Joplin - The Board of Governors at Missouri Southern State University voted to approve promotion and tenure recommendations for nine faculty members during a meeting on March 18, 2016. The promotion of the following individuals will be effective with their 2016-17 contracts:

Instructor to assistant professor

• Matthew Cowdin: Law Enforcement Academy (director)

Assistant professor to associate professor

• Dr. Alla Barry, biology and environmental health

• Dr. Brad Creamer, biology and environmental health

• Dr. Jennifer Dennis, biology and environmental health

Associate professor to full professor

• Dr. Jill Greer, social science (anthropology)

• Dr. Thomas Schmidt, business administration (marketing & management)

• Dr. Wendy McGrane, academic affairs

The tenure of the following individuals will be effective with their 2016-17 contracts: Dr. William Delehanty, social science (political science); Devon Estes, art (associate professor).

Dr. Paula Carson, provost/vice president for academic affairs, said the promotion and tenure process at Missouri Southern is something to be recognized.

"It's a special honor for these professors to be promoted in this fashion," Carson said. "We are very proud of their dedication to their discipline and their students."

In other business, the board approved adoption of an updated Jasper & Newton Bi-County Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan is designed as a tool for the counties in controlling the hazardous effects of natural disasters and to improve public awareness of probable natural disasters. The original plan, adopted by the board in 2011, expired this year.

Go Back