MSU president diagnosed with prostate cancer

Missouri State University President Clif Smart has been diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer.

In a message sent out to the campus community yesterday, Smart said he was diagnosed several weeks ago with the disease that affects one in six men.

"As you probably know, having prostate cancer doesn’t make me special," Smart said in the message. "The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 238,590 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2013. Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men, other than skin cancer.

"The doctors believe that they caught this early, and both the doctors and I believe I will have a fast and full recovery."

Smart - named president of the university in October 2012 after more than a year as its interim leader - said he will undergo surgery Aug. 21 and will be on sick leave for the following two to three weeks.

In the same message, Smart played up university attendance, which has increased 3.1 percent at the Springfield campus to 19,415 this fall. MSU-West Plains attendance is up 1.3 percent to 1,894 students, according to a news release. The official enrollment census will be taken on the 20th day of classes.

Opening the school year was a speech from Hollywood actor and MSU alumnus John Goodman, who welcomed students Aug. 18 during the new student convocation. During the ceremony, Goodman received an honorary doctorate in public affairs from school officials.

---

[[In-content Ad]]