By Jeff Murphy,
June 1, 2018
WARRENSBURG, MO – Recognizing the benefit of a one-time investment in helping to improve
student retention, in a May 30 teleconference the University of Central Missouri Board
of Governors accepted a bid to renovate space in the Elliott Student Union to house
the Success Advising Center. Also during the special meeting, the board authorized
the university to enter contracts with two printing companies as part of a proposal
to generate cost savings and efficiencies in the production of printed materials,
with limited reliance on in-house printing.
The board awarded the Union renovation contract to Reasbeck Construction, Inc., Warrensburg,
in the amount of $693,875, with costs to be covered by enrollment management reserve
funds. Mike Godard, interim provost-chief learning officer, said the establishment
of the new Success Advising Center is part of the new Student Success Continuum. This
involves realignment of student academic support services, whereby all advising related
activities will be coordinated within this one convenient location for students to
get assistance they need. This measure will offset the recurring cost of maintaining
seven separate offices, which will be integrated into the one-stop center in space
formerly occupied by the University Bookstore. Renovations are expected to be completed
by August.
Godard stressed the creation of this center is consistent with the university’s goal
to increase student retention to 80 percent. Successful retention efforts are key
to helping students cross the degree finish line, but the revenue generated from enabling
more students to stay in school also will help pay for the one-time cost of construction
over the next two years.
To help generate savings in an area that requires expensive equipment and is labor
intensive, the board approved a recommendation to outsource printing of high-quality
materials using vendors Neal/Settle Printing, Inc., Grandview, and PrintLynx (Jostens),
Sedalia. President Chuck Ambrose said the university has continued to look at the
possibility of outsourcing printing since the administrative review was conducted
in 2011. Decisions about printers for the period, July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, were
made following the evaluation team’s review of proposals based on vendors’ capabilities,
job processing times, references, samples, and pricing, according to Lisa Butler,
director of procurement.
Under the proposal presented to the board, some print capabilities will be retained
at UCM for smaller, less complicated jobs. Contracting out more complex print jobs
and eliminating the university’s Center for Print Production is expected to generate
up to $250,000 in annual savings, according to Roger Best, executive vice president
and chief operating officer. The university will communicate additional information
about this change in printing to campus in the near future.
In other business, the board named Susan Brockhaus, executive director, Administrative
Services, to serve as the university’s treasurer. These duties were formerly assigned
to another position that was eliminated in May as a result of reorganization and cost
reductions. In her current role, Brockhaus performs most of the functions associated
with the university’s treasury management. The board is required to elect a treasurer
who serves as the official designated to sign documents related to certain financial
transactions.
