SMSU grows up
Gov. Matt Blunt signed the name-change bill on SMSU's 100th anniversary.
Published March 29, 2005
On March 17, Gov. Matt Blunt ended Southwest Missouri State University's nearly 20-year quest for a new name by signing Senate Bill 98, renaming the school Missouri State University.
When Blunt took the stage at SMSU's Plaster Student Union Theatre, he thanked several people associated with the bill's passage through the Missouri General Assembly.
In addition to House Speaker Rod Jetton and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, Blunt thanked someone not in attendance — UM system President Elson Floyd.
"He and Dr. Keiser really demonstrated great statesmanship in coming together and determining how they could reach a compromise that was in the best interest of both institutions and in the best interest of every citizen of our state," Blunt said.
Many said they believe Floyd helped get the bill out of the Senate.
In the early morning hours of Feb. 15, Floyd sent an e-mail to Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, who was then filibustering the bill, asking Graham to end the 14-hour filibuster and allow the Senate to vote on the measure. Floyd also advised Graham to move on to other matters concerning higher education.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Norma Champion, R-Springfield, was humble about her work to get the bill passed.
"I had the honor of being there at the right time after years and years of work to get this accomplished," Champion said.
Champion thanked Senators for working together on a compromise and members of the House for coordinating efforts to hand the legislation to Blunt quickly.
The Senate version included compromise language meant to appease opponents from MU. Amendments stated SMSU would not receive additional funds due to the name change. Legislators also included amendments to protect MU's role as the flagship institution of the state.
The Senate passed the bill 25-7 on Feb. 16. Two weeks later, the bill left the House after a 120-35 vote on March 1.
Blunt said the name change represents the evolution of the school.
"Each name reflected the role the institution played in our higher education system," Blunt said. "Missouri State University is an accurate reflection of the role that this campus already fills."
The bill, which goes into effect Aug. 28, also includes several other name changes.
Missouri Western State College and Harris-Stowe State College will become universities, and Missouri Southern State University-Joplin will lose its city designation.
Central Missouri State University now also has the option of changing its name to the University of Central Missouri.
An anniversary as well as a birthday
In addition to the bill signing, March 17 was also Founder's Day at SMSU. The school celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Champion summed up the day's festivities in one short phrase: "I just came along to say happy anniversary, and happy birthday, Missouri State University."
One of the premier anniversary events was the unveiling of a 3-by-8-foot commemorative granite plaque on the campus.
SMSU President John Keiser said the plaque is a permanent reminder of the anniversary.
"After all the newspapers have left, this piece will be left to remind us of this day forever," he said.
In addition to the plaque, the Founder's Day committee also presented SMSU with an oversized birthday card, which will be displayed in the Plaster Student Union.
Students and faculty were asked to submit their favorite SMSU memories, which were displayed on two 8-by-4-foot banners.
Later that day, thousands of students, faculty and staff members gathered on the lawn in front of Carrington Hall to re-enact a campus photograph taken in 1906.
The sea of people was clad predominately in maroon and green — maroon for SMSU, and green for St. Patrick's Day.
A history of evolution and growth
"What people in Jefferson City originally intended was different than what people intended locally," SMSU professor emeritus Don Landon said. "People in Springfield had high aspirations to create a major university."
Landon, who wrote the book, "Daring to Excel: The First 100 Years of Southwest Missouri State University," signed copies of the book during the day's activities.
Landon said SMSU's history greatly differed from the history of MU.
"In contrast to the University of Missouri, which started out as a full-blown land-grant institution, we had a very modest beginning," Landon said. "The evolution has been marked by five different names."
SMSU has come a long way since it was founded in 1905 as the Fourth District State Normal School, Landon said. The school was originally founded to prepare teachers for rural schools.
In 1919, the school underwent its first name change to Southwest Missouri State Teachers College.
Landon said the next name change, in 1946, reflected the school's shift to a liberal arts focus. That year, the school dropped the word "teachers" from its name.
In 1972, Southwest Missouri State became a university, which Landon said reflected SMSU's emerging graduate program.
Enrollment grew dramatically in the '70s from roughly 8,000 students to its current level of around 20,000, Landon said.
Landon said that number has remained static because of the physical limitations of the school and the move to selective admissions in the early 1990s. Many students who would have normally attended SMSU have now been funneled to Ozark Technical Community College, he said.
In 1995, the General Assembly approved a statewide mission in public affairs for SMSU.
The most dynamic change in recent years has been the graduate program, Landon said. When Keiser arrived, there were about 20 graduate programs; now there are 43. Graduate students constitute almost 20 percent of the student population, Landon said.
Landon anticipates Missouri State University will be the school's final name, he said.
Emphasis on business, performing arts and health care
Although SMSU still educates a large number of teachers, Landon said the university has three primary areas of emphasis: business, performing arts and health care.
Ronald Bottin, dean of the College of Business Administration, said he has three goals to be successful: recruit good students, provide quality faculty and offer promising career opportunities.
Bottin said the business college has received significant national recognition.
The Princeton Review selected the college for the 2006 edition of "The Best Business Schools." In addition, in 1999, Computerworld ranked the college's Computer Information Systems graduate program eighth in its survey of the top 25 Techno-MBA schools.
Both the business college and the SMSU School of Accountancy are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Of business schools nationwide, 10 percent hold that status. MU also has AACSB accredidation.
The business college's enrollment, roughly 4,300 students, has increased by about 50 percent in the past 10 years.
Bottin said the growth comes from a combination of factors, including aggressive marketing techniques, a reputation of graduating good people and the job opportunities offered through the school.
Bottin said the name change would help recruitment of out-of-state students and faculty.
"The name change will give us additional visibility," Bottin said. "Anything you can do to help the image of your school is important."
Bottin said the business college's most visible graduate is David Glass, the former president and CEO of Wal-Mart.
SMSU has strong traditions outside of academics as well.
John Sullivan, a senior staff member with the SMSU music program, said the SMSU band emphasizes three things: jazz, marching and concert band. Sullivan said they also have an active color guard and drum line.
"We've had a strong program for about 18 years," Sullivan said. "Our wind ensemble is considered one of the best in the Midwest."
The program has tripled in size since the mid-'80s, Sullivan said. In 1985 the program had about 100 students. By the end of the decade, it averaged between 300 and 350 members, its current level.
Sullivan said he attributes the growth to Director Belva Prather and Associate Director Jerry Hoover.
"It is because of their vision," Sullivan said. "They are both excellent teachers with strong backgrounds. They are in it for the students."
The SMSU marching band has performed at the Orange Bowl, the London New Year's Day Parade and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Landon said SMSU's third focus is health care, with the number of health care-related programs exploding in recent years due to Springfield having two of the state's five largest hospitals.
