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MSU's Board Changes Tobacco Policy, Passes Salary Increase and Learns of Org. Structural Change

Chad Lampe

Murray’s State’s Board of Regents meeting yielded some significant changes to the campus and its leadership structure Thursday. The quarterly meeting included a comprehensive report from Maguire Associates regarding marketing and tuition, and a change in the campus tobacco policy among other agenda items. The Board also approved a one percent raise for faculty and staff to be prorated from July 1, 2014 based on the university meeting enrollment and budgeting goals. The raise is capped for some top earners, and the base line raise is $250 for some of the lowest paid employees.

Tobacco:

The Board voted to adopt a tobacco free policy. An implementation plan will be developed to be voted on in February. The start date for enforcement of the tobacco free policy has yet to be determined. The tobacco ban would include tobacco-like products, meaning e-cigarettes would also be prohibited. The plan will include university-funded cessation programs for students, faculty, and staff that would continue for an undetermined amount of time. The board decided the administration would be responsible for the deciding whether or not to have tobacco-designated areas for up to a year, after which campus would be completely tobacco free. 

At present the campus-wide policy related to smoking is a ban on indoor smoking only. There are some smoke free zones, but no policy regulating those zones. President Davies said that more than 70% of MSU employees don't smoke. Davies said there is a general consensus that the policy must change, he though predicted the vote on the policy won't be unanimous.

The move comes months after Governor Steve Beshear announced a ban on all tobacco products in executive branch property and ahead another legislative session in which Kentucky lawmakers are expected to discuss a statewide smoking ban bill.

Restructuring:

Murray State President Bob Davies has issued his first set of organizational structure changes that impact marketing, admissions and alumni affairs.  Davies will combine undergraduate admissions and the transfer center. He will create a new position for marketing, branding and communications.  Davies is also moving Mark Welch, Interim Executive Director for Development to serve as a new Director Alumni Affairs and Community Relations.

These changes strip some operations from two Vice Presidents and a Dean and move their respective reporting lines to the President’s office.

Fred Dietz, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management, will continue to oversee admissions. Catherine Sivills, Associate Vice President for Communications will report to the President beginning January 1, 2015. However, there will be a search for the newly created marketing, branding and communications position.  Tina Bernot, Development Officer for the College of Humanities and Fine Arts will serve as the Interim Executive Director of Development ahead of a national search for that position.

Davies says there will be no net gain or loss in jobs expected in this reorganization. He also suggests more changes may be ahead as the strategic planning process continues throughout the academic year.

Marketing:

Maguire Associates presented a comprehensive marketing study commissioned by the University. The study’s goals were set out by the board were to study:

  • Brand Perceptions of Murray State.
  • Visibility and awareness of Murray State
  • Communications preferences
  • Competitive position of Murray State

The report’s conclusion suggests that MSU has room to increase tuition rates. Currently MSU has the lowest instate tuition in Kentucky. The report also suggests assessing pricing structure for regional and out of state tuition. The study’s lead conclusion was to reconsider its value identity and focus on academic quality and outcomes connected to the university’s affordability. 
Regent Deno Curris commented that the excellent study should prompt the focus of the administration.  “The marketplace believes we don’t have high quality academics. It isn’t just messaging, the market is telling us something. “ Curris noted MSU’s previous strength and public perception regarding strong academic quality, but he suggested that other universities have grown in academic quality to close the gap with MSU’s historically strong academic backbone.

Chad Lampe, a Poplar Bluff, Missouri native, was raised on radio. He credits his father, a broadcast engineer, for his technical knowledge, and his mother for the gift of gab. At ten years old he broke all bonds of the FCC and built his own one watt pirate radio station. His childhood afternoons were spent playing music and interviewing classmates for all his friends to hear. At fourteen he began working for the local radio stations, until he graduated high school. He earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Murray State, and a Masters Degree in Mass Communication. In November, 2011, Chad was named Station Manager in 2016.