NW’s Regents approve FY25 budget, policies, service contracts

Northwest Missouri State University’s Board of Regents during its regular meeting June 20 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 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 a three percent cost-of-living adjustment and health and retirement benefits.

The budget also reflects projected enrollment increase of a projected 10,294 enrollment and state appropriations approved by the Missouri legislature.

The Regent’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.

The Auxiliary Services Budget grew 11.2 percent overall with property insurance and utility costs being the drivers. There was noted the reduction of transportation and energy staff members.

Other business authorized:

• Per its bylaws, the Regents 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.

• The appointments of 242 full-time faculty for the 2024-25 academic year.

• A Student Location Policy being implemented by the US 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.

During a series of recognitions at the start of the 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. Another recognition was made to Charles Mayfield for the extra effort he made toward the FASFA situation this spring.

Reports were presented from staff council, faculty senate, foundation and more from Tatum.

A closed session was the final agenda item with the topic of personnel.