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Truman State University

By: DAN MIHALOPOULOS
State Capital Bureau
April 13, 1995

JEFFERSON CITY _ Fifty years ago this week, Harry S Truman became the first and only Show-Me-State native to occupy the Oval Office.

The man from Independence, Mo., has since inspired the Truman Doctrine, "Dewey defeats Truman" and M.U.'s Truman the Tiger.

And now, from Kirksville, comes yet another effort to capitalize on Truman's notoriety. Officials at Northeast Missouri State University have asked legislators to rechristen NMSU as "Truman State University."

A name-change bill is ready for consideration by the full Senate _ the final hurdle before the bill can be sent to the governor. The bill cleared the House earlier.

Sen. Joe Moseley, D-Columbia, heads the Senate Education Committee, which sent the proposed legislation to the full Senate Tuesday. Moseley supports the bill.

"I don't personally think it's a good idea, but it's their decision," he said. "It doesn't create confusion with the University of Missouri System or M.U. There is no impact on the university or other regionals."

In 1985, NMSU was made Missouri's only statewide liberal arts university. The institution needs a name that reflects its status, said David Clithero, a lobbyist for NMSU.

He recalled an incident where a National Public Radio interviewer introuduced NMSU's president as the head of Southeast Missouri State University, much to the chagrin of the folks back in Kirksville.

"With our regional-sounding name, we are confused with other regional institutions," Clithero said. "Employers don't fully understand that we have a different curriculum. They don't understand the kind of graduates we produce."

Money magazine recognized NMSU as one of the best buys in higher education for three consecutive years, Clithero said. The university has also garnered praise from U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

NMSU's less-than-snazzy name, however, obscures the university's accomplishment as a liberal arts institution, said Rep. Phil Smith, D-Louisiana. He is sponsoring a name-change bill.

"They'd like to change the name to something that is more statewide," Smith said. "Their name implies that the school is only for people from northeast Missouri. This is a better approach to attract people from across than state and out of state."

But Sen. Harold Caskey, D-Butler, said the name change could hurt NMSU alumni _ including a few of his constituents.

"A lot of graduates from the school have Northeast Missouri State on their diplomas and they're extremely proud," he said. "To change the name makes them lose their university."