Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018 tmn.truman.edu
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Thomas testifies at higher-ed hearing BY NICOLAS TELEP News Editor
Truman State University President Sue Thomas testified about the effects of proposed decreases in state funding to public universities before a House subcommittee Jan. 30 in Jefferson City. Presidents from each of Missouri’s public universities were invited to testify Tuesday or Wednesday. Thomas was among six university presidents who testified Tuesday. Six members of the seven-person subcommittee were in attendance. Each school’s representative was given 10 minutes to present. Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens released his proposal for the state’s
2019 fiscal year budget last week. The plan calls for cutting core funding to Missouri’s public four-year colleges and universities by $76.4 million from the previous fiscal year’s budget.For Truman, this would translate to a 7.7 percent cut in core state funding. Funding for higher education was also reduced last fiscal year. Additionally, the governor’s proposal calls for 10 percent of each institution’s core funding to be withheld and released only if the institution meets six performance goals set by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. In previous years, these performance goals have been used to award extra funds, but never to qualify for full core funding. See HEARING, page 5
Photo by Nicolas Telep/TMN University President Sue Thomas speaks to a state House subcommittee in Jefferson City Tuesday, Jan. 30. Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning, and Janet Gooch, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, joined Thomas.
Heinz Greenwood clinic stalled Kraft hiring passes amid lack of state funding expectations BY RYAN PIVONEY Staff Writer
Kirksville’s Kraft Heinz production plant has hired several hundred more people than originally estimated in its 2016 expansion announcement. When starting the expansion project, the company had about 463 employees and estimated the expansion would create 69 new jobs. The company now has a total of about 900 jobs, meaning since their announcement, Kraft Heinz has added almost 500 jobs. City Manager Mari Macomber said the company is hiring people for almost every position level, including support staff, maintenance workers and line staff, though the majority are involved in the manufacturing process at the plant. See KRAFT HEINZ, page 5
COMM 170 test-out eliminated
BY BRENTLY SNEAD AND MORGAN GERVAIS Editor-in-Chief and Opinions Editor
Photo by Lindell Sconce/TMN The Greenwood building, formerly an elementary school, sits vacant at the corner of Haliburton and Normal streets in Kirksville adjacent to the campus of Truman State University. A plan to convert the building into an autism clinic has been put on hold because state funding for the project was withheld during accross-the-board cuts to higher education. BY LINDELL SCONCE Staff Writer Despite a prevalent need in the community, development of the Greenwood Regional Autism Clinic is still on hold because of lack of funding. In 2016, Truman State University began plans to turn the Greenwood Elementary building into a regional autism therapy and diagnostic center, where Truman students could work alongside professionals in diagnosing and serving patients. The building renovations were originally slated to finish fall of 2018, but lost funding after state cuts to Truman’s budget. The project is currently postponed, but with the need for this clinic still high, the University is looking for funding. Janet Gooch, vice president for academic affairs and provost, said when Truman first requested funding
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in 2016, former Gov. Jay Nixon promised about $550,000 for the project. The University received a portion of that sum up front, which it used to create preliminary schematics for redesigning the Greenwood building. While there is no work being done on the building right now, Gooch said Truman is still looking for funding from the state and private sectors. “We’re still making a request from the governor to fulfill the promise, and we hope that he does,” Gooch said. “We have also looked to private donors for assistance with the project.” Cindy Dowis, Kirksville R-III School District Director of Special Education, said she also supports the creation of a regional clinic. Kirksville has 41 children from preschool to 12th grade diagnosed with autism, Dowis said. The Thompson Center for Autism and Neurological Disorders, located in Columbia, Missouri, is the nearest place
for families in the Northeast region to receive services. The drive is long, and the wait time is longer. “That’s 95 miles away,” Dowis said. “It’s now at least a year’s wait to get in.” Dowis said she thinks there is a great need to train teachers, counselors and speech therapists on how to work with disabled children, and she said she hopes the Greenwood clinic would allow students to get handson experience. In addition to funds for renovating the building, Truman would also need to raise money for furnishing it. Charles Hunsaker, interim director of advancement, said equipment and even office furniture can cost a lot, but he thinks many people in the Kirksville community would be interested in preserving the Greenwood Elementary building through this repurposing. See GREENWOOD, page 5
At the Jan. 25 Faculty Senate meeting, members voted to eliminate the COMM 170 test-out option effective fall 2018. The opportunity to test out of public speaking has been a topic of discussion for months — as it started in the Undergraduate Council in November before moving to Faculty Senate in December. Communication department chair Jay Self advocated for removing the COMM 170 test-out option because it would allow for more sections of public speaking, which would ultimately help students. Self said those who excel in public speaking or test above average have other options, such as COMM 270: Advanced Public Speaking and COMM 272: Speech Communication Activities. These options will benefit students who have speech and debate experience and want to continue growing their speaking skills, or students who have extensive public speaking knowledge. Student government advocated against the elimination as the University discussion progressed, arguing that removing the option would hinder students’ abilities to improve their public speaking skills. Though the test-out option was eliminated, student government proposed an amendment at the Jan. 25 meeting. The amendment passed and allows current Truman State University students to participate in the test-out.