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BOLIVAR, Mo. — Southwest Baptist University’s Board of Trustees met for its regular fall meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Action items and discussion included approval of the new strategic plan, Peer Assessment Committee report and trustee action.
Strategic plan approval
Trustees approved the “Shaping Our Story Together” 2019-2028 strategic plan, guiding
SBU toward the sesquicentennial in 2028.
The planning process began in Fall 2018, and the board received a preliminary report
on the strategic planning process during the April meeting. The board voted to reaffirm
the mission statement; affirm a new vision statement; reaffirm the core values with
refined descriptions; affirm the University goals; affirm the unit-level goals and
objectives; and approve the communication framework.
Ten new University goals inspired goals for each administrative unit. In combination,
these goals provide a roadmap for fulfilling the vision. Overlapping yet distinct
themes are “bookmarks” in the unfolding story of SBU: Engage, equip, grow, and steward.
Download full strategic planning information.
Peer Assessment Committee report
Trustees also reviewed the Peer Assessment Committee report. The Executive Summary
of that report is now available for download at www.SBUniv.edu/news-events. See separate news release for more information, including progress the University is making toward assuaging
concerns and implementing the committee’s recommendations.
Trustee removal
The board voted to remove Kyle Lee as a member of the Board of Trustees.
“In an extension of grace, we censured Mr. Lee in January and gave him an opportunity
to restore that confidence. He was invited to address the board and answer questions
from the board,” said Board Chair Mark Rains. “After much prayerful discussion, the
board determined there was a breach of confidentiality that irreparably eroded our
trust and ability to work together. The board voted, consistent with SBU’s charter and bylaws,
to remove him from the SBU Board of Trustees.”
Rains has notified the MBC Nominating Committee of the removal and is working with
the Committee to find a replacement.
Governing documents work group
Board Chair Mark Rains appointed a work group to address proposed changes to the University’s
charter and by-laws to align with the governing documents of the Missouri Baptist
Convention. Dr. John Yeats, MBC executive director, has communicated that during the
August meeting of the MBC Executive Board, the board granted SBU’s Board of Trustees
an extension until March 1, 2020, to submit the first draft of revised governing documents.
Work group members are trustees Bob Ingold (chair), David Brown, Eddie Bumpers, Susan
Gilmore, Durwin Kicker, Ryan Palmer, Rebecca Randles and President Turner, ex-officio.
Other business
During the meeting, the board fostered a dialogue with Dr. Yeats regarding the trustee
nomination process and governing documents. The board expressed concern that, to date, the University has
not been notified of nominees to be put forth at the MBC annual meeting next week. This
is an unprecedented action on the part of the Nominating Committee, and the SBU Board
of Trustees desires for this to change in the future.
In other action, the board approved Bolivar undergraduate tuition, room, board and
general fees for the 2020-21 academic year; accepted the fiscal year 2018-2019 audit;
and adopted the revised fiscal year 2019-20 budget.
