Northwest staff, faculty, and regents surround the Harr family Thursday afternoon as they honored Dr. Pat Harr and is wife, Teri, for their service to the University with a tree planted in front of Everett W. Brown Education Hall. (Photos by Clint Brummett/Northwest Missouri State University)

Aug. 9, 2019

Regents approve new degree programs, celebrate Harr’s leadership

Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski presents Dr. Pat Harr, who participated in his last meeting Thursday as a member of the University's Board of Regents, with two items depicting his service to the institution, both with the Board and as a volunteer physician for Bearcat athletics teams.

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Northwest Missouri State University's Board of Regents on Thursday approved a series of curriculum proposals and service contracts, in addition to celebrating its outgoing chair and his legacy at the University. 

The Board approved curriculum proposals creating two master’s degree programs and two education specialist program that will begin this fall.

• A Master of Business Administration (MBA) general emphasis program will provide students with more flexibility in choosing courses they prefer in business areas. Like other MBA programs, it will require 30 credit hours to complete.
• A Specialist in Education program in educational leadership for K-12 will comply with new state regulations and provide students with coursework needed for elementary and secondary school principals seeking licensure. The program will be offered online.
• A Specialist in Education generalist program will allow educators to gain additional knowledge beyond a master’s degree, learn best practices and progress on school district salary schedules. The program, which will be offered online, consists of 12 credit hours required at the specialist level and 18 credit hours chosen by the student from an approved list of electives.
• A Master of Science in education curriculum and instruction with a teaching technology emphasis will replace an online master’s degree program in instructional technology and focus on integrating technology by developing, implementing, assessing and teaching through online and face-to-face instructional modules for varied learning communities. The program will be offered online.

RPDC contract renewed

The Board also renewed the University’s annual contract with the Northwest Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC) and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Northwest’s RPDC, a fixture at the University since 1995, is contracted through DESE and provides professional development and support to 59 school districts in the 15-county northwest Missouri region. It is one of nine RPDC’s in Missouri and aligns with a common statewide mission to “build the capacity of educators and schools, through high quality professional learning, to maximize student success.”

The University’s 2019-20 contract with the program amounts to about $1.2 million and supports salary, benefits, regional and state required travel, equipment, materials and supplies for about 15 staff members who work at the center on the Northwest campus.

Harr honored

To conclude the meeting, Regents, along with faculty and staff gathered in the J.W. Jones Student Union’s Boardroom, recognized Dr. Pat Harr, who was appointed to the Board in 2013 and had served as its chair from 2015 until this past June. Harr’s Board term is expired and Thursday marked his last meeting. 

Board members and Northwest leaders presented Harr with gifts to commemorate his Board leadership. Many also provided words of appreciation.

Dr. Marilou Joyner, who succeeds Harr as Board chair, said, “It has been nothing short of a pleasure to get to know this gentleman, and I consider him a friend and a mentor.”

Hayley Hanson, who provides outside general counsel for the Board as an attorney with Husch Blackwell, said, “No one is more thoughtful or has more in his heart that is in the best interests of Northwest.”

Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski, paraphrasing a quote from legendary basketball coach John Wooden, said, “In all the meetings I’ve had with Dr. Harr, he made sure that we weren’t mistaking activity with achievement. He was focused on enterprise leadership and making this place a much, much better place.”

After the meeting, Regents and Northwest faculty and staff joined Harr and his wife, Teri, to dedicate a newly planted tree in honor of their service to the University. Now part of the Missouri Arboretum’s collection, the white flowering dogwood tree is planted near the southeast corner of Horace Mann Laboratory School, which Harr attended, and adjacent to the University’s athletics facilities to commemorate his long service as a volunteer physician for Bearcat athletics teams.

Other business

In addition to Joyner moving into the Board chair seat, Regents elected Roxanna Swaney as vice chair. Thursday’s meeting also was the first for Deborah Roach, who was appointed to the Board in June.

In other business, the Board approved multi-year contracts for its Xerox multifunction devices, MOREnet internet services, and training and compliance software. The Board also approved degree candidates who have completed their requirements to earn academic degrees this summer and faculty appointments for the 2019-20 academic year.

The Board of Regents is responsible for sound resource management of the University and determining general, educational and financial policies.