Vargas proposes cutting SEMO spring break with final decision 'soon'

Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas released an open letter Saturday to the campus community proposing pandemic-driven changes to the spring 2021 semester calendar.

The university’s Board of Regents was informed last week of the tentative plan put together by the members of the school’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) in consultation with the faculty Senate, Student Government, the Student Success Council, Enrollment Management and the Dean’s Council.

The ERT is made up of 25 people from different areas of the university, including faculty, staff and students.

The changes, if enacted, would alter the schedule and would serve to preserve what Vargas called “the safety value” in the midst of COVID-19.

• Start the semester almost a week later — moving the start of classes from Jan. 19 to Jan. 25.
• Eliminate spring break now slated for March 15 to 19.

“A final decision to eliminate spring break has not been made but must be made soon,” Vargas said, adding the spring schedule will be viewable by students and academic advising beginning Oct. 5.

To meet this timetable, Vargas promised a final plan will be communicated to students, faculty and staff by Friday.

“I understand some may feel our plans are premature, that I am being too cautious or unreasonably cautious,” continued Vargas, noting several “other schools are considering the same approach (and) have also announced similar decisions.”

Vargas said if tweaks can be made in the tentative proposal, they will be.

“We will be working diligently this week to determine whether additional reading days or breaks can be worked into the spring semester,” Vargas said.

The Vargas-ERT plan as currently configured calls for the spring semester to end as previously scheduled, on May 14.

Board of Regents

During the Southeast Board of Regents meeting Friday, its first since the fall semester began, Vargas also mentioned some of the university’s recent accomplishments, including being awarded a $1.9 million TRIO Student Support Services grant from the U.S. Department of Education, being recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges in the Midwest and the Veterans Plaza dedication.

• Southeast senior Lauren Kohn was sworn-in as the student representative to the board. Kohn was appointed by Gov. Mike Parson over the summer, replacing Luke LeGrand, whose term ended earlier this year.
• The board voted to approve the proposed course fee effective for the spring 2021 semester for Masters of Science in Nursing students. The motion proposed a $16 fee for the recently renumbered course, NS627, and will take effect in the spring semester. An additional fee of $16 will be added to the NS649 course so students may have a consistent two full years of insurance purchased through the department.
• Debbie Below, vice president for enrollment and student success, reported that the first-time, full-time student fall-to-fall retention rate reached 80%, a goal set when Vargas first joined the university in 2015.

“It’s just wonderful news and a significant bright spot in what otherwise has been a challenging year for the university,” Below said.

She said the six-year graduation rate stayed at 50% but the overall headcount of the student body size decreased an overall 6%.

• Board Treasurer Kathy Mangels gave a progress report on the Facilities Management projects.

She reported the completion of projects, including the construction on the tunnels underneath Group Housing, conversion of convocation center into a dance studio and the Gateway Fountain was repaired and updated to match the university brand. Mangels said a major project for Facilities Management has been elevator maintenance.

“Our big project we have on-going right now is the elevator work in Towers West and North,” Mangels said. “We are doing those in phases, so prior to the start of the semester, we did one elevator in each tower. Now that school has started we’re repairing the other one, so one is offline in west and north.”

Both repairs will be done by the end of the fall semester.

Mangels also reported on the FY21 Operating Budget to Actual Report, and FY20 Final Budget to Actual Report.

The university had to make specific adjustments to the budget to accommodate for revenue not created from football and soccer games.

“Two things with the effect of COVID are the athletic revenue [and foundation support],” Mangels said. “Not having guaranteed games, not having tickets, games will have an impact on that designated operation.”

The meeting went into a closed session to discuss Missouri Revised Statutes — RSMo — 610.021 considerations related to litigation; hiring, firing, disciplining or promotion of personnel; discussion of a public governmental body for negotiations with employee groups; contract negotiations; and personnel records and performance ratings.

• The board approved a new freedom of expression policy statement to be added to the Administration of the Business Policy and Procedures Manual.

The general statement of policy states “the university affirms the right of all individuals to exercise the right of peaceful assembly, free speech and expressive activities consistent with the First Amendment of the United States.”