SEMO Board approves strategic plan, FY 2027 budget
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Governors unanimously approved a new four-year strategic plan and the university’s Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget during its meeting Monday.
The strategic plan, titled “Fearlessly Forward,” was introduced by SEMO President Dr. Brad Hodson and is designed to guide the university through the next four years. The plan focuses on strengthening workforce relevance, expanding the university’s regional impact and increasing upward mobility for students.
Among the initiatives outlined in the plan are expanded work-based learning opportunities, stackable credentials, industry advisory boards, regional employment pipelines, efforts to recruit a medical school focused on rural health care and the development of a professional engineering program partnership.
The board also approved SEMO’s $160.6 million Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget, which covers the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The budget projects a $4 million increase in revenue but also anticipates $10.5 million in additional expenses, resulting in an initial projected deficit of $6.5 million.
University officials identified $12.9 million in budget reductions through a collaborative planning process, including the elimination of 20 occupied positions among nearly 900 full-time employees. The budget also includes $6.6 million in strategic investments, including employee pay increases, campus safety enhancements, marketing initiatives and deferred maintenance projects. The final budget is projected to generate a $2.5 million surplus that will be reserved for anticipated state funding reductions in future years.
The board approved several academic changes, including standalone bachelor’s degrees in forensic science and construction management and design, as well as reduced-credit-hour degree programs in chemistry and communication. University officials said the changes are intended to help students graduate sooner, reduce debt and enter the workforce more quickly.
Board members also approved a contract with OSPORTS to provide design criteria consultant services for the next phase of the university’s stadium project and unanimously extended Hodson’s contract as university president through June 30, 2030.
The strategic plan is available online at semo.edu/strategicplan.
