Regents approve FY25 budget, policies, service contracts

Northwest Missouri State University’s Board of Regents during its regular meeting Thursday unanimously approved the University’s 2024-25 budget, which consists of its Education and General Budget and Auxiliary Services Budget, totaling about $118.6 million.

The budget includes strategic investments aimed at growing the University’s enrollment and sustainability, including enrollment management and recruitment services and online professional academic advising. Additionally, the University plans to invest in its scholarship model by enhancing merit-based scholarships, expanding eligibility for Bearcat Advantage and enhancing its partnership with KC Scholars.

Further, Northwest will invest funding into enhancing its student experience and supporting its employees through cost-of-living adjustments and health and retirement benefits.

The budget also reflects projected enrollment increases and state appropriations approved by the Missouri legislature.

The Board’s approval of the budget follows its March approval of the University’s 2024-25 tuition and fees, which amount to an estimated 4.2 percent rate increase.

Other business

In other business, the Board of Regents approved:

• The appointments of 242 full-time faculty for the 2024-25 academic year.
• A Student Location Policy being implemented by the U.S. Dept. of Education that requires higher education institutions to advise students whether their academic program meets licensure requirements in states and territories where the students are located at the time of their studies.
• A contract totaling about $2.6 million between the Northwest Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC) and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for 2024-25. The funds support salary, benefits, regional and state-required travel, equipment, materials and supplies for staff at the center, which supports 59 school districts in northwest Missouri and has been supported by Northwest since 1995.
• An Employee Service and Emotional Support Animal Policy, in alignment with the Americans with Disabilities Act, to support the use of service animals and emotional support animals on the Northwest campus.
• Multiple technology service agreements, consisting of a three-year software maintenance renewal agreement with Ellucian Banner, a three-year renewal agreement with Oracle Cloud Services, and a three-year contract extension with Microsoft Office 365.

Additionally, as Northwest moves forward this summer with an infrastructure modernization project, Vice President of Finance and Administration Stacy Carrick shared with Regents the University’s plan to use a construction management at-risk procurement method as outlined in RSMo Section 67.5050. Carrick noted the University’s selection criteria include qualifications such as project experience, project and construction management, team organization, safety and financial stability, and project costs.

Per its bylaws, the Board also conducted its election of officers, electing Mel Tjeerdsma as chair and Stephen Coppinger as vice chair. Additionally, Regents reappointed Diane Hargrave, executive secretary in the Office of the Provost, as secretary of the Board and Carrick as treasurer.

During a series of recognitions at the start of Thursday’s meeting, Northwest President Dr. Lance Tatum paid homage to longtime employees Mitzi Marchant and Dr. Mike Steiner, who are retiring this summer. Marchant, who serves as vice president of university advancement and executive director of the Northwest Foundation, retires June 30, and Steiner, who is dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and associate provost of undergraduate studies, retires July 31.

To Marchant, Tatum said, “We want to congratulate you on your legacy at Northwest. It is truly a legacy. Your fingerprints can be found throughout this institution, and we are proud of your accomplishments at Northwest.”

Addressing Steiner, Tatum added, “I’ve observed Mike work through policy interpretations and development. I’ve watched him work through curriculum review. I’ve watched him be a part of supporting the academic mission as a whole, and my confidence in Mike Steiner is that whatever decision or whatever outcome he’s working toward, it is in the best interest of the academic enterprise that is the University. He has not only impacted people and students inside the institution but also outside his work.”

The Board of Regents is responsible for sound resource management of the University and determining general, educational and financial policies.