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Education news and issues in the Ozarks.

New Semester at MSU Brings New Academic Programs

On average, Missouri State University adds a few major academic programs each year. In 2015-2016, that includes the Bachelor of General Studies and the Master of Occupational Therapy programs.

“And then there are a variety of kind of what I would call either re-characterizations of an existing programs or expansions of existing programs or different options within an existing program or creating certificate opportunities within an existing program,” said President Clif Smart.

The more subtle academic changes may come from the university’s assessment of the current market in a particular field, or as a way to become more efficient with existing resources.

For the occupational therapy program, over one year was spent assessing the need and funding options, starting with the creation of a task force to evaluating need. From there comes the Faculty Senate process.

“Where you put together your proposal, you have to cost it out, you figure out where that money is gonna come from to pay for that,” he said. “And it’s ultimately presented through a series of committees and Faculty Senate has to approve that. If it makes it through that process - and every proposal does not – then it ultimately goes through the Board [of Governors] for approval, and then the Coordinating Board [for Higher Education] - the state has to approve it as well after all the internal processes are done.”

Students, faculty and staff have now moved into the O’Reilly Clinical Health Sciences Center. The three-story facility is over 50,000 square feet and cost $19.5 million, paid for by a combination of private state money and student fees.

There are 24 students enrolled in the master of occupational therapy program this year. There's also four new faculty members, funded largely through a state appropriation of $825,000. Smart says the school is partnering with 16 entities throughout the region where students will do their field work.

Another partnership, a five-year agreement with Mercy Springfield, offers a new primary care clinic inside the O’Reilly Clinical Health Sciences Center to expand health care access to uninsured, low-income residents. Many of its patients are expected to transition from the Kitchen Clinic, which is closing. MSU is furnishing the space, while Mercy will provide nearly all the staffing.

“The plan is the open that in October. Mercy’s gonna run that as a Mercy clinic. They’re providing the electronic health care record, they’re providing a physician to oversee that clinic, they’re providing a variety of equipment like x-ray equipment and the ability to get prescription drugs.”

Smart says students at MSU preparing to become physician assistants and nurses will be conducting the hands-on care.

“And what a great learning, training environment that’s going to be for those students as they prepare to be healthcare professionals.”

President Smart also discussed a partnership with Ningxia University, located in northwest China. The agreement, signed in January, began this month. For 10 months, 50 students and 10 faculty members from the Chinese university will study at MSU’s Darr School of Agriculture.

“It’s a non-credit program and so we’ve designed a curriculum particular for them but it will clearly engage them, primarily in the School of Agriculture, and then in other learning experiences, as well as English language training and cultural experiences,” Smart says.

The $1.38 million contract covers housing, meals, tuition and other student fees, as well as participation in practical training, professional development and cultural experiences. It’s the biggest program MSU’s international training group has put together so far, Smart says.

“Those kinds of contracts are money-makers for us. No state aid obviously goes into those, no state appropriations, no tuition dollars from our Missouri students. Those are formulated to make profit and generate money that goes into the general fund that we can use on other things.”

Smart says the school anticipates the agreement could be extended for several more years.  

Above, hear our complete conversation, which airs monthly as part of our program Engaging the Community.