The Northwest Missouri State University Board of Regents honored champions during its regular meeting April 17 in the JW Jones Student Union Boardroom, in addition to finalizing the university’s tuition and fees for the 2017-18 academic year and approving an upgrade of its laptop program.

Several members of the Northwest Leadership Team showed their appreciation to Dr. Sue Myllykangas for her work this past year as faculty senate president.

Before getting to the business agenda, Regents celebrated the achievements of Northwest’s Speaking Bearcats forensics and debate team, which has earned 10 team and individual national championships this spring. Regents also congratulated Northwest’s Beta chapter of the Pi Omega Pi business education honor society, which during the weekend, was awarded its second national title in three years.

All told, Northwest is the winner of 13 national championships since December, 11 by academic teams and two by athletic teams.

During his report to the Regents, Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski highlighted the university’s recent championships and maintained that the institution remains focused on access and affordability in spite of restricted financial resources. An analysis by the university reports that the institution is covering approximately three-fourths of the fiscal year’s budget reductions and reallocations while the remaining percentage is being covered through student enrollment, tuition and fees.

“There’s no doubt we’re going through some tough times with regard to budget and those will continue into next year and beyond,” Jasinski said during his closing remarks. “But we also have to take a step back and think about the positive play that Northwest Missouri State University has. We protect students and protect the quality of this institution and put ourselves in a position to be viable for the future, which speaks to our strategic objectives.”

Provost Dr. Tim Mottet presented 894 certified candidates for graduation including undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Regents approved the list provided.

Vice President of Finance Stacy Carrick brought to the Regents three fees, which were approved by Northwest’s Student Senate April 4 and were unanimously approved Monday by the Regents.

• Northwest will increase its technology fee by $2 per credit hour to support its laptop replacement cycle as well as upgrades to classroom and meeting room projector technology.

• The university’s campus recreation fee will increase by $3.65 per credit hour to enhance recreational programming, including club sports, intramurals, recreation center facility enhancements, programming and operations at the planned Northwest Multipurpose Complex and the Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area (MOERA), a 320-acre parcel of land at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park for student engagement and leadership development.

• The third fee recommended by the Student Senate and approved by the Regents is the implementation of a co-curricular fee of 50¢ per credit hour to support Student Senate operations and student organizations.

The Regent’s approval of the student-approved fees follow its vote last month to increase tuition based on the allowable rate for undergraduate resident tuition and fees established by the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) and a Missouri statute that limits the state’s colleges and universities from raising tuition above the CPI.

Northwest’s tuition for undergraduate students will increase during 2017-18 by 2.8 percent while graduate students will see no tuition increase. Last month, Regents also approved an average increase of 2.6 percent for meal plans and an average increase of one percent for room rates as well as discipline-specific course fees.

Additionally, the Regents approved the university’s miscellaneous fee schedule, which consists of fees for revenue-generating services as well as internal services provided by departments.

The Regents authorized the purchase of $4.5 million in notebook computer and desktop upgrades for HP for next fall.

With support from the university’s technology fee, Northwest will continue its notebook computer program, which provides students with low-cost, efficient and up-to-date computing technology through notebook computers and computer labs.

Presenting the proposal, Vice President of Strategy and Operations Nola Bond said Northwest obtained competitive pricing quotes from three leading vendors in the notebook and desktop computer industry through state-approved contracting options. The university recommended maintaining HP as its primary vendor of the 6,000 laptop notebooks for a three-year cycle.

In other business, the Regents approved 36 academic policy and curriculum revisions that included the replacement of Northwest’s academic honesty policy with a Code of Academic Integrity, the creation of an academic forgiveness policy and reducing the standard for full-time graduate degree enrollment from nine credit hours to six. The Regents also accepted the list of 184 faculty appointments for the summer trimester.

The Regents approved calling the university’s Recreation System Refunding Revenue Bond Series 2010 in May 2017 and funding its final payment from the debt service reserve and the bond’s fund balance. The transaction will save approximately $25,000 in interest from the final year of the 2010 Bond Series.

The Regents moved into closed session for topics of litigation, real estate and personnel.

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