(Maryville) -- It's a bittersweet departure for Northwest Missouri State University President John Jasinski, who begins a new job this month.
After a 13-year tenure as president and a career with Northwest that extends back to 1986, Jasinski began his new job as Interim Provost with Missouri State University today (Friday), replacing Missouri State University Provost Dr. Frank Einhellig, who retired June 30. Jasinski took the new job after the Northwest Missouri State Board of Regents voted not to renew his employment contract in April. The move came days after Jasinski released a letter suggesting he was expecting the decision. Jasinski guided the university to achieve record overall enrollment in both the spring and fall 2021 semesters and spearheaded the Forever Green campaign, which has raised over $55 million for the university. He talked about what might have contributed to the strong collaborative effort.
"I think setting a future vision that talks about Northwest continuing to mature from the previous 100-plus years," said Jasinski. "That we can set ourselves apart and that we need to because of the competition and the changing nature of the industry. And then you have to get some wins -- some quick wins, some early wins -- which we did, and that catapults everything."
That campaign also allowed for the construction of an Agricultural Learning Center and the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse. However, Jasinski says it wasn't all perfect during his tenure, saying there were plenty of challenges. He was asked for one of the biggest challenges he faced.
"As you talk with an incredible faculty and staff and know their needs and desires, you want to be able to address those needs and desires," said Jasinski. "But, for a lot of reasons, not just monetarily, but for a lot of reasons, you can not. That's a challenge because you understand that the work ethic of our faculty and staff is beyond compare."
Additionally, Jasinski says he hopes the university continues to pursue the potential gaps that his administration was beginning to identify but maybe hadn't quite addressed.
"Enrollment is changing and the 18-year-old enrollment is changing dramatically, so how do stay out in front of and address that," said Jasinski. "The physical plant is changing, the workforce is changing. All those items are items that you want to continue to address and maybe you didn't get them all ticked off, but you got them identified and hopefully the future generations will address them as they come."
Jasinski says he and his family, including his wife Denise, are thankful for the over three decades they spent in the community.
"Maryville is that very, very special place that many people talk about, 'oh, I'm going to come there for a year or two, and then leave,' and all of a sudden you're here for five, 10, 15, 20, or in our case 36 years," said Jasinski. "It's a special place that grows on you, and again it goes back to the people and the relationships."
He says they plan to make several visits back to the community, and the passion for furthering education and the "green and white" of Northwest will never go away. The university's board of regents appointed Dr. Clarence Green as interim president, and a search is underway for a permanent replacement.
Jasinski made his comments in an interview with KXCV in Maryville.
