SCS HB 1396 -- PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

This bill makes several changes in the operations of the
governing bodies of public colleges and universities and
clarifies the statutes relating to these governing boards.
There is currently a statutory provision that applies to the
University of Missouri requiring that confidentiality as
provided by board policy and law apply to all members of the
Board of Curators, with an allowance for a member or
representative to voluntarily recuse himself or herself from any
board deliberation or proceeding.  The bill extends this
provision to the governing boards of the 7 regional state
colleges and universities, Lincoln University, and Truman State
University.  Current law also authorizes the appointment of a
student representative to the governing boards at the University
of Missouri and the 7 regional schools.  The student
representative is permitted to attend all meetings and
participate in all deliberations, but is not allowed to vote.
The student representative is to receive the same reimbursement
for expenses as the other board members and is required to have
paid all student and tuition fees when due.  These provisions
are extended to the governing boards for Lincoln University and
Truman State University.  The bill extends the provision that
the board's student representative may be excluded from a closed
meeting by unanimous vote of the nonstudent members to the 7
regional schools, Lincoln University, and Truman State
University.  Finally, a technical correction is made by deleting
a reference to a faculty representative to the Board of Curators
for the University of Missouri.

In other provisions, the bill:

(1)  Clarifies that tuition and related fees may be charged by
the Board of Curators at the University of Missouri;

(2)  Requires the Governor to issue a proclamation declaring
February as "Missouri Lifelong Learning Month"; and

(3)  Establishes a spinal cord injury research program at the
University of Missouri, to be administered by the Board of
Curators, which is to request an annual appropriation of at
least $200,000 for the program.  The Board of Curators is also
required to appoint the 9 members of an advisory board, which is
charged with soliciting and selecting research proposals for
funding.  Investigators whose proposals are selected for funding
may receive an award of up to $50,000 for one or 2 years.
Investigators submitting proposals for funding consideration
must be affiliated with a public or private educational, health
care, voluntary health association, or research institution.
Research funded under this program must be conducted in
Missouri.  The Board of Curators is authorized to promulgate
rules to implement administration of the spinal cord injury
research program.

HB 1396 -- GOVERNING BODIES OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES (Farnen)

This bill makes several changes in the operations of the
governing bodies of public colleges and universities, and
clarifies the statutes relating to these governing boards.
There is currently a statutory provision that applies to the
University of Missouri requiring that confidentiality as
provided by board policy and law apply to all members of the
Board of Curators, with an allowance for a member or
representative to voluntarily recuse himself or herself from any
board deliberation or proceeding.  The bill extends this
provision to the governing boards of the 7 regional state
colleges and universities, Lincoln University, and Truman State
University.  Current law also authorizes the appointment of a
student representative to the governing boards at the University
of Missouri and the 7 regional schools; the student
representative is permitted to attend all meetings and
participate in all deliberations, but is not allowed to vote.
The student representative is to receive the same reimbursement
for expenses as the other board members and required to have
paid all student and tuition fees when due.  These provisions
are extended to the governing boards for Lincoln University and
Truman State University.  The bill extends the provision that
the board's student representative may be excluded from a closed
meeting by unanimous vote of the nonstudent members to the 7
regional schools, Lincoln University, and Truman State
University.  Finally, a technical correction is made by deleting
a reference to a faculty representative to the Board of Curators
for the University of Missouri.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

HB 1396 -- GOVERNING BODIES OF PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

SPONSOR:  Farnen

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee
on Higher Education by a vote of 19 to 0.

This bill makes several changes in the operations of the
governing bodies of public colleges and universities, and
clarifies the statutes relating to these governing boards.
There is currently a statutory provision that applies to the
University of Missouri requiring that confidentiality as
provided by board policy and law apply to all members of the
Board of Curators, with an allowance for a member or
representative to voluntarily recuse himself or herself from any
board deliberation or proceeding.  The bill extends this
provision to the governing boards of the 7 regional state
colleges and universities, Lincoln University, and Truman State
University.  Current law also authorizes the appointment of a
student representative to the governing boards at the University
of Missouri and the 7 regional schools; the student
representative is permitted to attend all meetings and
participate in all deliberations, but is not allowed to vote.
The student representative is to receive the same reimbursement
for expenses as the other board members and required to have
paid all student and tuition fees when due.  These provisions
are extended to the governing boards for Lincoln University and
Truman State University.  The bill extends the provision that
the board's student representative may be excluded from a closed
meeting by unanimous vote of the nonstudent members to the 7
regional schools, Lincoln University, and Truman State
University.  Finally, a technical correction is made by deleting
a reference to a faculty representative to the Board of Curators
for the University of Missouri.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the technical corrections
contained in the bill add clarity to existing law.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Farnen; and
Associated Students of the University of Missouri.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Debra Cheshier, Senior Legislative Analyst

HB 1396 -- Governing Bodies of Public Colleges and Universities

Sponsor:  Farnen

This bill makes several changes in the operations of the
governing bodies of public colleges and universities, and
provides for technical clarification in the statutes relating to
these governing boards.  There is currently a statutory
provision that applies to the University of Missouri requiring
that confidentiality as provided by board policy and law apply
to all members of the board of curators, with an allowance for a
member or representative to voluntarily recuse himself or
herself from any board deliberation or proceeding.  The bill
extends this provision to the governing boards of the 7 regional
state colleges and universities, Lincoln University, and Truman
State University.  Current law also authorizes the appointment
of a student representative to the governing boards at the
University of Missouri and the 7 regional schools; the student
representative is permitted to attend all meetings, and
participate in all deliberations, but is not allowed to vote.
The student representative is to receive the same reimbursement
for expenses as the other board members, and required to have
paid all student and tuition fees when due.  These provisions
are extended to the governing boards for Lincoln University and
Truman State University.  There is a technical change to clarify
that the board of curators at the University of Missouri may
exclude a student representative to the board from a closed
meeting, if the voting board members unanimously vote to do so.
The bill extends this provision to the 7 regional schools,
Lincoln University, and Truman State University.