The Truman State University Board of Governors met Saturday, December 2nd to elect new officers, listen to reports, and pass changes to housing and meal plans.
In its Dec. 1 meeting — its last of the calendar year — the Board unanimously elected new officers. Gov. Laura A. Crandall was elected chair, Gov. Jennifer Kopp Dameron was elected vice chair and Gov. K. Brooks Miller Jr. was elected secretary. The new officers will begin serving at the first 2019 meeting.
University President Sue Thomas gave a report on the University’s efforts to secure state funding for two graduate certificate programs and updates to the new comprehensive marketing plan. Thomas said the University is hopeful the state will provide grants for the programs because they are recommended by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. She said Truman has hired Keaton Wagner as marketing coordinator and is finalizing the search for a marketing, image and branding consulting firm to create a more uniform and concentrated marketing effort.
The Board also heard reports from Staff Council Chair Kara Jo Levery, the Finance and Auditing Committee, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, SEM Works, and the Budget and Capital Projects Committee.
The Budget and Capital Projects Committee reported the Fair Apartments demolition cost over $9,000 more than expected because of additional asbestos abatement costs. The committee also gave the Board an update to the improvement projects funded by the Student Athletic Fee, which included the locker replacement project in Pershing Building 118, bleacher replacements at the baseball and softball fields, foul pole replacements at the baseball fields, and purple padding on the Pershing Arena walls.
The Board of Governors also passed a measure increasing on-campus living room rates by 1.5 percent for the 2019-20 year. Campus apartment rates will go up by 3 percent, double room rates will increase by 1 percent and there will be no increase to single room rates. The Board also approved changes to campus dining. These changes include meal transferability to Chick-fil-A, opening dining halls for Sunday evening meals, additional dining days each semester, opening C-Stores for fall and term breaks, and increasing meal value from $3.75 to $4.00. The new dining changes will go into effect next fall semester and will also include an overall price increase of 2.8 percent.