Vargas says no 'coverup' of sexual assault claims at Southeast

In his report Friday to the Southeast Missouri State University's Board of Regents, president Carlos Vargas devoted his entire remarks to sexual misconduct allegations on campus highlighted in recent weeks on social media, particularly Facebook.

"We do not cover up anything, we report everything, and investigate it," said Vargas, who has led SEMO since 2015, noting he addressed an email letter this week to students about the matter.

"The issues are complicated and complex," he said, "(and) we are witnessing a lot of anger."

Vargas told regents he will become more personally involved in looking into the university's policies and procedures and will continue to meet with groups such as Redhawks Rising -- a student organization formed for, as its Facebook page asserts, "supporters and survivors of sexual assault."

Vargas said he will "work intensely" on the issue but added a caveat.

"I want to be as understanding as possible, but the final resolution cannot be predicted."

Diane Wood, president of Southeast's faculty senate, told regents she is a survivor of sexual assault.

"I can tell you it takes years to build back a sense of trust in others," said Wood, a biology professor, who suggested a way forward is to end "blaming" efforts and to stop taking a "defensive pose" when misconduct is raised.

"We should start asking, 'What can I do?'," said Wood, who added all in the university community should practice some self-reflection about their own conduct.

Elimination of majors/minors

In a voice vote that was not unanimous, the regents approved a "program prioritization" recommendation eliminating six degree programs and 27 minors entirely due to either a "long-term trend of low completers" or "low student interest and duplication of similar offerings."

Additionally, two undergraduate certificates are being cut due to an "extremely low number of students enrolled and competing," with one graduate certificate and 11 programs set to be "streamlined" due to insufficient enrollment.

The board was told there will be a "two-year teach out" for impacted students, allowing them to graduate in the existing program before it is cut or to switch to another degree.

Among the hardest hit programs: Engineering and Technology, with three majors and five minors cut; Kinesiology, Nutrition and Recreation, with one major and four minors cut; and Theatre and Dance, with one major and two minors eliminated.

The regents, in approving the recommendation, did vote to add the following programs:

• Master of Science in Applied Nutrition
• Post Master's certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse practitioner
• Post Master's certificate for Nurse Educator

Finances

Brad Sheriff, vice president for finance and administration, told regents of what he called "very, very, welcome news" about revenue.

Sheriff told the seven regents present state appropriations have come in higher than budgeted for fiscal year 2021.

"We budgeted a 20% decrease (in state funding) and we have realized a 9% decline instead," said Sheriff, who joined SEMO in August.

"This means we are $4.1 million to the good of where we thought we'd be if (the trend) continues," he added.

Not all financial news is good for SEMO.

Due to COVID, Sheriff said, revenue from university athletics is "essentially zero," noting the loss of "guarantee (money) games" in football and soccer.

Additionally, Sheriff warned regents continued declines in legislative-approved funding are certain given the "big ticket item" of Medicaid expansion, approved by Missouri voters in August, which must be funded before discretionary spending such as higher education.

Other action

• Regents voted to name the university's tennis facility the John C. Bierk Tennis Complex.

According to Trudy Lee, executive director of the university foundation, Bierk made a recent gift and noted the Perryville native has had a 70-year association with SEMO as a student, a professor and donor.

Regent Jim Limbaugh, in endorsing the naming, said Bierk "got me started in tennis" while the former was a Southeast undergraduate.

• Elections

Ed Gargas was elected president of the board in 2021; Regent Tina Klocke was elected vice president.

The board of regents next meets February 26.