Senate committee hears testimony on a bill for direct student vote on UM board of curators

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Intro:	One Missouri Senator is pushing for a student vote on the University of Missouri System Board of Curators.
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Wrap: The bill would give voting power to the non-voting student representative to the board.

Currently, the Board has one Representative from each of Missouri's nine Congressional districts... but one seat will be vacated after Missouri loses a district next year.

The student Curator would vote on all issues except hiring and firing of faculty and staff.

Columbia Republican Senator Kurt Schaefer sponsors the bill.

He says students have a stake in the university and the move makes sense.

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Description: Faculty and staff - I think their interests are arguably represented by the curators already in the way the structure is set up. But, I think students[is] the ones who are actually paying in have a different interest.

There was no opposition to the bill at the Senate Financial and Government Organization committee hearing.

Reporting from the state Capitol... I'm Cole Karr.

Intro:	University of Missouri students told a Missouri Senate committee they want more power on the Board of Curators.
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Wrap: Legislation would allow a University of Missouri System student to vote on the U-M Board of Curators.

The proposal would allow the ninth board seat to be filled by the existing non-voting student representative.

Former student representative to the Board... Laura Confer... testified at a Senate committee hearing on the bill.

Confer says the curators respect student opinion now... but that may not always be the case.

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Description: New curators come on every two years and you never know if they will, you know, listen or give as much weight to the student opinion as the board does now. And, you know, I would hate to see a student in my position not have their voice heard.

No one spoke in opposition at the Senate Financial and Government Organization committee hearing.

The committee may vote on the bill March 19.

Reporting from the state Capitol... I'm Cole Karr.

Intro:	Students from the University of Missouri System pushed for voting power on the U-M Board of Curators before a state Senate committee Monday.
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Wrap: Student leadership from the University of Missouri Columbia and Rolla campuses support a bill to create a student curator.

The bill would allow students from the U-M system to serve as a voting member of the board for two year terms.

If passed... the governor would appoint a graduate student to the board in January 20-13.

After the first appointment... the broader student body will be eligible for the job.

Columbia Senator Kurt Schaefer says there is no reason to worry about inexperienced students being appointed.

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Description: I would think the governor making a nomination would certainly look at somebody with the qualifications no. 1: to get the governor's support and then also get confirmation through the Senate as well.

There was no opposition at the Senate Financial and Government Organization committee hearing on the bill.

Reporting from the state Capitol... I'm Cole Karr.