SEMO Board Approves Plan to Move Fearlessly Forward

Moving Fearlessly Forward into the Future
SEMO President Dr. Brad Hodson unveiled "Fearlessly Forward," a strategic plan to guide the University for the next four years. Hodson said the plan was the product of months of collaborative work by faculty, staff, and community leaders as well as input from alumni, students, and the broader region to chart a bold new vision for SEMO's future.

"I challenged our strategic planning task force during my inauguration speech to develop a plan that would prepare students for meaningful careers and differentiate SEMO," said Hodson. "I am incredibly excited by what we have created and eager to do the work of implementing it."

The plan's priorities are to strengthen workforce relevance, magnify SEMO's impact, and accelerate upward mobility. Fearlessly Forward outlines goals and the emerging initiatives to achieve those goals as well as the metrics used to measure progress. Hodson said campus and community alike will have the opportunity to weigh in on tactics to deliver on the priorities.

"We know what students and employers want is changing," said Hodson. "There's a thirst for career-connected academic programs from both of those groups. That's something SEMO does incredibly well, and the new strategic plan challenges us to expand, improve, and become a leader in hands-on learning."

The plan calls for that emphasis on applied learning to be realized through a variety of initiatives from cooperative work-based experiences to stackable credentials. It entails creation of industry advisory boards as partners in curriculum design and the development of regional employment pipelines. It also seeks to recruit a medical school to campus focused on rural healthcare and to launch a professional engineering program partnership on campus.

"SEMO has an enormous impact on our region," said Hodson. "A $1.4 billion economic impact on the state is certainly something we are proud of, but our contributions go deeper. We help students achieve their dreams. We provide arts, culture and athletics."

The plan seeks to expand those impacts through partnerships and investments that will improve teaching efficacy, elevate the student experience and increase stakeholder engagement.

"For the last several years, our country has had a really candid conversation about the value of a college degree," said Hodson. "Those are valid conversations, but I want to turn the discussion to how SEMO is maximizing our student's return on that investment. We want to set them up for professional success, so they build stronger futures and generational impact."

SEMO's plan will expand the number of reduced credit hour degree programs so students graduate with less debt and enter the workforce faster. It calls for financial literacy counseling. It also seeks to establish a campus culture of care.

"A university's mission is a very precious responsibility," said Hodson. "We exist to help young adults grow into the professionals they want to be and to assist adults in building the life they want. In the last year, I have found myself very at home at SEMO among dedicated faculty and staff who take that mission to heart with every fiber of their being. This plan outlines our commitment to building a resilient workforce, stronger communities, and brighter futures across Eastern Missouri, and I am confident we will do so."

Hodson said he'll be sharing the vision throughout the region in the coming months and looks forward to a campus kickoff event in August with the start of the new academic year. Fearlessly Forward can be viewed online at semo.edu/strategicplan.

Balancing Fiscal Responsibility with Strategic Investment
The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Governors also approved the Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget. The $160.6 million budget covers all University revenue and expenses for the period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Details of the FY2027 SEMO budget include:

• An anticipated increase of $4 million in revenue, primarily from tuition and fees and room and board income based on current enrollment estimates for fall 2026 and spring 2027.
• Increased expenses of $10.5 million that includes mandatory university retirement contributions to the state's MOSERS retirement system; increasing utility, property insurance, and contract expenses; and implementation of a voluntary retirement incentive program offered to employees this spring.
  • These two factors (revenue and expenses) created a projected $6.5 million fiscal year 2027 budget deficit.
• Budget cuts totaling $12.9 million were identified through a collaborative budget development process involving faculty, staff and administration working since October 2025 to develop the FY27 budget.
  • These budget cuts include eliminating 20 currently occupied positions out of the nearly 900 full-time employees within the University.
• To continue to increase enrollment and stakeholder engagement, $6.6 million in new investment opportunities were included in the budget. Examples of these include: a 2% cost of living increase for current employees, implementing a recently completed compensation study, funding for deferred maintenance projects, regional marketing initiatives, campus visit experience improvements, enhancements to campus safety, and enhanced protocols to mitigate fraud and cybersecurity attempts by external parties.
• After all budget cuts and strategic investments are tabulated, the net result is a $2.5 million budget surplus that will be held in anticipation of FY28 budget cuts from the state.
  • Missouri is facing an estimated $1.5-2 billion shortfall in general revenue for the fiscal year after next. Early advice from leadership in the General Assembly advises higher education to prepare for at least a 10% cut in state appropriations for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027, although the final impact won't be known for at least a year. For SEMO, a 10% cut in appropriations would equal approximately $5 million.

"I'm incredibly grateful to the faculty, staff, and administrators who actively participated in the development of the FY27 University budget, and to the Board of Governors for seeing the vision this budget supports," said SEMO President Dr. Brad Hodson. "Simply balancing a budget deficit doesn't advance the University. Instead, in a very difficult budget environment, we have invested in our people and programs by funding new initiatives and put $2.5 million in reserves anticipating future budget challenges. This budget positions SEMO for a very exciting, albeit challenging, future."

Strengthening Academic Offerings
The Board took action on several academic programs, including the establishment of new degrees in Forensic Science and Construction Management & Design, which were previously options rather than standalone degrees. Reduced credit hour degrees in Chemistry and Communication were also approved. Reducing the number of credit hours from the traditional 120 hours means students can graduate earlier, move into the workforce sooner, and reduce debt. SEMO launched the state's first 90 credit hour degree in Criminal Justice in April.

"Our approach has been to strategically reduce courses while increasing both the rigor and focus on the major," said Interim Provost Dr. Doug Koch. "Reduced credit hour degrees aren't about teaching less but about making sure the curriculum aligns with the needs of employers and the affordability for students."

All program changes must now be approved by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education.

Actions Supporting University Operations
The Board granted post-professorial merit to eight faculty members. Eight faculty members were promoted to the rank of professor and seven to the rank of associate professor with tenure. In addition, 18 faculty members received non-tenure track merit. All merit, promotion and tenure designations are effective with the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year.

The Board authorized the University to negotiate and execute a contract with OSPORTS for design criteria consultant services related to the design-build of Stadium Phase II. The consultant will assist in the development of the project criteria, requests for proposals, evaluation of proposals, and evaluation of the construction under a design-build contract. OSPORTS would not submit a proposal or furnish design or construction services for the design-build contract itself but would deliver a Design Criteria Package (DCP), a performance-oriented program, scope, and specifications for the design-build project. The DCP is expected to be completed by December 2026. OSPORTS is recognized as a Top 20 Sports Architecture Firm, providing design and engineering services for sports, recreation, and training facilities across the nation.

The Board voted unanimously to extend Dr. Brad Hodson's contract to continue as president of Southeast Missouri State University through June 30, 2030, emphasizing their confidence in his leadership.

"Honestly, the Board had very high hopes and equally high expectations for Dr. Hodson to lead SEMO, and we are pleased with the both the progress and success he's demonstrated in his first year while faced with some challenging circumstances," said Board President Jim Limbaugh. "Dr. Hodson's willingness and ability to engage with all constituents as well as his tireless work ethic are true benefits for SEMO. He has served the institution well, and we look forward to what is yet to come."

In his first year as president, Hodson brought forth a new strategic plan, oversaw completion of the $60 million Transforming Lives fundraising campaign, launched a comprehensive legislative advocacy program and a new University brand campaign, broke ground on the new Roy Blunt Health Professions Hall, started work on the Talbert Terrace redevelopment project in the heart of campus, added 10 school districts to the Educators Advantage Program, launched Missouri's first 90 credit hour bachelor's degree, and negotiated a property transfer to the Missouri Highway Patrol for construction of a new crime laboratory on campus. In addition, SEMO won three OVC Championships, the OVC Commissioner's Cup, and was named a Top 5 Best Small College Town in America by USA Today.

"I am privileged to be the president of SEMO and grateful to the Board for its support," said Hodson. "What I have learned in my first year is that this is an amazing community with excellent people. SEMO is vitally important to the success of Eastern Missouri, and I believe the new strategic plan delivers a road map for the long-term impact we can have on the region in the coming years."

The Board also approved new University representatives to Board of Managers for the Show Me Center and River Campus. Brady Barke, vice president for Intercollegiate Athletics will serve on the Show Me Center Board, and Tonya Wells, assistant vice president for Marketing and Communications will serve on the River Campus Board.

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