May 6, 2022
Dear Colleagues:
I write to share a few highlights from today’s meetings of the Board of Trustees.
During the meeting, the Board approved the Provost’s recommendations for tenure and faculty promotions. Eleven faculty members were promoted from associate professor to professor, 29 faculty members were promoted from assistant professor to associate professor, and 30 faculty members were granted tenure. A total of 26 contract faculty received first-level promotions, and six contract faculty received second-level promotions.
I am grateful to our faculty members whose expertise, service, and research/creative activity were recognized this year for this distinction. They exemplify our University’s commitment to our enduring value of excellence.
The Board also heard a presentation from Maureen McCarthy, dean of the College of Sciences and Humanities, about enrollment trends and updates on new academic programs, new facilities, and new initiatives within the college.
Also, Jean Crosby, president of the Ball State University Foundation, and Lola Mauer, associate vice president of strategy for the Foundation, presented to the Board results from One Ball State Day 2022. This year, an estimated 115 employees—our highest number ever—served as ambassadors for the 24-hour fundraising event. Their participation played a key role in our ability to surpass our fundraising goal, helping us to raise more than $1 million in just one day—a record for the fourth consecutive year.
Finally, the most significant news of the meeting was the update I provided the Board about our University’s partnership with Muncie Community Schools (MCS), which began in May 2018.
In my report, I was proud to share that MCS has:
- Stabilized student enrollment, with 5,082 students registered for the 2021-22 academic year. This year is the first one since 2006 in which the school district experienced an increase in student enrollment.
- Balanced the operating budget, with annual revenues exceeding expenditures for every year of the partnership. The district’s fund balance has increased from less than $5 million in 2017 to more than $35 million in 2021, with a current “rainy day” fund total of $12.1 million—approximately 19 times greater than the fund’s total in 2018 ($653,000).
- Increased teacher salaries, with plans to provide the largest pay raise in MCS history to teachers for the 2022-23 school year. Prior to 2018, MCS teachers and staff had not received a raise in 10 years. Increased compensation, greater professional development opportunities, and a shared sense of optimism about the partnership have catapulted teacher retention rates from 67 percent to 88 percent.
These positive outcomes are the product of the steady leadership of Dr. Lee Ann Kwiatkowski, CEO and director of public education for MCS, and the dedicated service of the seven-member board that governs the school district.
Given the ongoing commitment demonstrated by these dedicated leaders, the Board of Trustees today approved and ratified the reappointment of four current MCS board members:
- From slates of recommendations from Mayor Dan Ridenour and the Muncie City Council, I reappointed Brittany Bales and WaTasha Barnes Griffin to the MCS board.
- Based on my recommendations, our Trustees reappointed Keith O’Neal and Jim Williams to the MCS board.
With these four reappointments, the composition of the seven-member board governing MCS remains the same as it was when the partnership began in 2018. I know that, because these women and men have made significant contributions to the transformation of MCS, they deserve this opportunity to continue working to build a bright future for the children of Muncie and our community.
It is a privilege to serve with you, and I hope that you have had a productive Spring semester. Enjoy some time this Summer with family and friends.
