Board Reviews Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    
June 22, 2007

Dr. Julio León

(417) 625-9501

 

JOPLIN, MO (SNS) – The year 2007 will be recorded as a good year for Missouri Southern State University and higher education in general in relation to support from state legislators in Jefferson City.  The MSSU Board of Governors heard a positive review of the last legislative session from its Jefferson City representative Kyna Iman.

 

Highlights of the legislative session include passage of Senate Bill 389 that included almost $19 million for a new health sciences building on the MSSU campus and the Access Missouri scholarship program that increases the number of Missouri Southern students eligible for state grants from under 100 to about 900. 

Physical fitness is a national concern and students will soon be able to take advantage of a new state-of-the-art Recreation Center on the Missouri Southern Campus. The Board moved that project forward today when it approved a Recreation Center fee of $150 for students taking seven or more hours of classes and $75 for students taking six or fewer hours. The fees are expected to be instituted in the fall of 2008.

 

The Board also approved a $15 fee for renovations in the Billingsly Student Center and a $30 Health Center fee.

In addition to the student fee, the Recreation Center will be made possible by other private support, including a $1 million gift announced earlier from Mr. and Mrs. George S. Beimdiek. The Board’s committee headed by Dr. Charles McGinty, conducted extensive research and communicated with student leaders while considering the fee structure.

Students have asked for this facility and the fee will provide the funding for the bonds necessary to finance construction of the $16.5 million project. Designs for the Recreation Center include three basketball courts, a walking and jogging track, aerobic workout rooms, an area for stationary exercise equipment, a room for free weights, shower facilities, office space and a new Health Center.  

 

It was also announced that the Health Center will be named the Willcoxon Health Center in recognition of a generous gift from Dr. and Mrs. Robert Willcoxon. Dr. Willcoxon is a general surgeon associated with Freeman Hospital.

 

The Board also approved a $60 million Fiscal Year 2008 budget, which includes an 18 percent pay adjustment for non-grade and step classified personnel hired after July 1, 1998 and a 3 percent pay increase for all other faculty, professional support staff and grade and step classified employees.

 

In making the recommendation, University President Julio S. León said the adjustment for classified personnel was necessary to match the market conditions. 

The Board also approved recommendations for faculty promotions.

Faculty Recommendations/Requests

Approved by MSSU Board of Governors/June 2007

 

Instructor to Assistant Professor

• Mr. James Capeci – Spiva Library

Assistant Professor to Associate Professor

• Dr. Christie Cathey – Psychology Department
• Dr. AmyKay Cole – Psychology Department
• Dr. William Edwards – Teacher Education Department
• Dr. Jeffrey Macomber – Music Department
  

Associate Professor to Full Professor

• Dr. Dorothy Bay – Biology & Environmental Health Department
• Dr. Larry Cebula – Social Science Department
• Dr. Casey Cole – Psychology Department
• Mr. George Greenlee – English & Philosophy Department
• Dr. Dennis Harmon – Mathematics Department
• Dr. Loreen Huffman – Psychology Department
• Ms. Anne Jaros – Theatre Department
• Dr. David Locher – Social Science Department
• Dr. David Smith – Accounting Department
• Dr. William Tannenbaum – Social Science Department

 

TENURE Approval – June 2007School of Arts & Sciences

School of Business

School of Education

School of Technology

NEW HIRES

 

RETIREMENTS

RESIGNATIONS

NEW APPOINTMENTS