How To Be A Successful University President

Transcription

1 CLIFTON M. SMART III EDUCATION Juris Doctorate (high honors-3.95 GPA) University of Arkansas School of Law, Fayetteville, AR Leflar Scholarship Oxford Scholar Law Review Omicron Delta Theta Law Fraternity Bachelor of Arts (high honors-4.0 GPA) Political Science Tulane University, New Orleans, LA Tulane Scholar Four-Year Army ROTC Scholarship Phi Beta Kappa Scholastic Fraternity Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon Social Fraternity Baptist Student Union President UNIVERSITY EMPLOYMENT MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY, Springfield, MO President October 2012 Present Accomplishments of the State leadership team from October 2012 to present include the following: Set fall, spring, and summer enrollment records on the Springfield campus and system-wide in 2013 and 2014 with a total system enrollment of 24,489 last fall. Created the first needs-based graduate scholarship to better serve students from low-income households. Completed development of IDEA Commons including Brick City, the Plaster Center for Free Enterprise (1 Million Cups and efactory), and JVIC. Added new programs in Cybersecurity (M.S.), General Studies (B.S.), Fine Arts (M.S.) and Occupational Therapy (M.S.). Finalized partnership with UMKC to begin doctor of pharmacy collaborative program, secured financing from the General Assembly, and began classes in the fall of Created My Ideas program to reward employees for thinking of ways for the University to save money. Completed or initiated the following capital projects: o Pummill Hall renovation o Davis/Harrington Welcome Center o O Reilly Clinical Health Sciences Center o Plaster Stadium renovation o Betty and Bobby Allison North and South Stadiums o Kentwood and Sun Villa Apartment renovations Caused the city to rename Monroe Street Bear Boulevard Received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award in Established the Public Affairs Hall of Fame and inducted its first class in 2014.

2 Page 2 of 7 Created a new research publication Mind s Eye to highlight the University s research accomplishments. Founded the Center for community engagement to conduct community based research on local and regional social issues. Received accreditation for the West Plains campus from the Higher Learning Commission. Began the 10 year Visioning Project to imagine State s future in the next years. Began university speaker series, bringing General Colin Powell as the first participant in Initiated statewide women s and diversity conferences. MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY, Springfield, MO June 2011 October 2012 Interim President No one person accomplishes anything alone in a large organization. Accomplishments of the State leadership team from July 1, 2011 through October 2012, when I was Interim President, include the following: Implemented an across the board salary increase for faculty and staff in fiscal year 2012 when state appropriations were reduced by 7.0%. Created a more equitable policy on the return to faculty of academic administrators and the reappointment of academic administrators which increased faculty input into the process. Redesigned the University Budget Process so that faculty selected their own representatives to all budget committees and increased faculty representation on all such committees. Led an emphasis on enrollment growth such that enrollment in Spring and Fall 2012 were at an all-time high on the Springfield campus. Summer 2012 enrollment also increased by 96 students and 893 credit hours. Hired the University s first Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, organized the Division of Diversity and Inclusion, and revised the Appraisal and Development Plan (ADP) process to require diversity evaluation of all senior administrators. Designed and implemented the University s first Shared Leave Pool. Completed the $125 million Our Promise Campaign ahead of schedule and above targeted goals, and set the record for annual contributions to the University s Foundation (above $20 million). Created a fiscal year 2013 budget which reallocated revenue to allow for funding of salary increases and growing areas of the University. Revised the University Scholarship Program for the academic year, including adding a Study Away voucher, an A+ Scholarship, and a Diversity Transfer Scholarship, and reconstituted all diversity scholarships. Created a Foreign Languages Institute in conjunction with Drury University, Evangel University, Southwest Baptist University and Ozarks Technical Community College.

3 Page 3 of 7 Created the first needs-based Study Away Scholarship and reconstituted the Promise Scholarship to better serve students from low income households. Increased the delivery of blended, online, and evening classes to meet the growing demand of classes delivered by alternative means. Opened the Evening College Plus. Added new programs in Assessment and Counseling (Ed.S.), Athletic Training (M.S.), Nursing Practice (DNP), and Health Sciences (B.S.). Reorganized all International Programs under the leadership of the Vice President of Research and International Programs. Developed a policy for differential tuition, and implemented the first undergraduate differential tuition charges in the College of Business Administration. Completed or initiated the following capital projects: o The Foster Family Recreation Center o The McQueary Health Sciences Center o Greenwood Science Center o Phase I of the renovation of residence halls o Plaster Center for Free Enterprise o Brick City buildings #1 and #5 o Gohn Hall o Phase II of the renovation of residence halls Completed Long Range Plan for West Plains Campus. Created the Big Event: a service project involving the students of six area universities to prepare more than one million meals for use in Southwest and around the world. Eliminated all car and cell phone allowances for administrators to increase transparency of university salaries. Won Valley Conference All-Sports Championship. Created Clif s Notes blog to better communicate with university employees. MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY, Springfield, MO 2007 June 2011 General Counsel Developed an online policy library which organized all University policies into governing and operating policies. Resolved two longstanding Title IX claims against State University by the Office of Civil Rights. Directed all litigation against State University and its faculty and staff, including more than 50 lawsuits and claims. Drafted revisions to the grievance chapter of the Faculty Handbook which simplified and streamlined both the disciplinary and grievance procedures of State University.

4 Page 4 of 7 Advised the Board of Governors, administrators, faculty, and staff on a wide range of legal matters including personnel, discrimination, Sunshine Law, compliance, state and federal regulations, risk management, and governance issues. Served on the JQH Arena Task Force, chaired the University committee to review state audit findings, and served on the Environmental Policy Panel. Served on search committees for the Chief Financial Officer (twice), Vice President for Diversity, Head Men s Basketball Coach, and Director of Admissions. Reviewed, prepared, and revised hundreds of contracts and agreements on behalf of State University. Conducted investigations of alleged administrator, faculty, and student misconduct. Served on the President s Administrative Council LEGAL EMPLOYEMENT THE STRONG LAW FIRM, Springfield, MO Vice President Practiced law at the Strong Law Firm, a firm with a national reputation for representing catastrophically injured plaintiffs in personal injury litigation, for 15 years. I also represented CoxHealth in serious medical malpractice cases during that time. Fields of expertise included products liability, bad faith and insurance coverage, FELA claims, and Commercial Litigation. WRIGHT, LINDSEY & JENNINGS, Little Rock, AR Practiced law in Little Rock, Arkansas for two years as an Associate. My practice consisted primarily of insurance defense, product liability defense and commercial litigation. PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES Arc of the Ozarks Board of Directors Chair ; Vice Chair 2010 Litigation Committee Advancement Committee Human Resources Committee (Chair 2010) Christmas Extravaganza Committee (Chair ) Council on Public Higher Education Vice Chair 2014 Present CoxHealth Board of Directors Community Leadership Forum Downtown Rotary Club Every Child Promise Hunger Subcommittee Co-Chair 2013

5 Page 5 of 7 Good Community Leadership Forum Isabel s House Board of Directors Department of Higher Education Task Force A Blue Print for Higher Education NCAA D-1 Board of Directors 2014 Present Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Search Committee for Executive Director Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce P-20 Committee Springfield Innovations, Inc. Board of Directors Springfield Regional Opera (SRO) Board of Directors President United Way of the Ozarks Board of Directors Leadership Gift Chair 2012 First Baptist Church, Springfield, Active with Springfield Public Schools and Springfield Public School Foundation LEGAL ORGANIZATIONS, NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS Recognized as one of Ingram s 50 ans You Should Know 2015 Selected to the panel of three applicants submitted to the Governor for the vacant Supreme Court positions in 2002 and Elected as one of the two lawyer members of the 31 st Circuit Judicial Commission in February 2009 (5 year term). Member of Civil Rules Committee ( ) Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association 1992 Present Board of Directors Bench and Bar Committee In-House Lawyer Committee ; Chair 2009 Trial Practice Committee 2009 and Arkansas Bar Associations Recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America and as a Super Lawyer in the fields of personal injury, product liability, and medical malpractice. Instructor, Institute for Paralegal Education 2001, 2003

6 Page 6 of 7 MILITARY SERVICE U.S. Army Judge Advocate General s Corps Captain, Trial Defense Service, Ft. Knox, Kentucky Meritorious Service Medal recipient SELECTED PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS A Day in the Life of a General Counsel Turned University President: An Insider s View NACUA 2013 Annual Conference Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Keynote Speaker for Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeal 2013 St. Louis, Keynote Speaker for Springfield Annual National Day of Prayer January 2013 Springfield, Keynote Speaker for Southwest Baptist University graduation May 2012 Springfield, Ethics Seminar, SMBA June 2011 Springfield, New Expert Disclosure Rules, SMBA September 2009 Springfield, The Obstetrical Birth Injury Case, CoxHealth October 2007 Springfield, Damages in Wrongful Death Cases, Trials Skills Conference November 2006 Fayetteville, Arkansas Proving Economic Losses, SMBA Personal Injury Seminar August 2006 Springfield, Jury Psychology & Trial Tactics in Auto Products Cases August 2006 Denver, Colorado How the Defense Evaluates Your Medical Malpractice Case, MATA June 2006 Lake Ozark, Hearsay, Trial & Federal Practice Seminar, SMBA February 2005 Springfield, Tort Reform, SMBA Personal Injury Seminar February 2005 Springfield,

7 Page 7 of 7 Analyzing Medical Records for the Paralegal The Institute for Paralegal Education 2004 Protecting Your Verdict, MATA November 2003 Kansas City and St. Louis, Advanced Civil Discovery for the Litigation Paralegal in The Institute for Paralegal Education 2001 The Peer Review Privilege: What Documents are Protected from Discovery in Litigation Medicine Magazine 1998