By Jeff Murphy, June 21, 2022
A beautiful structure on east side of the quadrangle, the Administration Building
is the home for many administrative offices on the 欧美视频
campus, including the Office of the President and offices for several other administrative
leaders.
WARRENSBURG, MO 鈥 In its plenary session June 17, the 欧美视频
Board of Governors named new officers for Fiscal Year 2023 while also approving separate
requests to the state for Fiscal Year 2024 operating and capital appropriations.
The board president annually names a nominating committee to propose new officers
whose positions begin with the new fiscal year. Beginning July 1, these new board
leaders will be Ken Weymuth, Sedalia, president; Steve Abney, Warrensburg, vice president;
and Mary Dandurand, Warrensburg, secretary. Monica Huffman, who currently serves as
executive assistant to the university president, will continue serving as assistant
secretary to the board, and Bill Hawley, vice president for finance and operations,
retains his role as board treasurer. In FY 2022, Abney provided leadership as board
president, Weymuth was vice president, and Dandurand was secretary.
Hawley spoke to the board about a number of financial-related matters that were approved.
He indicated that the university annually submits in early August separate proposed
recommendations for state support for operations and capital expenditures to the Missouri
Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD). This information
is used by the department to create a consolidated FY 2024 budget for Missouri higher
education, which must then be considered by the state legislature.
Looking to the future and the university鈥檚 projected funding needs, the board approved
a total request of approximately $66 million for university operations. Beginning
with $60.5 million in its operating appropriation base (based on state FY 2023 funding),
the total amount of the request includes about $3.1 million for core operations to
cover a projected 5.2 percent increase in inflation, an expected increase in the university鈥檚
contribution to the Missouri State Employees Retirement System (MOSERS) of about $1.4
million, $225,000 for Debt Offset Tax Authority, $91,000 for the Missouri Returning
Heroes Act, and new funding items totaling $670,000.
The funding proposal submitted to the MDHEWD to cover deferred maintenance and capital
funding priorities for FY 2024 is used to compile a list of state-wide priority capital
needs. UCM鈥檚 request includes nine different projects that are considered deferred
facility needs. Among the top three projects are roof replacement and facade restoration
for the Administration Building projected at about $4.7 million; facade restoration
for the Dockery Building estimated at approximately $3.9 million; and facade restoration
and drainage system improvements for the Ward Edwards Building totaling $4.7 million.
Seventeen projects were listed as top priorities for new construction and renovation.
The top three projects listed in order of priority were renovations to the Grinstead
Applied Technology Building, which are estimated at $38.5 million to help meet STEM
needs; $40.2 million to the Martin Building; and $16.7 million for renovation of Hendricks
Hall to improve its ability to serve as a performing arts center.
Hawley updated the board on the university鈥檚 FY 2023 operating budget, which was approved
during its April 21 meeting. The Missouri legislature has approved funding for higher
education. If approved by Missouri Governor Mike Parson, the appropriations bill would
make possible $59.9 million in state funding for UCM. This represents an increase
in expected appropriations of nearly $3.2 million in state support over the current
year. No tuition rate adjustments are expected for FY 2023 beyond those previously
approved by the board this spring. No adjustments to the total operating budget are
also needed for UCM, and there are no adjustments to the $29.4 million approved for
auxiliary enterprises this fiscal year. The university鈥檚 final budget is expected
to be loaded into its Banner Finance System by June 27.
In other business, the board authorized the purchase of a software license, support,
maintenance and hosted service for the Blackboard Learning Management System for a
three-year period, July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025, with Blackboard Inc. Bundled into
this $1.2 million agreement is additional storage, Helpdesk, and Blackboard Ally,
which provides guidance to instructors on how to improve content accessibility for
persons with disabilities and visual and hearing impairments. This is consistent with
UCM鈥檚 efforts to support a diverse and inclusive campus. UCM is currently in its final
year of a three-year contract with Blackboard.
The board also approved the award of an $841,980 contract with SKC Communications
Products LLC for the installation of academic audio-visual technology equipment for
various laboratories and classrooms at the W.C. Morris Science Building. The new equipment
will enhance class instruction and the presentation of course study materials, while
also facilitating collaborative learning and student participation. This project will
be funded by appropriations made possible through House Bill 19 for projects included
in the FY 2022 Missouri state budget.
A contract in the amount of $411,243 was approved for EBSCO Information Services to
provide library subscription services. The award is from July 1, 2022 to Dec. 31,
2025. UCM has utilized these subscription services for more than 13 years as a way
to help support academic programs and services for faculty, students and staff. This
service enables the university to manage more than 300 single-title journal subscriptions
from more than 65 individual publishers and content providers.
The board also approved a contract with ProPhoenix Corporation in an amount not to
exceed $450,509 for the replacement of the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records
Management System (RMS) software used by the Department of Public Safety. This contract
also includes five years of maintenance.