Governance and finances were two of the key issues addressed during Faculty Senate’s Dec. 1 meeting.

Dr. Bruce Speck, University president, reported on the recent Board of Governors retreat.

“The focus of the retreat was enrollment and out of that we have a clear mandate from the Board of Governors to increase enrollment at this institution,” Speck said.

Growth, Speck said, is the only option. Scenarios of lower enrollment or even maintaining current levels were economically unacceptable.

“They have given us a very clear mandate to do whatever is necessary to get the enrollment up, so we will be doing that,” he said.

Speck also clarified his position as University president, noting the transition from the last administration to his own.

“The power of the office is intact. What has changed is the process that I’m attempting to use in getting input in how that power is exercised,” Speck said. “There are not four votes in this campus. There is not a vote from the faculty, there is not a vote from students and there will not be a vote from the Staff Senate – when it’s organized – and then my vote.

“What I have chosen to do is to seek as much input as possible so that when I do vote I will vote intelligently and with insight which is what the constituency of this campus believes to be the best thing.

“I do not report to the faculty. I do not report to the staff. I do not report to students. The Board of Governors hired me,” he said.

Speck’s statement represents no vast change in governance policy, said Dr. Jack Oakes, assistant vice president for academic affairs. Oakes said Speck’s statement is just a clarification and added the president’s approachable stand is what differentiates him from the previous administration.

“He’s not saying that he’s going to micromanage this institution,” Oakes said. “Everyone should feel like they’ve got the opportunity to communicate to the president and the president is saying that’s he’s got an open door. He’s there to listen and to evaluate and to take into consideration the information that comes form these sources, but ultimately it is the president that has the responsibility.”

Speck said he discussed this chain of command structure with the Board and received their endorsement. He cited upcoming economic decisions and the current deficit and called on Senators to maintain the integrity of the institution in the face of forecasted budget shortfalls across the state.

“I will be seeking certainly your input,” Speck said, “But the tough decisions will have to be made and I understand that’s my job.”

When asked about the moratorium on travel and how that would effect international trips, Speck said those were still under consideration.

“One thing is absolutely clear – any trips cannot be … if there’s been a deficit in terms of we did not make money on it – that’s not going to happen,” Speck said. “It’s a business proposition.”

The lack of reserves could result problems down the road.

“If next fall our enrollment is down we will be making some very, very difficult decisions about personnel and programs – if not before then,” he said.

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Senators did hear some positive financial news. Missouri Southern shut off lights and turned up thermostats to 68 degrees across campus during the months August, September and October. Based on kilowatt savings from those three months Southern saved an estimated $32,280 in energy bills.

Other cost-saving measures discussed included the temporary suspension of textbook adoptions during the spring semester. A policy changing summer compensation processes is still under revision, but will be handed down before department heads finalize their summer courses. Student scholarships – once 25 percent of the general fund budget – have been dropped to 21 percent under the new “no-stacking” revisions. Eventually these will be reduced to 19 percent. A campus-wide hiring freeze is in place except for operationally critical jobs as reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

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A vote to update the Faculty Handbook will take place in April. Senate members plan to post the document with changes highlighted so faculty members know which sections have been added or deleted. A motion expanding the definition of terminal degrees to include the masters of fine arts has also made its way through the administration and will be up for faculty approval. Senate also adopted a policy denoting sabbatical participation as separate from involvement in the Missouri London, Missouri Greece and Fulbright program and creating a separate classification of leave of absence for the three programs.