During the Annual Faculty Senate meeting April 19, updates were approved for the Faculty Handbook.

“It’s been a long time since it’s been updated so it’s a big deal,” said Kelly Wilson, director of the Student Support Center.

The handbook hasn’t seen adjustments since 1997, and since that time Missouri Southern has changed. Dr. Marsi Archer, associate professor of chemistry, said the necessary changes are a continuous process.

“It was a lot of work and we had a great committee that worked very well together,” she said. “Things have changed drastically. From here it has to be approved by the Board of Governors.”

Major changes included name changes; such as Missouri Southern State College is now Missouri Southern State University. The Board of Regents is now the Board of Governors. Departments have been added, split or have altered their purpose.

The committee met weekly throughout this semester with sections each individual were responsible for. In looking at a 10-year-old handbook, the committee decided to begin reviewing it every year and putting it online.

“We also changed the wording (in the constitution) for fear that this won’t be touched again for another 10 years,” Archer said. “As you read the book you can tell it’s terribly dated. We wanted to make sure that in the future we won’t have to go to the faculty meeting every year when something changes.”

From now until the next Faculty Senate meeting is the time for recommendations to be made to Archer on the handbook or constitution. Archer said updates are continuous and the discussion on these changes is good.

“I got some feedback, but I expect a lot more this fall when it comes out,” she said. “We have tried very hard to keep it as up-to-date as possible talking to a lot of people. I’m hoping it will be a lot more manageable for the people in the future.”