Chancellor John Carney informed the Missouri S&T Faculty Senate that the university received a glowing review from the nine-member accreditation team that visited the university in February.
As Carney told faculty members, the report from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools team was “stunningly good,” and recommends the university receive a 10-year accreditation.
Some of the areas the report highlighted included a clear understanding of the school’s mission among faculty and students, an intellectual climate that helps produce a sense of community and significant enrollment increases.
It wasn’t only good news for the Senate during the meeting. Senate President Doug Carroll had told the faculty members he had heard rumors there might be a give-back of state money next year.
Carney did not dispel the rumors concerning the give-back but held out hope that such an action would not be necessary.
“I think the governor will do everything in his power to keep that from happening,” Carney said. He added he had dinner with Gov. Jay Nixon and said he came away impressed by Nixon’s committent to higher education.
On other funding matters, Carney added there was the possibility Nixon would push for two actions next year, including changing the Access Missouri legislation which distributes money for needs-based students and possible state-wide bond issues for capital improvements.
Carney estimated a change in the Access Missouri program, which he said was unfairly divided between public and private institutions, could bring S&T on average an extra $800 of financial aid.
Lecturer Christa Weisbrook also presented information on plans to change the method how the university gives out awards every year. The plan calls for fewer awards with larger monetary prizes and changed methods of selecting winners.
There was some disagreement from faculty members about the changes being made without the Senate’s approval, since it came from the office of the provost along with some of the proposed changes.
Two motions that would have asked delay implementation of the changes, but both failed to be approved by the Senate.
