The event is scheduled for 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium of Robert A. Dempster Hall.

U.S. Attorney Mike Price will make a 15-minute presentation in opposition to the measure, which will be followed by a 15-minute rebuttal from Greg Jeffery of Missourians Against Crime, who will speak in favor of the proposition.

Following their presentations, a panel of Southeast political science professors will question Price and Jeffery. Serving on the panel will be Dr. Russell Renka, professor of political science; Dr. Rick Althaus, associate professor of political science; and Dr. Peter Bergerson, chair of the Department of Political Science, who will serve as the moderator.

The program will end with questions from the audience.

University officials say the contract will provide students with enhanced dining flexibility and food variety, more options, and increased ability to use their meal plan at a variety of campus locations.

“All of these enhancements increase the value of students’ meal plans,” said Loren Rullman, director of Student Auxiliary Services.

Chartwells provides quality dining services to more than 200 college and university clients and more than 270 K-12 clients. Chartwells was selected from three companies that submitted bids, and its proposal contained the lowest residential meal plan costs. This was a primary factor in recommending the company to the Board, Rullman said, adding that all of the company’s program elements will be added with a minimal increase to students.

“Three very reputable companies proposed providing dining services at Southeast,” he said. “Our most important consideration was the company’s ability to provide the best program at the lowest possible cost to our faculty, staff and, most importantly, our students. I believe Chartwells meets that standard, and I am excited to work with them in service to our campus.”

Other companies submitting bids were Sodexho Marriott Services, which currently provides dining services to the University and whose contract expires May 31, and Aramark Corp. Chartwells’ contract with Southeast begins June 1. Chartwells received a seven-year contract with annual reviews that will expire in 2006.

Chartwells was the only company of the three that submitted bids which focus exclusively on food service.

“This will be a tremendous asset to Southeast as Chartwells’ resources and attention will not be diverted into other contract services areas,” Rullman said. “By focusing on the unique requirements of each campus, Chartwells becomes an integral part of the educational communities it serves.”

Chartwells has proposed a number of innovative programs, including its “Profiles in Good Taste” program for Towers and a limited version of the same for the University Center Cafe Court area. The “Profiles” program is made up of 13 concepts, including a “Market Carvery,” the “Double Treat Bakery” and “Origins,” which provides creative and traditional entrees.

“`Profiles in Good Taste’ is a proven and unique concept in college dining services today,” Rullman said.

Chartwells’ “Profiles in Good Taste” program is reflective of restaurant style food services. The program will enable more food production to take place in front of customers in exhibition style cooking called “Menutainment,” rather than in the kitchen. In addition, recipes will be custom developed to reflect the characteristics of the Southeast campus.

The residential meal plan program proposed by the company includes many new program elements, including “bonus meals” in which students will receive additional meals each semester to invite guests to eat with them, and “Take a Professor to Lunch,” which allows students to invite a University faculty or staff member to lunch at no cost to students. Other innovations include a “Dress up and Stay in” program, which will give students the opportunity to enjoy a restaurant type atmosphere for special occasions. “Etiquette Training Dinners” also will be offered in which students will learn proper dining etiquette in fun educational programs six times a year.

An Academic Hall service cart also may be available, and Chartwells will implement an on-campus lunch delivery program for faculty and staff too busy to leave their offices, Rullman said.

Chartwells also plans to launch its “Nurture Our World” program, which focuses on health, environment and communities. This program will provide a variety of “balanced choice” options for health conscious consumers. The premise of Chartwells’ “Nurture Our World” program is that is seeks out suppliers, products and techniques that minimize adverse effects to the environment and makes it a point to invest time, talent, resources and money in the communities they serve.

Chartwells’ new plan will allow students wishing to enjoy a retail environment like the University Center to trade a meal for a retail “value exchange” or credit. Students who decide not to eat in Towers Cafeteria may exchange that meal for a credit and purchase any of the items in the Cafe Court.

Rullman said that Chartwells also was recommended to the Board because of its highly innovative facility renovation designs it proposed in Towers, the University Center and Geronimo’s.

Minor and cosmetic changes will be made to dining facilities this summer and major renovation of all dining facilities will take place during the summer of 2000, when Chartwells’ full program will be implemented.

“Chartwells had very innovative and interesting design proposals for the facilities, and they also seemed very committed to making Southeast very important to them,” said Dustin Fritsche, a student who served on the Dining Service Proposals Committee. “They also provided the best financial option for the students and the institution.”

Chartwells’ proposal calls for creating “profiles” of University designated catering customers to increase their familiarity with special food preferences or issues. The company also outlined an extensive approach to marketing and gathering customer feedback, and as part of that, a marketing manager will be assigned to Southeast’s account and be responsible for market research and on-going development of new programs.

In addition, Chartwells has designated Southeast as a regional “Center of Excellence,” allowing Southeast to test and launch new company concepts, and serve as a regional training site for the company’s culinary staff and as a site for district staff meetings.

Under the contract, Southeast has established minimum qualifications for all staff, including that the chef must be a certified executive chef. Southeast will have the benefit of the Chartwells College and University Dining Services management team, supported by its parent organization, Compass Group North America. The Chartwells team of Regional Vice President Robert Dreger, District Manager Stuart Henning and Regional Sales Director Ray Welty will work together with the University in the implementation of the new food service program.

“Chartwells had the best ‘above and beyond’ of the companies we considered,” Fritsche said. “They met and exceeded my expectations.”

The process of hiring a food services contractor began last fall when consultants met with numerous student, faculty and staff focus groups to gather their input. The University issued a request for proposals for its campus dining services Oct. 31 to 10 local, regional and national companies. The request for proposals outlined basic guidelines for dining services expectations, but companies were encouraged to be creative and innovative in developing high-quality products, programs and services in response to Southeast’s needs. A pre-proposal conference was held Nov. 9 and bids were opened Dec. 11.

The Dining Services Proposals Committee, which included broad representation of students, faculty, staff and administrators, began meeting in December. The committee evaluated the bids based on written proposals from the companies, on-campus presentations, visits to other universities and reference calls. The committee was divided into teams, which met frequently over a two and one-half month period to discuss the proposals in depth. The committee then came to conclusions regarding strengths and weaknesses.

The committee’s recommendations were reviewed by Loren Rullman and presented to Dr. Ken Dobbins, University Executive Vice President, for his review. The recommendation was forwarded to the Board of Regents today.

University Executive Vice President Dr. Ken Dobbins says 2,159 residence hall rooms will be available on the Southeast campus for the fall 1999 semester.

Under the approved plan to take effect with the start of the 1999-2000 academic year, annual residence hall fees will rise by varying amounts ranging from 5.3 percent for double rooms in Towers North and West to 17.6 percent for rooms in Group Housing.

Room rate percentage increases for Myers, Cheney, Dearmont and Towers South and East are all 5.6 percent.

“Rate increases in these halls are primarily dedicated to ongoing departmental operations,” Dobbins said. The larger increase in Group Housing rates reflects the second year of a three-year “phase-in” of increases to assist in covering the cost of an extensive renovation project requested by the residents.

The increase for triple rooms in Towers North and West will be 5.5 percent.

“Proposed fiscal year 2000 rates for Towers and Group Housing residents match fiscal year 2000 projections as presented last April and are primarily dedicated to renovation and construction debt service obligations,” he said. “Group Housing will also receive installation of a second phone line in each room.”

Based on the new rates, annual residence hall fees will be $2,460 for Dearmont; $2,640 for Towers South and East; $2,682 for Cheney; $2,820 for Myers; $2,940 for Group Housing; $3,430 per person for triple rooms in Towers North and West; and $3,560 per person for double rooms in Towers North and West.

The fiscal 2000 Residence Life budget reflects a student-requested and Residence Hall Association-approved activity fee of $15 per semester as a separate charge. These fees are used at the discretion of students for programming, recognition awards, student conference and other activities. Last year, this activity fee was budgeted as “operational expense obligations” with no corresponding income stream, Dobbins said. Beginning with fiscal year 2000, this fee will be shown as a fee separate from room and board costs.

In other action, the Board approved a continuation of the present rental rates for non-traditional student apartments at 401 and 505 Washington, buildings which feature one- and two-bedroom apartments. Monthly rates range from $260 for a one-bedroom efficiency at 505 Washington to $345 for a two-bedroom apartment with a balcony at 401 Washington. Rates vary in that range based on the number of bedrooms, size of rooms and amenities.

Dobbins said the current occupancy rate for non-traditional student housing stands at 100 percent. He says the new rates take into account the current rate structure, the fairly low turnover of renters and one apartment unrented in any given month, which allows for cleaning and repairs.

In addition, the Regents approved a three percent increase in board rates to take effect with the 1999-2000 academic year. Factors considered in determining the new rates were the availability of a new five-meal-per-week meal plan, enhanced dining facilities, the availability of a student requested dinner on Sunday evenings, and expanded meal service hours. Dobbins says these added features in fiscal 2000 will be available to residents and non-residents, as will additional flexibility and choice in all meal plans.

Based on the new standard rate schedule, the most popular plan -- 15 meals per week plus $80 points a semester -- will cost students $1,627 annually. The 19-meal plan will cost $1,761 a year. The 19-meal plan plus $40 in points will cost $1,782 annually. The 10-meal plan plus $120 in points will cost $1,545 a year. The five-meal plan plus $250 in points will cost $1,366 annually.

The points reflected in the board rates are discretionary dollars built into students’ meal plans which can be spent as students wish in the University’s dining facilities outside the residence hall cafeterias, such as Geronimo’s, in the Towers Complex or the University Center.

The Board approved a new incidental fee schedule and a new general fee to help support student health services and student athletics.

Under the new incidental fee schedule, resident undergraduates will see a $3 per credit hour increase for the fall 1999 semester, rising to $99.30 per credit hour from $96.30.

“The Budget Review Committee recommended to President Nitzschke that only a minimal increase to incidental fees be requested beginning with fall 1999,” said Dr. Ken Dobbins, University executive vice president.

Based on the new rates, incidental rates for the fall 1999 semester will increase $3 per credit hour for Missouri undergraduates, $6 per credit hour for non-resident undergraduates and Missouri resident graduate students, and $12 for non-resident graduate students. The new per credit hour rates will be $99.30 for resident undergraduates, $185.30 for non-resident undergraduates, $111.30 for resident graduate students and $208.30 for non-resident graduate students.

In addition, the Board approved a $1 per credit hour increase in the general student fee, with $0.45 going towards a new general fee to support the Center for Health and Counseling, and $0.55 going towards an increase in the student athletic fee.

The Center for Health and Counseling provides a variety of services including treatment of minor injury and illnesses, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy tests, laboratory tests, consultations and referrals, allergy shots, immunizations, individual and group counseling, nurse practitioner care, and other services. Dobbins says that during the past five years, the Center has seen a significant increase in usage without a corresponding increase in staff or operations resources.

The increased revenue from the $0.45 per credit hour general fee will be used for additional counseling staff, nursing personnel and operations to expand current daily operations and create some evening and weekend hours so that adequate health and counseling services are available to students, Dobbins said.

The $0.55 per credit hour increase in the student athletic fee will be used to offset the lost revenue from student complimentary tickets and will allow the Athletics Department to address operational issues such as charter buses for team travel, team uniform replacement, and meals and housing for teams during institutional break periods, and other program enhancements.

Dobbins said that during the 1998-1999 academic year, the number of tickets provided to students for football and basketball games, and volleyball and gymnastics matches were valued at more than $205,000.

“This far exceeds the approximately $160,000 in student fees the athletic program currently receives,” he said.

With the $1 per credit hour increase, general fees for students beginning with the fall 1999 semester will be $8.20 per credit hour -- $4.25 designated for the Student Recreation Center; $1.12 for student activities; $1.38 for student athletics; $1 for student computing; and $0.45 for student health services.

Based on the new incidental and general student fee increases, total required fees per credit hour will be $107.50 for Missouri undergraduates; $193.50 for non-resident undergraduates; $119.50 for Missouri graduate students; and $216.50 for non-resident graduate students.

Dobbins told the Board that based on the Coordinating Board for Higher Education recommendations and current state revenue projections, Gov. Mel Carnahan has recommended an appropriations increase for University operations of $2.3 million, of which $1.525 million is designated for mission enhancement initiatives. Dobbins added that during February and March, the University’s Budget Review Committee reviewed the funding for the current operational budget, compensation matters, and program enhancements and mission enhancement initiatives in accordance with the University’s Strategic Plan.

Dobbins said it was recommended that the undergraduate resident fee be increased by $3 per credit hour, which represents a 3.1 percent increase.

“The Budget Review Committee believes the recommended increase is not excessive and will help fund strategic initiatives that are not contained in the University’s current operating budget or in our mission enhancement initiatives,” he said.

The incidental fee increases at Southeast compare favorably to those that other Missouri sister institutions are proposing for undergraduates for the 1999-2000 academic year, Dobbins said.

“Although the figures are preliminary, since some universities are presently discussing approving fee increases, our findings indicate that Southeast’s new incidental fees for the upcoming academic year put us at the mid-range of institutions comparable to us in our region.”

Southeast’s per credit hour incidental fee rate of $99.3 for Missouri undergraduates for fall 1999 is well below the $132.60 rate for the University of Missouri-Columbia and $147.67 for Truman State University and just below Southwest Missouri State University’s rate of $101.

“However, Southeast’s incidental fee increase of $3 for the coming year is the smallest increase of any of our in-state and out-of-state competitors,” including the University of Missouri-Columbia, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Southwest Missouri State University, Lincoln University, Central Missouri State University, Truman State University and Northwest Missouri State University, Dobbins added.

The University’s Budget Review Committee will be meeting at the end of April to review and assess program enhancements, specific unit needs and compensation proposals so that the proposed FY00 budget will be balanced before it is forwarded to President Nitzschke.

In other action, the Board approved special course fees to take effect with the fall 1999 semester. Under this action, special course fees will be applied to certain lab courses that have supply expenses associated with them. The special revenue realized from these fees will be returned to the departments incurring the associated costs, Dobbins said. By formalizing these special course fees, the University will designate these courses as such on students’ accounts. Southeast, in turn, will report these to the Internal Revenue Service as eligible expenses for the new Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning federal income tax credits.

Anyone with an interest in astronomy is encouraged to participate.

The funds will be used to help support the upcoming concert with legendary folk musicians Bok, Muir and Trickett at KRCU’s Folk Coffee House. The concert, which will be held April 12 in the University Center Ballroom on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University, will feature table seating with gourmet coffee and cookies to enjoy during the performance. Tickets for the acoustic performance are $8 and can be purchased at KRCU or charged by phone at (573) 651-5070.

“This is the first time we have received a grant from the Missouri Arts Council,” said Greg Petrowich, general manager of KRCU. “We are pleased to have our project recognized by the Council and hope that we will be able to secure additional funding for future performers.”

Dr. Ronald Takaki is a distinguished professor of ethnic studies at the University of California-Berkeley and author of Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans; A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America; A Larger Memory: A History of our Diversity, with Voices; and Hiroshima: Why America Dropped the Atomic Bomb.

Takaki will present a public lecture at 7:30 p.m. April 14 titled “The Multicultural Millennium: Diversity and the Academic Community.” The lecture is free and open to the public and will be held in Glenn Auditorium of Robert A. Dempster Hall. Takaki will take questions at the end of his lecture. A reception and book-signing will follow in the atrium of Dempster Hall.

A distinguished scholar and award-winning historian, Takaki has inspired audiences throughout the world with an uplifting new vision of the richness of social diversity and its singular contributions. Takaki’s mission is to demonstrate that multiculturalism is not only an unquestionably accurate assessment of social reality but also an intellectually stimulating approach to an array of academic disciplines.

Takaki helps people rethink the very way they think about history. He says that facing the country’s national past accurately and honestly can guide people toward the opening rather than “the closing of the American mind” and toward the uniting rather than “the disuniting of America.”

WHEN: 1 p.m., April 1

WHERE: Southeast Missouri Hospital, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

WHO: Dr. Ken Dobbins, University executive vice president, will make the presentation.

WHEN: 2 p.m., March 31

WHERE: Missouri Delta Medical Center, Sikeston, Mo.

WHO: Dr. Charles Kupchella, University provost, will make the presentation.

The 1998 dance squad was the first in school history to qualify for the national championships. The team’s seventh place finish was highlighted on national television.

“Last year’s team was very good, and the seventh place finish reflected the qualify level, but I believe our current squad is even more talented and will benefit from our experience at last year’s nationals,” said Kim Rambicourt, team co-captain and St. Louis senior.

The team’s ultimate goal is to bring a national championship back to Southeast and Cape Girardeau.

“I don’t know if we can win it all this year, but we will give it our best shot,” said Sundancer Coach Suzanne Vaughan. “The Division I level is extremely competitive. We would be very happy to finish among the top five teams.”

Southeast will have to be in top form to even earn a spot in the nationally televised final competition round. Twenty Division I schools from across the nation have qualified for the championships. Schools like the University of Massachusetts, Cal State Long Beach, James Madison, and three-time national champion Stephen F. Austin University, will be in the field. The CBS and USA television networks will broadcast the championship round on April 17 and May 30 respectively.

The Sundancers have been choreographing and practicing their national championship dance since December. Fans who attended the Feb. 20 Southeast-Eastern Illinois basketball games got a sneak peek at this year’s routine. The entire University and Cape Girardeau community is invited to the final dress rehearsal at 5 p.m. March 31 in Academic Auditorium on the Southeast campus. The team’s new retro 1970s competition uniforms will be unveiled at this time.

“Although the choreography is very contemporary, we wanted to do a true disco review with fun, upbeat music and bright orange and purple costumes,” Vaughan said. “If the intensity and rate of our dance moves don’t keep the judges’ attention, our outfits definitely will.”

Although the University has provided a significant portion of the funding for the nationals trip, the team has been actively running fund-raising programs since last September. The Sundancers have been waiting tables at catering events, hosting dance clinics, selling dance videotapes and T-shirts, hosting alumni events, asking for campus organization donations and assisting with area fashion shows.

“We want to thank everyone who made our trip to nationals possible, especially the University’s administration. Many student groups, boosters and area dance enthusiasts have also donated funds for the trip,” said senior co-captain Leslie Church of Charleston, Ill. “It is difficult to be a full-time student, practice 10 to 15 hours a week, perform at many of the athletic events and still raise $6,000, but we will make it work because it is worth it.”

The event, sponsored by the Agricultural Club, will be held at 7 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium of Robert A. Dempster Hall.

The forum is an open meeting for producers. Six professionals will be on hand to offer their insight on economic survival. Speakers will include representatives from government, agribusiness and production.

“We only have 500 tickets. They are located beside Big Mac Land, so they will go quickly,” said Anita Eby, director of alumni services at Southeast Missouri State University.

A pre-game alumni and friends social, sponsored by Kohlfeld, River Eagle Distributing, Coca-Cola and Schnucks, is scheduled for 5 p.m. on the Sverdrup Terraces, located across from Busch Stadium. The game begins at 7:10 p.m.

Eby says that if enough interest is shown, a bus will be reserved for the trip.

Cost of the pre-game social, which includes food and beverages, is $3 per person. The pre-game event is free for alumni dues members. T-shirts for Southeast Night at Busch Stadium are $12 per person and $10 per person for alumni dues members. Game tickets are $13 per person. Checks should be made payable to Southeast Missouri State University.