Nixon appoints new member to state's higher education board
The Coordinating Board of Higher Education, which oversees the Missouri Department of Education, has a newly-appointed member.
Yesterday, Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Craig Van Matre, 64, to the position. The appointment has yet to be approved by the Missouri Senate.
Van Matre, a Democrat and Columbia resident, is replacing Helen Washburn, whose term on the board expired. Van Matre grew up in Mexico, Mo. and is an MU graduate, according to a news release from the department. He is also a lawyer and a member of the board of trustees for Stephens College, where the release said he closely followed higher education issues.
“I see higher education as an investment in future prosperity – both for individuals and the state," he said in the release. "As a coordinating board member, I’ll be looking for ways to allocate more resources to students and institutions during very difficult economic conditions.”