July 8, 2025

Yesterday marked the end of my first week as the 19th president of SEMO. It was an exhilarating seven days, and Sue and I both were made to feel very welcome. To everyone who has reached out to say, "glad you're here," we thank you!

I will periodically send you a "3 Things" email to highlight three items that are important for faculty, staff, alumni, and friends to know about the University. Not only will it keep you up to date in a succinct way, but it will also arm you with the latest information to share with your circles of influence. I think, over time, you'll find me to be candid and transparent regarding the successes and challenges of this great university. This email series will be part of an overall enhanced communication initiative to better inform you about Southeast Missouri State.

Until I meet you in person and learn your SEMO story, please know I'm very grateful for everything you do for our students.

Go Redhawks!

1) Listening and Learning - I spent the first week meeting with students, faculty, staff, business, and education leaders, chamber and economic development professionals, local elected officials, and other stakeholders from across the region. What I've heard mirrors what I learned in my onboarding activities: a desire for the University to grow its impact in Southeast Missouri, better tell our story, and elevate the SEMO experience for students, employees, and external stakeholders. These three foundational items will likely form the basis for our upcoming strategic planning process as we identify an updated vision for SEMO. On a personal note, I'm very grateful for the candor and engagement of all these stakeholders in helping me learn more about this amazing University. Thank you!

2) Plans for Interim Positions - SEMO currently has three vice presidential positions being filled on an interim basis. While I'm grateful for the three individuals who are serving as interim leaders, I believe it's important for us to move forward with these searches. The plan I've shared with the Board of Governors and internal governance leaders is to immediately launch a search for the vice president for enrollment management and student success. In spring 2026, as that first search winds down, we'll begin the search for a new vice president for finance and administration. Finally, in the fall of 2026, we'll begin the search for a permanent provost/vice president for academic affairs. These three searches are staged to allow us to move forward strategically while quickly putting together a complete executive leadership team as soon as possible.

3) Fiscal Year 2026 State Appropriations - On Monday, June 30, Governor Kehoe signed House Bill 3, which provides support for the state's public higher education system, including Southeast Missouri State University. For the fiscal year that began on July 1, that is a $54.4 million allocation for SEMO, which represents 34.4% of our overall operating budget (the remainder largely funded by student tuition). House Bill 3 passed the House and Senate with a 3% increase to core appropriations; however, the Governor signed the bill with a 1.5% increase, reflecting his original recommendation to the legislature in January. The difference between these two numbers for SEMO is approximately $800,000. While any increase is greatly appreciated given rising costs in areas such as utilities, software subscriptions, retirement contributions, etc., such a change in state funding will require attention by campus leadership to close that gap. I will begin working collaboratively with the Board of Governors, executive staff, and campus governance leaders to ensure we begin Fiscal Year 2026 with a balanced budget for the 12 months ahead. In other budget action, the Governor signed HB 20 which reappropriates $37 million for the University’s Modern Campus Transformational Project. We are grateful to the Governor and our local legislators for this continued commitment to SEMO.