Office of University Communications
Board extends contract, awards endowed chair to President Nietzel
Date: May 15, 2008
Contact: Mary Sheid, Board President
(417) 256-5669
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — In recognition of his “exemplary performance,” Missouri State University President Michael T. Nietzel has had his contract extended another year by the Missouri State Board of Governors. In addition, the Board of Governors announced that it has established the endowed Missouri State University Leadership Chair, which was a joint project of the current, past and student members of the Board of Governors/Board of Regents. Nietzel will be the first recipient of the chair in recognition of his work.
The contract extension for Nietzel means his contract will now run through 2012. At Nietzel’s request, his salary increase will not exceed the pool increases for faculty and staff, currently estimated to be 4 percent. Nietzel’s current salary is $257,088. The details of the contract will be finalized in time for Board action at the June meeting when the Board approves the university’s internal budget for 2008-09.
The Missouri State Leadership Chair is being established by the members of the Boards of Governors/Regents, current and past, as well as student members, through the Missouri State Foundation to recognize outstanding leaders at the university. Initially, the chair will be awarded to the president, but there is flexibility for future awards to other university leaders.
Board President Mary Sheid, West Plains, said establishing the chair was consistent with three of the university’s guiding principles.
“First, since Dr. Nietzel arrived, we have more than tripled the number of endowed positions,” said Sheid. “The endowed positions have been used to help attract and retain outstanding faculty, and we certainly want to keep Dr. Nietzel as our president.
“Second, in our long-range plan, we state our desire to raise the salaries of our faculty and staff to national averages. The Leadership Chair will help us keep the president’s compensation, both now and in the future, at a competitive level.
“And third, the university’s new compensation system is based on merit, and the Leadership Chair will be awarded based on performance.”
The Missouri State Leadership Chair will be awarded for a two-year term with annual reviews and the opportunity to renew for additional two-year periods. The earnings from the principal of the endowed position, currently paid at 4.5 percent, can be used at the recipient’s discretion. The chair is being established initially with commitments of approximately $250,000, according to Sheid. The ultimate goal is to reach $1 million, which, when fully invested, would yield $45,000 annually. The fund would not generate earnings until after it had been invested for a full year.
One hundred percent of the current members of the Board of Governors have contributed to the endowed chair, said Sheid, and the response from former Board members also has been good. All past Board members will be contacted in the coming weeks, she said. In all, more than 20 current and past Board members have made commitments to be paid over 1-5 years; the largest commitment by any Board member is $25,000.
“Not only is this a way in which we can recognize the outstanding work of Dr. Nietzel,” said Sheid, “but somewhere in the future when Dr. Nietzel retires, this chair will help us attract the best possible candidate to be the next president of Missouri State. That was one of the Board’s goals in establishing the chair.”
In its evaluation, the Board was unanimous in its praise for Nietzel again for 2007-08. The Board cited Nietzel’s effective work with state and federal governmental leaders; his relationship building with alumni, donors and friends, especially his increased travel and appearances at alumni functions around the country; his effective communication with all constituent groups; his success in dealing effectively with a variety of challenges; and his effective budget management and fund-raising.
Nietzel (pronounced KNIT-zel) began July 1, 2005, as Missouri State’s ninth president. He came to Missouri State from being provost at the University of Kentucky.
Nietzel had been at the University of Kentucky for 32 years. He was named provost of the University of Kentucky on Nov. 1, 2002. Nietzel was also professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. He held a joint appointment on the faculty of the University of Kentucky College of Law. Prior to being named provost, he served as acting provost for 18 months and as dean of the Graduate School for four years.
Nietzel joined the faculty at the University of Kentucky in 1973 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 1977 and professor in 1981. From 1977-90, Nietzel served as director of the clinical psychology training program at the University of Kentucky. In 1991, he was named chair of the department of psychology and he completed a second term as chair in 1997.
He received his B.A. from Wheaton College in 1969, and his M.A. degree in 1972 and his Ph.D. in 1973, both from the University of Illinois.
Nietzel’s research interests include the areas of forensic psychology, jury decision-making and the assessment of psychotherapy outcomes. He has written several leading books and more than 85 scholarly articles in these areas. He has served on the editorial boards of numerous journals in the areas of clinical psychology and legal psychology, and he has been elected a Fellow in both the American Psychology Association and the American Psychology Society.