Committees debate 'student curator' vote
Neither the Senate or House committees has voted on the bills yet.
Published March 11, 2005
On Tuesday, the Missouri General Assembly held two hearings regarding granting voting rights to student representative to various universities' governing boards, including the UM system Board of Curators.
The House Higher Education Committee and the Senate Education Committee each heard testimony on the issue, but neither committee voted.
The bill would affect the UM system Board of Curators and the governing boards at Southwest Missouri State University and Truman State University.
Rep. Bryan Pratt, R-Blue Springs, sponsored of the House bill.
"What better person has a pulse on the university than the student?" Pratt asked. "By allowing the student curator the right to vote, we acknowledge their tremendous role in higher education."
Rep. Brian Baker, R-Belton, has sponsored similar bills. He said the bill would add legitimacy to the student representatives' positions.
"It would allow them to have a real vote, not just a token vote," Baker said.
Baker said he thinks student representatives are capable of casting educated votes.
"I believe these students are an educated, focused and mature group of people," Baker said.
Charles Stadtlander, a lobbyist with the Associated Students of the University of Missouri, spoke in favor of the bill. ASUM is a student lobbying group.
Stadtlander said this bill would "complete the process" the legislature began in 1984 when it voted to add a student representative to universities' governing boards.
Echoing Baker's confidence in students' decision'''''''''Å"Â"making skills, Stadtlander said the average age of undergraduates in the UM system is 25, and for graduate students the average is roughly 33. He said this puts the average UM system student within the same age group as many of the lawmakers in the state Capitol.
The student representative to SMSU's Board of Governors, Kelli Wolf, also spoke in support of the bill.
Wolf said though she doesn't vote, she still has to state her opinions.
Wolf said she had to speak on behalf of the board last week during a media blitz after the House approved a name change from SMSU to Missouri State University.
"I don't really think I would get more or less (pressure) with a vote," Wolf said.
No witnesses spoke in opposition to the bill at either hearing.
Pratt said he is optimistic about the bill's chances.
"If given time on the House floor, I think a majority of the members will give their support for the bill," Pratt said.
Many expect the committees to vote ''''''''¹"Å"Â"yes' on the bills. The Senate bill has 12 co-sponsors, seven of whom are on the Senate Education Committee.
A similiar bill passed the House during the 2002 session.
One of the bill's main opponents, House Speaker Pro Tem Carl Bearden, is on the House Higher Education Committee. He said though he opposes the measure,, he will probably vote to pass it out of committee.
