In an effort to save printing and postage costs, the spring 2020 issue of the MWSU Magazine is online only. For all the latest Missouri Western news, alumni profiles and news, and more, go to  missouriwestern.edu/magazine.

It is also online as a pdf, if you prefer to read it that way.

Our Financial Aid Office has been asked, "Is it true that I don't have to make payments on student loans right now? " Here is the answer to that question:

This is true for Federal Student loans. Any federal loan payments, and interest accrual on the loans, is suspended until Sept. 30, retroactively going into effect on March 13, 2020. Your billing should update automatically -- if it hasn't, make inquiries.

Loans that don't qualify are Federal Family Education Loans, Perkins Loans, and Private Loans.

Private loans can include loans that were refinanced through a private company (ex. SoFi). You should still check to see what services private lenders may be offering.

Keep in mind that any payments you make during this time will go entirely toward the principal amount, not split with interest.

Additionally, if you are working toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness - these suspended months will still count toward your required monthly payments.

DISCLAIMER: Information is changing daily, so make sure you are checking studentaid.gov regularly for any updates or amendments. If you have any questions, reach out to the Financial Aid Office:
missouriwestern.edu/finaid/contact.

Eight Missouri Western students received 2020 Nursing Fellowship scholarships from the Mosaic Life Care Foundation.

In honor of Nurses Week (May 6-12), the Foundation announced their commitment to the annual fellowship that will award $10,000 each up to 10 qualifying applicants. This year’s recipients were chosen from applicants currently enrolled in nursing programs throughout the Mosaic service region, and eight of the nine selected are in Missouri Western's nursing program.

The Nursing Fellowship lays the foundation for a successful nursing career. Following graduation and obtaining a Missouri State Nursing License, each Mosaic Life Care Foundation Nursing Fellowship recipient will be partnered with a professional mentor throughout their first three years of employment with Mosaic, participate in community engagement opportunities and develop clinical and leadership skills in a supportive, hands-on environment.

They scholarships recipients include the following:

• Jennifer Buch, of St. Joseph
• Kourtney Chaney, of St. Joseph
• Shelbie Gaines, of Watson, Missouri
• Jaileigh Hamlin, of St. Joseph
• Lauren Hill, of Troy, Kansas
• Alyssa Hough, of Gower, Missouri
• Ashley Moeck, of St. Joseph
• Holly Poppa, of Bethany, Missouri

One of the favorite local events of the year and the single biggest fundraiser for Griffon Athletics has been rescheduled due to the pandemic: the date for the 18th Annual MWSU/YWCA Charity Golf Classic has been changed to Aug. 15 and 24.

Missouri Western rescheduled its Spring Commencement ceremony for Family Weekend this fall. The ceremony for students who earned their degrees in the spring and summer semesters will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20 in the Looney Complex Arena.

“Graduating from college is an achievement worth celebrating even in the best of times. It is even more remarkable now, when our graduates have overcome not just the normal challenges of the college experience but the extraordinary circumstances created by COVID-19,” said President Matt Wilson. “While social distancing guidelines make it impossible to celebrate with our seniors and their families in person as we planned on May 2, we hope that they’re able to join us later this year as we commemorate this significant milestone on their educational journey.”

Spring and summer 2020 graduates who are unable to participate in the Sept. 20 commencement will be invited to participate in the December 2020 commencement ceremony.

A letter from Megan Raney, Career Development Director:

In the release of the Academic Review Board report, the recent vote by the Board of Governors and President Wilson’s many community addresses, I’ve heard a growing concern specific to alumni regarding their own degrees. The primary question being, “what happens if my degree has been phased out?”

There’s been a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding from those confusing the phasing out process with the loss of accreditation. As President Wilson pointed out, the only risk to the school’s accreditation is if we don’t make changes to improve the university’s finances. Simply put, if your completed degree’s program is no longer offered at the school, it does not change the fact that it was accredited at the time it was earned.

You would not need to amend your resume to reflect the changes to the university’s current offerings. Your degree is as valid now as it was the day you graduated. Whether you’re applying to a new position or even graduate school, your earned credits remain the same. Should you ever need documented support (outside of your diploma), then your transcripts would show the degree earned and courses taken. This is the information that employers or post-graduate programs would be concerned with.

I’ve been of the opinion my entire career that the degree doesn’t ultimately dictate the profession. It is the individual’s accomplishments that can carry more weight in the professional world. Colleges and universities will naturally evolve as new concepts and ideas replace old ones – consider the popularity of the Home Economics degree from decades ago, to how rarely it is offered now. Additionally, the person with the Computer Science degree from 1980 would have to remain diligent in their industry with changing technology, skills, and programs in order to stay competitive.

If you have concerns about how this could have an impact on your professional journey, please feel free to reach out to me directly. But also stay confident that the value of your diploma is not now, nor has ever been, called into question.

Together We Succeed,

Megan Raney

For a list of the degree programs that are currently being offered at Missouri Western, go to missouriwestern.edu/degrees. 

Missouri Western recently announced that all courses for the Summer 2020 semester will be offered 100% online.

“Our first priority is the health and well being of our campus community, so we have taken proactive steps to make all our summer courses are available online,” said Dr. Doug Davenport, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs. “With so much uncertainty about when students will be able to return to campus, we wanted to make sure our students could continue their education without interruption.”

Missouri Western’s online course information can be found at missouriwestern.edu/online.

“The summer semester also provides a perfect opportunity for students and prospective students to get a jump start on their coursework,” said Dr. Davenport. “And with so many more students homebound this semester, this means we can continue our important mission to keep teaching and keep learning.”

The Department of Art is proud to present our 2020 Senior Art Exhibition, showcasing 27 of our graduating seniors from the graphic design, digital animation, art education, and studio art programs. The exhibition was originally set to open in Potter Gallery, with receptions to showcase the students’ work and artistic accomplishments. Due to COVID-19, the events were cancelled, so the Department of Art quickly decided to bring the exhibition to everyone’s screens at home – the 2020 Senior Exhibition has gone virtual. The 2020 Senior Art Exhibition features artwork by seniors in the Department of Art.

Since the COVID-19 situation has emptied college campuses and high school classrooms, Missouri Western's Admissions team and recruiters have worked to develop easily accessible digital experiences for prospective students. This included updating virtual tours and developing multi-faceted approaches to bring campus to students in their homes.

Various projects included:
-Comprehensive video-based narrative tour starring admissions staff
-Individual personal video messages and guidance from departments/school/college stakeholders
-Interactive ARCGIS Web-based virtual tour in lieu of campus visits
-Ramped up emailing and phone-call campaigns

Admissions also held a virtual Griffon Showcase that had been scheduled for April 4. Prospective students and their families logged into a special website and were able to chat with faculty, staff and current students and gain all the information they would have gotten had they been able to come to campus.

Marissa Steimel, director of new student initiatives, said they are looking at ways to make other events go virtual, such as their Griffon Orientation program in the summer.

The Missouri Western library is working to document the COVID-19 pandemic, and we need your help! The goal of this project is to collect a record of the personal experiences of our MWSU community, including alumni.

We are collecting journal and diary entries, emails, photographs, art, videos, voice memos and audio recordings, and other digital evidence of the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19. Experiences we would like to document include learning and working from home, the shift to online learning, social distancing, self-quarantine, how individuals are coping, etc.

For more information and to share your experience, visit the Special Collections page on the MWSU library website.
You may also access the submission form directly here.

Tips for helping small businesses survive hard times will be the focus of a series of free webinars co-hosted by The Center for Entrepreneurship at Missouri Western State University and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce April 13-24.

“Being an entrepreneur can sometimes be lonely and frustrating,” said Annette Weeks, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and host for the series of webinars. “This is one of the ways we can help small business owners stay connected.”

The webinars, “Surviving a Small Business in Hard Times,” features six topics. All are scheduled for 10 a.m. Register by emailing the Center for Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship@missouriwestern.edu, or by visiting the Chamber of Commerce website.

Monday, April 13: How to Prepare Your Business Financials, presented by Shelly Hulet, of Sumner, Carter, Hardy & Schwichtenberg, PC

Wednesday, April 15: SBA and Other Financial Options, presented by Roni Mauer and Kleci Moss, Mo-Kan Regional Council

Friday, April 17: Pivoting Your Business Model in Hard Times, presented by Mary Ingersoll, Inspiration Dance Studio

Monday, April 20: Creating/Updating a Business Plan for Going Forward, presented by Annette Weeks, Center for Entrepreneurship, and Natalie Redmond, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce

Wednesday, April 22: Getting People to Your Business, presented by Dr. Phillip Frank, Missouri Western’s Craig School of Business

Friday, April 24: Being at the Forefront on Social Media, presented by Miu Sutton, Center for Entrepreneurship

In addition to the series of webinars, Weeks encourages small business owners to stay connected through two other ongoing efforts. The regular weekly Cup of Joe gathering is now virtual on the Cup of Joe Facebook page at 9 a.m. each Wednesday. And a Facebook group has been created, Entrepreneurs of Western Missouri, to give business owners a place to engage with like-minded people and look for support.

Will Martin was promoted to head men's basketball coach after the resignation of Sundance Wicks.

Will Martin was promoted from assistant to head coach of the men's basketball program. Martin served as the assistant coach the past two seasons and became the sixth head coach in program history.

"Will Martin has been a critical leader for the dramatic shift in culture, competitiveness and community support MWSU men's basketball has experienced over the past two years," said Josh Looney, vice president of intercollegiate athletics. "I am all-in on Will's vision to continue our rise and I am all-in on the student-athletes he has brought into this program. The current momentum in our program is powerful and Will has all of the characteristics and experiences to lead us to our ultimate goals. Most importantly, Will will run a basketball program that St. Joseph will be proud to engage and support."

"I am so humbled and grateful for the opportunity to lead this program," Martin said. "My confidence does not come from me, but from this team and what we have accomplished together. I am fully aware that I would not be sitting in this position if not for the sacrifice of our players and the entire Griff community for the collective success of this team. I want to thank every mentor, coach and player that has been a part of my journey. I am blessed to have learned from the absolute best. Who I am and what I bring to Griff Nation is a credit to everyone who has invested in me along the way. With faith, love, ownership and work, I am excited to flow into this new era of Griffon basketball."

Before coming to Missouri Western, Martin served as assistant men's basketball coach and director of athletic admissions at Martin Methodist College (NAIA). Prior to that, Martin was the director of basketball operations at the University of San Francisco under head coach Rex Walters. Martin also gained Division I experience as a graduate assistant and video coordinator at Tulsa from 2013-15. There, Martin was a part of the Danny Manning-led 2014 Conference USA Champions staff and also worked under head coach Frank Haith.

As an undergraduate, Martin served as a men's basketball manager at the University of Kentucky under head coach John Calipari. During Martin's tenure with the Wildcats, the team reached the Elite 8 on three occasions, the Final Four on two occasions and Martin served as the head manager of the 2012 National Championship team.

In addition to his duties with the men's basketball program, Martin served as captain of the University of Kentucky Ethics Debate team from 2009-2011. Under his direction, Kentucky claimed its first-ever Regional Championship and national appearance in the team's history.

Martin received his bachelors from the University of Kentucky in 2012 and obtained his master's in education from the University of Tulsa in 2015.

Off the hardwood, Martin also is involved in a prison ministry project – "Against the Grain" – where he serves as a volunteer teacher of the "180 Project."

A 2007 graduate of Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, Martin and his fiancé Avens Ridgeway reside in St. Joseph.

Martin replaces Sundance Wicks, who accepted a position at the University of Wyoming after serving two seasons ast Missouri Western.

In two seasons, Wicks turned around the program. His first Griffon team doubled its win total from the previous season and his 2019-20 team improved by six wins over his first season to finish 18-14 overall, 13-6 in the MIAA with a fourth place finish in the conference standings and an MIAA Championship semifinal appearance.

Sundance Wicks

Wicks' second season brought the most wins for the program in a decade; most MIAA wins in 18 years; highest MIAA finish in 10 years; longest home win streak (11) in 17 years; most home wins in 14 years; and a program-record 305 made 3-point field goals in a season. In his two years at MWSU, Wicks had six players named All-MIAA including the program's first-ever MIAA Freshman of the Year and first, first team All-MIAA and NABC All-District selection in 14 years.

Do you want a Missouri Western background for your next zoom meeting? Click here and check it out!

Dear Griffon Nation,

During this difficult and unprecedented time, we hope that this email finds you and your loved ones well. We also want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support of Missouri Western State University. At the same time, I invite you to spend a few minutes reading and digesting the information below. Please excuse the length of this message.

Because of the gravity of our current situation and the importance of taking measures to sustain the University, I also ask for your understanding and assistance during a very critical point in our history. As you may have heard, Missouri Western is working through a process related to strengthening some of its degree programs while phasing out others. Please allow me to provide some context and important information.

Financial Challenges and Proposed Adjustments to Our Degree Programs 

Missouri Western provides access and opportunities. We are an invaluable resource to individuals, families, our community, and the State of Missouri. We educate and elevate in a special way. As we collectively focus on student success and constantly strive for excellence, we can make significant progress if we stay positive and focus on the advantages provided by Missouri Western. Although much work and many challenges are ahead, we will emerge even stronger.

Mounting Challenges 

Without question, we are not immune to the forces driving unprecedented change across the higher education sector and challenges specifically facing our institution. COVID-19 and associated challenges have only complicated things even more. Such forces have led to universities making significant adjustments to staffing and programs in recent years (this includes Mizzou and Missouri State just to name a few), merging, or even closing their doors.  In our case, we are grappling with the impact of:

• Decreasing enrollment (nearly 25% drop in full-time undergraduate students over the past 10 years; 10% decrease in our freshman class this past fall; applications down over 15% this year)
• State subsidies dropping (largely stagnant or dropped over the years while tuition caps have kept tuition revenue relatively flat – we just had our support from the state reduced by over $600,000 per month for the next three months due to COVID-19 and we anticipate the likelihood of further reductions next fiscal year)
• Higher costs (higher pension contributions, growing health care costs, minimum wage increases, higher operating costs, more unfunded scholarships, etc. contribute to millions in increasing expenses)
• Deferred maintenance needs (over $60 million in needs as evidenced by our roads, curbs, roofs, heating/cooling systems, equipment, flooring, furniture, etc.)
• Fewer students going to college in the area (fewer high school graduates and increased public discourse questioning the value of four-year degrees)
• Increasing competition (from online programs, community colleges, peer institutions, etc.)

Until recently, the extent of these and other challenges was not fully appreciated in terms of our yearly budget, annual expenditures and available resources. In fact, in October, we announced a revised $3.178 million projected deficit for this fiscal year. Before the COVID-19 issues started impacting our institution, we had made progress. We have realized savings through some personnel moves and reduced expenditures, but these gains have been offset by legacy issues, lower student credit hours this academic year, maintenance expenditures and other unexpected expenses. Unfortunately, we need to address our immediate issues and other challenges without delay.

What Have We Been Doing? 

To ensure our survival, both short-term and long-term measures are critical to help us survive and thrive in the climate currently facing Missouri Western and higher education. Over the past eight months, we have been working across campus to address our budget issues. We have made difficult decisions to eliminate a significant number of senior administrative and management positions, reduce staff, stop doing certain things and trim operating budgets among other things. We have also centralized and consolidated some operations, tapped into resources from our Foundation, and explored possible revenue streams through community and business partners. These moves have been designed to sustain us in the short-term.

At the same time, we have also been working diligently to ramp up student recruitment efforts and roll out new initiatives to assist us in the long term. Please remember that all of these new initiatives are specifically designed to attract and retain students while both providing them with additional opportunities and building an even greater sense of community on our campus. These initiatives include Gold Fridays, Griffon Guarantee Scholarship, Center for Service, esports, lacrosse, Global Center, and Military & Veterans Center. 

It is important to remember that similar budget deficits will persist in future years unless we permanently reduce expenditures or increase revenue. Based on a host of factors, we have fewer options available to attack current and future shortfalls. For these and other reasons, we need to adjust to our enrollment without sacrificing focus and innovation. More than anything, it is critical that we find ways to stabilize our financial position in very short order.

University Convenes a Financial Advisory Council in February 

To that end, the Board of Governors passed a strategic policy to help explore solutions to stabilize the University’s finances while facilitating an enhanced focus and a strengthening of the University’s core. This policy involves planning and discussions among administration, faculty, staff, and student leadership. Since that point in time, we have had a Financial Advisory Council review and confirm the urgency of our situation.

As part of the process to address our state of financial emergency, we convened an Academic Review Board (ARB) to assess data for each under-enrolled major and minor (e.g. enrollments, graduations, student credit hours, annual program reports, faculty counts, etc.) together with student demand for majors/minors, program viability, and career prospects. Over the past three weeks, the ARB spent countless hours reviewing programs that do not meet the state’s annual graduation guidelines (10 students per year) or otherwise sustainable enrollment levels. The ARB review focused on financial sustainability. By no means did the review question the quality, value, or rigor of a program or professor.

Proposal for a Two-Year Phase Out of Certain Programs 

Unfortunately, the University is compelled to contemplate steps that are very difficult and unpleasant for all of us. These proposed steps are intended to sustain the University and avoid additional job losses.

• The ARB released its objective report late last month recommending certain steps that can potentially help move the University to a position of sustainability. If you are interested, you can access the ARB’s report here.
• On Saturday, the Provost reviewed the ARB’s objective findings and suggested the additional retention of programs in music, chemistry, and communication. He additionally suggested that the University suspend new enrollment and phase out certain programs (major/minor/concentration) over the next two years. Click here for this document.
• Several notes include most students should not be impacted directly by the recommended phase-outs because they are seeking a degree in higher enrollment programs
• Several notes include for those who are impacted, they will have a pathway to complete their degree over the course of two years.

The campus community has until April 15 to provide input at which time the Provost will finalize his recommendations and submit them to me for consideration. At the end of April, I will present my recommendations to the Board of Governors for action.

Closing Thoughts and List of Programs Retained

I am including below a list of the programs currently proposed for retention at Missouri Western. It is notable that currently over 75% of our graduates come from only 31% of our programs. Unfortunately, we simply cannot afford to subsidize under-enrolled programs any more. It is not possible to spread our resources so thin and essentially be everything to everyone.

While the phasing out of programs isn’t welcome news, our viability and long-term success as an institution is dependent upon our continuing efforts to serve our students and prepare them for success. It is important that we strengthen our core while continuing to look at new approaches and enhanced programs. We also must do what we can to make college affordable and offer the academic programming that will enable students opportunities to thrive and prosper in the workplace. Our strategies are designed to leverage our strengths to continue that mission.

This is an outstanding university with wonderful people. We have motivated students who come to us to pursue their dreams. We can work together to overcome the challenges before us through positivity, collaboration, patience and understanding. I invite you to help me in continuing our spirit of collegiality, pride, commitment and family on our campus. I encourage you to talk positively about the University whenever possible.  Also, I invite you to send students to our fine University.

Thank you for all you do to support our students and institution. We hope to emerge stronger moving forward.

Sincerely,

President Matt Wilson

Missouri Western Alumni Association

4525 Downs Drive

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Saint Joseph, MO

816-271-5646