We love highlighting how members of the Missouri State community represent our mission. They regularly contribute innovative teaching, research and service that create transformative experiences for individuals and society.

Recently, the following Bears joined the 2026–27 class of SPS Ambassadors:

• Ellen Fogle, Clinical Instructor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences
• David Hall, Director of Facilities Management
• Ross Hawkins, Director of Academic Advising and Transfer Center
• Dr. Ashley Houston, Associate Professor in the School of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences
• Dr. Kayla Robinson, Director of the School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies

This collaborative effort, organized by Springfield Public Schools (SPS) and the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools, helps community members gain fuller knowledge of SPS programs and services.

“When we engage with, listen to and learn from our K–12 partners, we become better advocates for education at every level,” says Provost Clarenda Phillips. “I am thankful for this year’s SPS Ambassadors and those who have been part of previous classes. Their service supports our relationships with local schools and promotes long-term student success.”

Bears Mentioning

Dr. Jason DeBode, head of the management department, loves books—especially ones that benefit students in his classes on strategic management, leadership and entrepreneurship. This month, he’s sharing some of his favorite road-tested titles with us, plus a couple of podcasts that help him stay informed.

Book Picks

• Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant
  “When we receive new information, it should challenge our assumptions,” DeBode says. This book, written by an organizational psychologist, provides frameworks for rethinking assumptions. It often earns a thumbs-up from DeBode’s MBA students.
• Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Dr. Travis Bradberry and Dr. Jean Greaves
  “Emotional intelligence is increasingly recognized as a trait that distinguishes great leaders from average or poor ones,” DeBode says. With this book, readers can access an assessment of their own emotional intelligence skills. They also get grounded strategies for further developing these skills. It’s a big hit in DeBode’s leadership courses.
• Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character by Admiral James Stavridis
  DeBode keeps an eye out for books that connect his interests with his wife’s love of history. Sailing True North is a great fit. It examines the character traits of 10 maritime leaders from antiquity to current day. “It’s a cool way to learn about history, with narratives that stick with you,” he says.

Podcast Picks

• The Daily, produced by The New York Times
  DeBode, a self-described “news junkie,” appreciates any chance to gain a fuller picture of current events. “The Daily dives deep on a specific topic,” he says. “They interview experts, and it feels like a conversation—with richness that helps me better understand the issue.”
• More Perfect, produced by NPR
  “It looks at the social, cultural and political context of landmark Supreme Court cases, as well as the interpersonal dynamics of the justices who made the decision,” DeBode says. “It delves into what the decision said and what we, in the intervening years, have come to believe it means.”

The post From the Provost’s Office appeared first on Academic Expressions.

Dr. Mark Smith, dean of the McQueary College of Health and Human Services, and Dr. Barri Tinkler, interim chief academic strategy officer, are serving as co-chairs of the search committee. Please reach out to the co-chairs with any questions about the search.

Search Committee Members

• Dr. Mark Smith, dean of the McQueary College (co-chair)
• Dr. Barri Tinkler, interim chief academic strategy officer (co-chair)
• Dr. Mollie Adams, associate professor in the Pendleton Family School of Accountancy
• Brad Bodenhausen, vice president for community and global partnerships
• Dr. Richard Gebken, director of the School of Construction, Design and Project Management
• Dr. Daniel Goering, associate professor in the department of management
• Dr. Jeff Jones, associate dean of COB
• Dr. Raju Mainali, senior instructor in the department of information technology and cybersecurity
• Mary Grace Phillips, director of marketing, communication and external relations for COB
• Dr. Elizabeth Reger, assistant professor in the School of Construction, Design and Project Management
• Dr. Christina Simmers, professor in the department of marketing
• Dr. Doug Witte, professor in the department of finance, economics and risk management

The post COB Dean Search appeared first on Academic Expressions.

“I want to thank everyone who took time to help students find a building, work through a challenge or otherwise make them feel at home,” says Provost Clarenda Phillips. “These are examples of what we mean when we talk about the Mo State spirit.”

FCTL Showcase

The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (FCTL) hosted the 41st Showcase on Teaching and Learning. Dr. Nancy Gordon, FCTL director, tells us she’s always inspired by the interaction at this event. “From storytelling and using AI to engage students in active learning, to tackling challenges like academic integrity and student motivation, and exploring strategies for well-being, there is so much we have to share,” she says. “We are stronger educators when we learn from one another.”

This year’s agenda featured a broad range of faculty presentations, along with a keynote address and workshop from Dr. Rebecca Pope-Ruark, author of Unraveling Faculty Burnout: Pathways to Reckoning and Renewal. Gordon says the focus on managing burnout grew out of feedback from faculty who love their careers in higher education and want to maintain their excitement for years to come.

“This program created space for an important conversation,” says Phillips. “We came away with ideas we could put into action.”

Get Involved at FCTL

If you’re feeling invigorated by this year’s Showcase, you can keep the good vibes going. Faculty writing retreats and learning communities are great ways to stay engaged with FCTL—and your colleagues across campus.

Check out FCTL’s schedule of upcoming events, and read more about learning communities that are meeting this fall.

Convocation

At a high-energy New Student Convocation, Phillips delivered an address that highlighted themes of belonging, purpose and transformation.

“Four years from now, we will gather again—this time at your Commencement,” she said. “When we do, I want you to remember this moment. Remember the people sitting beside you. Remember the excitement you feel today. Remember that you belonged here. Between today and graduation, there will be incredible days—and there will be hard days. There will be classes that challenge you, friendships that change you, professors who inspire you and experiences you cannot even imagine. Missouri State is your university.”

The post Starting Strong appeared first on Academic Expressions.

Q&A

Academic Expressions: Serving in an interim role can encompass a lot of different kinds of work. How do you envision your impact in this role?
Barri Tinkler: This position was first created before we revitalized institutional research and created the office of institutional effectiveness under Dr. Egon Heidendal [associate provost for institutional effectiveness]. Now, that group is doing much of the work that was in the original job description for this role, and this role is becoming more about supporting faculty success. Part of my service as interim is to manage that evolution. I’ll work on updating the job description so that, when a search for the permanent role is conducted, there will be greater understanding of what we now need.

AE: It sounds like you’ll be exploring and articulating the contours of how this role can support faculty success.
BT: Yes, I’ll be engaging with operational issues and core processes, like tenure and promotion guidelines. Part of it is defining what it means to support faculty success going forward. This role can serve as a strong connection point between administrators and faculty.

About her projects and collaboration style

AE: Are there specific projects you’ll be involved in?
BT: I’ve been asked to look at our policy around AI—both what it means for students and what it means for faculty. I’ll also be working with programs that are experiencing low enrollment or low completion. How can we strengthen these programs and help them develop a plan? I’ll be working closely with institutional effectiveness on this, and for me, it’s not just about the data. It’s about creating processes that faculty really buy in to.

AE: If faculty have ideas about these or other topics, can they reach out?
BT: I love to hear great ideas. And while not every great idea can come to fruition, they tend to stay with me, in my mind. Oftentimes, I connect multiple ideas in ways that move us toward an outcome. I like conversations that are generative about what we can accomplish together. And when something’s not working, I like to think about how it might work better.

AE: So, you’re a great fit for conversations that are productive, expansive and solutions oriented.
BT: Definitely.

On her next chapter

AE: As I recall, when you shared that you would step down from COE leadership, you were excited about returning to a faculty role. How did we convince you to take a small detour into this interim position?
BT: Having been in the role I was in, I knew I could step in and hit the ground running. And I very much want to support the provost’s vision in whatever ways I can.

AE: What are you looking forward to when you return to being a professor?
BT: Administrative work is incredibly important, but a lot of times you’re managing issues and solving problems. You don’t get as many opportunities for that excitement of helping someone develop into the person they will be, which is why many of us choose this field. Getting to work directly with students on a consistent basis is something I’m really looking forward to.

The post About the Interim Chief Academic Strategy Officer appeared first on Academic Expressions.

FAQ

Q: What are faculty required to do?
A: Faculty are required to verify student participation during the first week of the semester.

Q: What do you mean by “student participation”?
A: For federal financial aid purposes, this must include academic engagement. Depending on class structure and format, students might demonstrate academic engagement in several ways, including:

• Attending a synchronous class or learning experience where there is opportunity for interaction between the instructor and students
• Submitting an assignment, including an introductory assignment (such as completing a syllabus quiz or posting a personal introduction)
• Taking an assessment
• Participating in an online class discussion (as part of their assigned coursework) or some interactive computer-assisted instruction (such as a tutorial)
• Interacting with the course instructor about academic matters

The following are examples of things that aren’t considered evidence of academic engagement:

• Living in a residence hall
• Using a campus meal plan
• Logging into an online class without further participation
• Participating in advising or counseling services

If, during the first week of the semester, a student doesn’t demonstrate academic engagement, this means you are not able to verify their participation.

Q: How do I verify student participation? 
A: The office of financial aid, working with the office of information technology, established a mechanism for verifying student participation. You can access this mechanism via the “Participation Verification” card in My Missouri State. Please note that the “Participation Verification” card will be available in My Missouri State beginning on Wednesday, August 19.

Q: When is the deadline to verify student participation? 
A: You are asked to verify student participation by 11:59 p.m. (CDT) on Friday, August 21. Please note that this is the deadline for faculty to verify student participation in full-semester and first-block courses. If you have questions about second-block classes or other circumstances, contact VerifyParticipation@MissouriState.edu.

Q: If a student takes advantage of late registration and adds the course during the second week of the semester, do I still need to verify their participation? 
A: Yes. The participation verification portal will remain open for a period of time to accommodate such situations.

Q: What happens if I don’t verify student participation?
A: If an instructor does not verify a student’s participation, there could be a delay in the disbursement of that student’s federal financial aid funds.

Q: So, why do we have to do this?
A: Two reasons:

1. We need your help to ensure we comply with new federal financial aid regulations.
2. Financial aid fraud is a serious problem. It costs universities (including ours) real money each year. When you verify participation, you’re helping us combat this problem.

Q: I get why this is important, but what if there’s some simple misunderstanding? I don’t love thinking it might have an adverse effect on a student’s financial aid.
A: If you cannot verify a student’s participation in your course, their proportional financial aid funding will be held, rather than canceled. If it turns out there’s a misunderstanding, the funding can be reinstated.

Q: What else do we need to know about this?
A: It may be useful to consider that this change is rolling out at the same time we’re streamlining our registration and course fee refund schedule. Going forward, students may drop a full-semester course during the first two weeks of the semester and still receive 100% credit for that course’s fees. If, as you verify participation, you notice that someone hasn’t attended your course, you may wish to message that student with a reminder that they’ve got one more week to drop the class for a 100% refund.

Q: Who should I reach out to with questions? 
A: The office of financial aid established VerifyParticipation@MissouriState.edu as a destination for all questions about this process.

The post New Requirement for Faculty appeared first on Academic Expressions.