Commission rejects chancellor proposal
Published Sept. 23, 2005
A government review commission appointed by Gov. Matt Blunt rejected a proposal that would have allowed the UM system Board of Curators to appoint the system's campus chancellors. The commission approved proposals that would change the governor's role in higher education.
The commission, which was appointed by Blunt in January to review the state government, met on Thursday in Columbia. The approved proposals now will be sent to the governor, who will need the General Assembly's approval to make them law.
The commission approved a proposal to create a cabinet-level Secretary of Education, who would be appointed by the governor and would replace the office of Commissioner of Higher Education. The secretary also would oversee the Department of Higher Education.
"The Secretary of Education would have authority to recommend to the governor an annual budget for the Departments of Higher Education and Elementary and Secondary Education, including the level of state appropriations for all of public education in Missouri," according to a copy of the proposal.
UM system spokesman Joe Moore said the university did not have a position on the proposal recommending a secretary of education.
"The university will continue to monitor the decision being made by the commission, but it is still too early for the university to have a position," he said.
Moore said the university opposed the chancellor proposal. It was rejected 13-4 by the commission.
"The university felt that scenario would lead to confusion and delusion of responsibility across the UM system," he said.