HB 213 -- INTELLECTUAL DIVERSITY IN PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION

SPONSOR:  Cunningham (86)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Higher
Education by a vote of 5 to 3.

This bill establishes the Emily Brooker Intellectual Diversity
Act, which defines intellectual diversity for reporting purposes
at public higher education institutions.  The Coordinating Board
for Higher Education will require, as of December 31, 2008, an
annual report describing steps taken by each institution to
ensure intellectual diversity, which will be posted on the
institution's web site.  Students must be notified that measures
are in place to promote intellectual diversity and how to report
alleged violations of institutional policy.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2008, FY 2009, and
FY 2010.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that many students feel they must
support a professor's political views in order to earn a good
grade or fear reprisal for offering their own views.  Professors
should not require students to complete assignments that conflict
with a student's conscience.  Political viewpoints irrelevant to
the subject matter of the class have no place in the classroom.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Cunningham (86);
Emily Brooker; Gayle Brooker; Mindy R. Ellis; Stephanie Bell;
Roland Meinert; David Wasinger; Craig Workman; and Jeremy Hagen,
Missouri College Republicans.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that some students
cannot tell the difference between being exposed to an idea and
the advocacy of an idea.  In professional courses, students are
presented with a code of ethics to which they must ascribe in
order to follow the profession.  Most campuses already have
procedures to handle bias complaints.

Testifying against the bill were Frank Schmidt; James Rigden,
Concerned Missouri State Students; Jeffrey Runion; E. Rick Puig;
James Glavin; Mark Buhrmester; Austin Case; Missouri National
Education Association; Amy Lane; and American Federation of
Teachers - Missouri.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say mounting evidence
shows a problem with viewpoint diversity, even in the face of
policies designed to promote it.  Civility springs from
respecting the rights of individuals.

Testifying on the bill were Anne D. Neal, American Council of
Trustees and Alumni; Alliance Defense Fund; and John Black,
Missouri State University.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:18 am