Curator appointee from Cape withdrawn by Nixon

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The tenure of a University of Missouri curator has come to an end after barely a month. But J. Michael Ponder could get a second chance at serving.

Gov. Jay Nixon withdrew his appointment of the Cape Girardeau lawyer to the governing board of the University of Missouri system on Wednesday night.

Nixon named Ponder to the board Jan. 4. Because the appointment occurred when the Senate was not in session, Ponder started serving immediately. But he faced a Thursday deadline to win Senate confirmation.

Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey said some senators raised questions Wednesday about Ponder's involvement in certain policy decisions when he served on the State Board of Education.

Dempsey said senators would be willing to reconsider Ponder if Nixon reappoints him.