HCS HB 440 -- STUDENT MEMBERS OF UNIVERSITY GOVERNING BOARDS

SPONSOR:  Kingery (Pratt)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Higher
Education by a vote of 11 to 0.

This substitute gives voting rights to a student curator or
governing board member for the University of Missouri, Missouri
State University, and Truman State University.  Currently, the
boards have nonvoting student members.  The substitute does not
change the status of the nonvoting member but requires that the
next appointment of a voting member be a full-time student, who
will serve for two years.  The substitute will sunset after four
years, so that with the first available appointment after August
28, 2009, the voting student curator will be replaced with a
nonstudent curator unless the General Assembly takes action to
make the voting student curator position permanent.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2006, FY 2007, and
FY 2008.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that students are the ultimate
consumer of an institution's services and deserve a voice on
governing boards.  They are mature enough to handle the stresses,
and the selection process is rigorous.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Pratt and Baker
(123); Shawn Gebhardt; Kelli Wolf; Mary Sherd; and various
members of the Associated Students of the University of Missouri.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say pressure on a student
curator will be intense.  This is a dramatic change in
governance.

Others testifying on the bill was Southeast Missouri State
University.

Becky DeNeve, Senior Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 25, 2005 at 1:19 pm