Proposal threatens student curator vote
May 6, 2008
Student leaders from the UM system campuses sent statements to Jefferson City to save a bill that would put a voting student on the system’s governing board.
Craig Stevenson, Associated Students of the University of Missouri legislative director, said representatives have expressed interest in adding a sunset clause to the bill, which was approved by the House Rules Committee on Monday. It passed out of the House Higher Education Committee on Thursday in a 4-3 vote.
“Our concern with that is if we put a sunset clause in the bill this late in the game, that it won’t get passed in the Senate,” Stevenson said.
If the bill isn’t approved May 16, the end of the legislative term, it would have to be proposed again next term.
The sunset clause would require the bill be reauthorized after a period of time.
Student body presidents from the four UM system campuses and the Missouri Students Association Senate sent statements to Jefferson City explaining why they would support amending the bill next session if it were passed in the Senate as written.
Stevenson said ASUM, a UM system student lobbying group, would lobby on behalf of the sunset clause next semester. He believes passing the bill this session is possible because ASUM would be working with the same representatives next session.
“I’m hopeful that they will address it, and I believe that the representatives will appreciate the quick responses by the student government organizations,” he said.
MSA Senate Speaker Jonathan Mays called a Saturday meeting to propose a recommendation to the House supporting the bill as it was passed by the Senate.
“We’re trying to find a way to take advantage of the progress ASUM has made this year,” he said. “They’ve been working for 12 years to get a voting student curator on the board of curators, and they’re closer than they’ve ever been before.”
Senate voted via e-mail to support the resolution. During the meeting Saturday, Mays said the recommendation had to pass by Monday.
“Because this is being proposed on the house floor so late in the game, we don’t have many options here if we want to take advantage of any of the progress that’s been made this year,” he said.
Stevenson said some members of the Board of Curators had contacted representatives on the House Higher Education Committee to speak against the bill after the committee’s hearing.
A version of bill has been proposed in every legislative session for 12 years, but this year it included language that would resolve a conflict between the Missouri Constitution and the Missouri Revised Statutes.
The bill would replace the ninth position on the board, required by the Missouri Constitution, with a student member. The Missouri Revised Statutes require that no two curators come from one congressional district. Missouri has nine, but is expected to lose one after redistricting in 2010.
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