House OKs name change after 10 hours of debate

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Opponents of a bill to rename Southwest Missouri State University stalled the measure for more than 10 hours Tuesday but eventually relented, and the House endorsed the name change.

The Springfield school wants to become Missouri State University, hoping it will attract greater prestige and funding.

The House gave the bill initial approval on a voice vote.

A similar bill weathered a 24-hour filibuster over five days in the Senate last week but was eventually given initial approval -- with a major catch. Senate leaders agreed not to bring up the bill for final approval until a bond package for the University of Missouri had been approved by the legislature and sent to Gov. Bob Holden.

Opponents to the name change, led by Columbia legislators and alumni of the University of Missouri-Columbia, worry the name change would detract from all the state's universities.

Rep. Brian Yates, who attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, said not only would it take away from that school, it would also take away from the other regional universities.

"I believe this bill is bad public policy," said Yates, R-Lee's Summit. "It completely eradicates the regional university system of this state."

Tuesday's debate sparked a rare split among House Republicans. Yates and Rep. Bryan Pratt, R-Blue Springs, both spoke strongly against the name change, effectively criticizing their leadership for bringing up the bill so early in the session.

"There are better issues we could be discussing," Pratt said, mentioning workers' compensation, medical malpractice and others. "That's what we should be focusing on, not a name change."

Southwest Missouri State officials have sought the name change for about 20 years, but lawmakers have consistently turned them down. This year, however, with the top-ranking members of the House and Senate running for statewide office, both of them have declared the name-change priority legislation.

Also included in the bill is a name change for Central Missouri State University. The Warrensburg school would become the University of Central Missouri -- a change the university's board of governors does not support.