5 ways Missouri State is looking to raise its profile

Missouri State University President Clif Smart outlined five priorities in his "State of the University" address Monday — all of which, he said, will raise the university's profile if implemented.

First, Smart said, the university will focus on value, which means the university will "scrutinize" all proposed tuition and fee increases.

"College cannot be just for the affluent, and student debt cannot expand indefinitely," he said.

At the same time, Smart said, there must be the resources to allow for continued enhancement of the university's academic offerings.

"Access is important only if the education offered is truly of value," he said.

Second, Smart said the university must focus on improving its retention rate. The number of first-year students who return for their second year is about 75 percent, he said, and has been "ticking down" in recent years. That compares to retention rates in excess of 80 percent at what the university considers its three main public competitors.

"I think part of the solution will come from helping students make better connections the first several weeks of school," he said. "Thus, we are retooling our orientation, family programs and living-learning communities."

Smart said MSU is also looking to better connect students to academic departments and is evaluating the advising process.

Third, Smart said, the university continues to see improving its facilities as a priority. The past year focused on improvements to athletic facilities; having five sports share the Plaster Sports Complex before this fall gave MSU "the athletic profile of a Division II or III school, even though we have played Division I sports for many years."

"Now we have the profile of a Division I school," Smart said of the new improvements.

This year, Smart said, the university is constructing two new buildings — a welcome center funded by private donations and a new health building that will house three programs and free up space in existing buildings to expand others. Other buildings will be renovated.

Next year, he said, the university hopes to expand laboratory space and renovate older academic buildings if revenue bonds are issued by the state.

"That will be our top legislative priority this year, and I'm hopeful we can be successful in that goal," Smart said.

Fourth, Smart said, MSU needs to improve the diversity of its faculty and staff. The university has done "very well" at attracting a more diverse student body, he said, but made only "marginal progress" when it comes to faculty and staff.

"Our students are entitled to interact with faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds and with diverse life experiences and with diverse ideas," Smart said.

"This will be challenging — maybe the most challenging thing on our list — but we will not make progress if we don't begin to intentionally work at this as an important priority," he said.

Fifth, Smart said, the university needs to focus on long-term strategic planning. Its current long-range plan runs through June 30, 2016, and the process to replace it will take about two years. That includes public comment, board approval and the bringing in of outside guest speakers.

The strategic plan, he said, will be dubbed "The Missouri State Vision: Our Passion for Excellence."

"Emphasis on those last four words," Smart said. "Our passion for excellence."