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1) Student Engagement – Last Wednesday evening, members of the SEMO Executive Staff held an open forum Q&A with the Student Government Association in the University Center Ballroom. It was an opportunity for a candid conversation about topics top of mind for our students. Issues discussed that evening with Executive Staff included the availability of face-to-face class sections, capital construction projects, residence life, the new automatic financial aid model, SEMO’s new “Fearless” branding campaign, and campus life activities, to name but a few. I’d like to thank several for the event: Sophie Martin, SGA president, for organizing the interaction; the students who attended and asked great questions; and Executive Staff who candidly answered those questions. We have committed to holding a similar student open forum Q&A in the spring to ensure students have access to campus leaders making decisions that impact them every day.
2) Strategic Planning Task Force – The group of your colleagues and external stakeholders who will guide the development of a new five-year strategic plan met for the first time last Thursday. This task force, chaired by Provost Dr. Doug Koch, will work with the Huron Group on specific goals and outcomes that will move our campus closer to our shared vision for the University. The full roster of Strategic Planning Task Force members can be found on the planning web page. Please reach out to these individuals or visit the web page to share your ideas for the future of SEMO.
3) Fiscal Year 2027 Budget – As the University begins to formulate the FY27 operating budget, one of the first steps is to determine whether a surplus or deficit exists going into the next fiscal year. As many of you are aware, we began this fiscal year with two factors that work against us: an $804,000 decrease in state appropriations, and an enrollment drop that resulted in a decrease in tuition/fee and room/board revenue totaling $2,610,364. While other factors for FY27 remain yet unknown (e.g., state appropriations, fall 2026 enrollment, utility increases, property insurance, etc.), we have determined that this financial situation merits a thorough review of our budget. To that end, in accordance with the Faculty Handbook, I have asked Provost Dr. Doug Koch to initiate an extraordinary program review. I will also be asking other members of Executive Staff to perform the same analysis on non-academic areas. Specific steps and timelines will be shared in the near future. This information will be of great value as we determine how to address this budget shortfall. I want to reiterate to the campus that any budget analysis is about both rescissions to balance the budget and investments to continue to move the campus forward. There will be opportunities for the campus community to participate in the budget process next spring. I encourage everyone to be actively engaged in this endeavor.
Sue and I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, and food. I hope you enjoy your holiday.
GO REDHAWKS!
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