NEW CONTRACT GIVEN TO SEMO PRESIDENT

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents rewarded President Kala Stroup with a new five-year contract Tuesday.

Board President Carl Ben Bidewell of Poplar Bluff announced the decision following a brief, closed-door session prior to the start of the open regents meeting in the University Center.

Bidewell said the vote was unanimous. Regent Dan Williams Jr. of St. Louis was not present, but Bidewell said later that Williams previously had voiced his support for the contract.

Under the new contract, Stroup will receive a salary of $109,200 for the 1992-93 year, an increase of 4 percent over her previous salary of $105,000. The contract is retroactive to July 1, and runs through June 30, 1997.

"The regents believe that much of the university's progress over the past decade has been due to stability of leadership and that Dr. Stroup has shown herself to be the ideal person to provide continuity for the institution in the coming years," said Bidewell, reading from a prepared statement.

"The board is particularly pleased with the university's progress in attracting stronger students and making other quality improvements during her first two years as president.

"Much of the university's forward momentum toward excellence and increased accountability is due to her leadership," Bidewell said.

Stroup was selected as chief executive of Southeast in March 1990 and began her duties July 1 of that year. Previously she served for seven years as president of Murray State University in Kentucky.

She was in the final year of a three-year contract as president of Southeast.

Bidewell said contract terms are similar to those of the previous agreement. The new contract, he said, culminates about three months of salary discussions.

He pointed out that Stroup, like other university employees, did not receive a pay hike in 1991-92. He said Stroup's new salary reflects the same average pay hike of 4 percent given to top-level administrators at Southeast this year.

Bidewell said the regents will review Stroup's salary annually during the life of the contract and set the salary each year.

In other action, the regents hired a St. Louis company Witt, Fiala, Flannery and Associates to manage the university's custodial services. The contract is for five years.

Under the contract, Southeast will pay the company $199,560 in the first year, $209,538 in the second year, $219,516 in the third year, $229,494 in the fourth year and $239,472 in the fifth year.

The costs include supervision, scheduling and training of custodial employees at the university, and all cleaning supplies and equipment, said Ken Dobbins, vice president for finance and administration.

University officials said the company's bid will provide a savings to the university as well as improved custodial services.

The university is paying more than $262,000 a year to supervise, schedule and train custodial employees, and purchase cleaning supplies and basic equipment.

Dobbins said custodial workers would remain employees of the university.

The company manages the custodial services for Washington University and other schools. "They've been in the business since 1962," said Dobbins, adding that the company has more than 2,000 employees combined in 10 states.

University officials said they also considered a bid from ServiceMaster, but that bid was considerably higher.

ServiceMaster "felt with better management we would need fewer employees," said Stroup. But she said university officials were uncertain that would occur.

The regents appointed Dobbins to the Show Me Center Board of Managers. He replaces Robert Foster, whose term expires in December. Foster is executive director of the Southeast Missouri University Foundation.

The regents also approved revisions in policies dealing with employee travel and use of copyrighted materials.

The university president told the regents she considered it a "privilege" to serve the university. Stroup said both she and her husband, Joe, were pleased with the regents' action on her contract.

"We're delighted," she said, glancing at her husband, who was seated in the audience.

Following the meeting, Stroup said she believes the new contract sends a message to the campus and the community that she is committed to the university.

Both Bidewell and Stroup said they wanted to put to rest any rumors that the university president might be in the market for a new job.

"It's not good for the institution for me to be in the market," she said.

Bidewell said, "In the first place, I truly thought she deserved a five-year contract if she wanted, and we know she had other offers."

Regent Mark Pelts of Kennett said, "I think the board was unanimous that we wanted Kala here."

He said Stroup made it clear to the board that she wanted to remain at Southeast. "She's showed a dedication to SEMO," said Pelts. "She didn't drive a hard bargain."

Both Bidewell and board attorney Joseph Russell said the new contract includes a provision for liquidated damages in the event that the contract is severed.

"The board of regents has the right to terminate the contract with or without cause," said Russell. Both parties have the right to terminate the contract, he said.

Stroup said she had suggested provisions for terminating the contract to avoid problems such as those encountered recently at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. The regents at Southwest ran into problems in terminating a contract with their university president, Marshall Gordon, earlier this year after problems of financial mismanagement surfaced.

Russell said Southwest's board subsequently worked out a resignation agreement with Gordon.

In announcing the new contract for Southeast's president, Bidewell said: "Kala Stroup has proven herself a superb educational leader both on the campus and at the state and national level. The regents are proud to have her representing the university and are pleased to give her this expression of our confidence in her and the future of our school."