's Got Talent and MU student, was also recognized.
"Neal's kind of creativity inspires us," Deaton said. "We are proud of the role in opera he will play in the future."
Deaton also called MU an "economic engine" and said MU was a great economic aid to the state of Missouri.
"We attract money into Missouri," Deaton said. "With our 'For All We Call Mizzou' campaign we've raised 986 million, 80% of that coming from out of state."
Deaton also pointed out MU's research reactor is the largest university based reactor in the U.S.
"Many professors here use the reactor in a variety of new and useful ways," Deaton said.
Deaton then recognized two MU students, Steven Adamski and Sarah Newsome, food science and nutrition majors and owners of Herbal Oats, a granola bar snack they created.
Deaton gave statistics on MU graduates, stating that since 1983, MU has graduated an average of 5,400 students each year. Of MU's recent graduates 69% found work in Missouri and 91% found a job related to their majors.
Board of Curators meeting continues
The Board of Curators announced their legislative priorities Friday morning. They included predictable, stable funding, capital funding, health care and policy issues.
The board also unveiled new statistics on the Emergency Mass Notification System. More than 62,000 UM students have responded through the emergency system.
Turning to political relations, the board pointed out both gubernatorial candidates are UM graduates. The board also pointed out the large turnover in Missouri's House and Senate, and stressed that, because of new members in congress, they would have to work harder to get their message out.
The board also announced there would be legislative visits to UM campuses throughout the next few months. There will be one at MU Nov. 17 and a legislative freshmen tour Dec. 10.
Oct. 23, 2008
Board of Curators ends public portion of meeting
Shortly before 4 p.m., the Board of Curators began the executive session portion of their meeting. This concluded the public portion of the Board’s meetings.
Another public session will convene tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. in the Veterinary Medicine Building’s H. Richard Adams Conference Center.
Forsee works for accountability
UM system President Gary Forsee presented the Accountability Measures and Strategic Planning report, which included goals and methods of checking accountability.
The measures mentioned were teaching and learning, research and discovery, economic development and community service and engagement.
“This moves us, if not towards best practice, then close to that,” Forsee said.
Forsee said the first priority is to establish baseline information.
“We want to be sure that we correlate and establish a good baseline,” he said. “In some cases, we’re going to have to do a little bit of work developing that.”
The Board will then be able to compare benchmarks with the baseline, Forsee said.
Performance of fund managers questioned by board
The Retirement and Endowment Fund Annual Performance Report led curators to question the performance of their fund managers.
As of Sept. 30, 2008, the retirement assets totaled to $2.7 billion, and endowment was $920 million. The total fund benchmark showed a significant decrease in the retirement fund, mostly due to recent market activity, Vice President for Finance Nikki Krawitz said.
“I have concerns that a lot of our managers are underperforming. It raises a question of how good these managers are doing,” curator Doug Russell said.
Krawitz said the board should look at the performance of fund managers over time.
“We are evaluating their performance to see who we should continue and who we should discontinue,” Krawitz said.
UM Health Care stays out of the red
UM Health Care is operating at a cost that is less than its budget and raising its assets.
The UM Health Care Report showed growth while staying out of the red.
According to the report, electronic medical record used increased by 477% for all users since 2004. Also, 1,578 physicians, staff and residents have completed aviation model crew training.
The change in net assets for UM Health Care Consolidated was an increase of $30,000. Also, the year-to-date costs are $105 less than the budget.
Risk Assessment proposes future audits for UM
The Internal Audit report presented to the Board of Curators showed plans for future audits based on current financial risks.
According to the Internal Audit Report, of 66 action items scheduled from 22 audit reports, 11 items have not been closed as of Sept. 12, 2008. However, there are no unresolved items for MU.
All items on the 2009-2011 Risk Assessment list are either high or medium concerns. Planned audits for MU include PeopleSoft Student Module Post-implementation, Advancement Office, Incentive Plan Review and Sponsored Research Compliance.
Curator Warren Erdman said due to time and funds, the curators should assess which issues are more important than others and work from there.
“No matter how many resources you have, you can only have so many audits,” Erdman said.
Life and death of courses, faculty
The Board of Curators raised questions on how the discontinuation of courses and the creation of new ones affect faculty.
“If a course has not been taught in five years, it is automatically pulled, and goes into a kind of depository, where it sits,” Curator Doug Russell said.
During the 2007-2008 academic year, UM added 55 new courses, added 325 to the depository and discontinued 164. Those figures led other curators to ask what impact the ratio of courses added to courses added to the depository has on faculty.
Russell said the number of courses added does not include modifications to current courses. Also, he said, the same faculty who teach deposited or discontinued courses also teach the new ones.