Regents approve update to alcohol policy, review audit results, recognize life-saving UPD officer

Regents approve update to alcohol policy, review audit results, recognize life-saving UPD officer

The Northwest Missouri State University Board of Regents, during its last session of the fall semester on Thursday, approved revisions to the institution's alcohol policy that allow for alcohol sales at athletics events, in addition to reviewing the results of an annual financial audit and recognizing the recent life-saving efforts by a member of the University Police Department.

Northwest will begin allowing sales and consumption of alcohol - in accordance with University policies as well as federal, state and local laws and regulations - at football games inside Bearcat Stadium next fall. The policy also could extend to volleyball and basketball games inside Bearcat Arena.

Dr. Andy Peterson, Northwest's director of athletics, presented the policy changes to the Board and cited a review of MIAA institutions with football programs, showing seven of 10 allow the sale of alcohol at their venues.

Additionally, Peterson noted the policy update allows the University to create partnerships with corporate sponsors and other revenue-generating opportunities to help support the viability of Northwest athletics programs.

"This initiative is based on empirical data through the MIAA and collegiate sports around the country to show goodwill to our spectators, fans and alumni who attend sporting events," Peterson said. "Furthermore, there are some financial opportunities to be had with our dining provider as well as the athletic department through the sales of alcohol and the ability to garner corporate sponsorships."

Review of annual financial audit

Regents reviewed and accepted the results of the institution's FY25 financial audit, which generated an unmodified opinion of the University's financial statements with no misstatements.

RubinBrown LLP completed the annual audit of the University's financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30. The audit included examining amounts and disclosures in financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.

Regents, along with RubinBrown representatives, praised Northwest's finance team, led by Vice President of Finance and Administration Stacy Carrick and Assistant Vice President of Finance Mary Collins.

"We should be very proud of the work that you and your team and Stacy's team does on that," Regent Jason Klindt said to Collins after she presented the audit results to the Board. "It is not a small thing, and it should give confidence to taxpayers and stakeholders that we're doing what we say we're doing and that we're taking good care of the funds that they do give us."

University Police recognition

On the afternoon of Nov. 17, a University Police Department dispatcher received a call from Northwest's residential life staff reporting an unconscious student in Franken Hall. University Police Lt. Marcus Holmes responded to the call and found the student, Isabel Thomas, experiencing seizures and unresponsive.

Holmes recognized Thomas had no pulse and enacted CPR until emergency first responders from Nodaway County and Maryville arrived and transported her to a local hospital. A medical team later determined Thomas's seizures stemmed from a stroke brought on by an undiagnosed medical issue.

Because of Holmes's life-saving actions, Thomas, a first-year elementary education major from Kenai, Alaska, is recovering at her home with family. A member of Northwest's Alpha Delta Pi sorority, she plans to return to Northwest to complete her degree once medically cleared.

During Thursday's Board meeting, Northwest Police Chief Amanda Cullin presented Holmes with a life-saving award and recognized residential life staff members who assisted with the emergency.

"The Res Life staff is going to tell you this is just a Tuesday for them," Cullin said. "This is stuff that they do every day, giving us a call when they need assistance. Their quick reaction resulted in us being able to do what we needed to do and protecting that student on that particular day."

Other business

In other business on Thursday, Regents:

• Approved the appointments of one full-time faculty and 18 adjunct faculty to teach coursework at Northwest during the spring 2025 semester.
• Approved the renewal of a 12-month lease agreement with Maryville Carbon Solutions, LLC to occupy laboratory and office space in the Dean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation.
• Approved revisions to Northwest's Faculty Handbook, effective July 1, 2026, that include updates related to the University's academic restructure, sabbatical and educational leave compensation, and pre-1992 tenure track faculty and service on university committees.
• Approved the conferral of degrees at the conclusion of the fall semester, which ends Dec. 12.

The Board of Regents is responsible for sound resource management of the University and for determining general, educational and financial policies.