PLAN SEEKS TO PUT FACULTY ON REGENTS BOARDS; AREA LAWMAKERS DISAGREE ON HOUSE-PASSED PROPOSAL

Southeast Missouri lawmakers split over a House-passed bill that would put faculty on the governing boards of the state's colleges and universities.

On Wednesday, the Missouri House approved the bill by a vote of 86 to 54.

The bill would add a faculty representative to the governing boards of the University of Missouri, Lincoln University, Truman State University, Southeast Missouri State University and the other six regional state colleges and universities.

Like student representatives who already serve on those boards, faculty representatives wouldn't be allowed to vote. The bill would allow both student and faculty representatives to attend closed sessions unless the rest of the board voted unanimously to exclude them.

Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate.

Among Southeast Missouri House members, Reps. Bill Foster, Marilyn Williams, Denny Merideth and Phillip Britt voted for the bill. Rep. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, was absent. Reps. Lanie Black, David Schwab, Patrick Naeger, Peter Myers, and Mark Richardson opposed the bill.

Schwab, R-Jackson, said: "I just don't know where faculty has any place on the board of regents. The board of regents is a management team for the university."

If faculty are added to the governing boards, he said, it will open the door for making them voting members at a later date. "I don't see any place for it," he said.

Schwab said faculty already can communicate with governing board members and school administrators at Southeast and other schools.

Schwab said Southeast's budget committee, for example, includes faculty members.

Naeger, R-Perryville, said it makes little sense to add a non-voting member to a governing board. He said putting faculty members on governing boards might only serve to boost the rumor mill on university issues. "It kind of undermines the whole system," he said.

To Naeger, the bill has little substance. "I think these kinds of things are feel-good deals," he said. "It is all warm and fuzzy."

But Williams, a Stoddard County Democrat, said faculty representatives could give the governing boards a different perspective about campus operations.

"It also makes a happy work life for everybody, if they feel included," said Williams.

As in years past, Southeast's Faculty Senate supports the idea.

Dr. Nancy Blattner, who chairs the Faculty Senate, said the measure could open the lines of communication even further between faculty and governing boards. Even without such representation, there is good communication between faculty and the Board of Regents at Southeast, she said.

"But I don't think every college and university in this state is in the same position we are," Blattner said.

Dr. Dale Nitzschke, Southeast's president, said it is important for the board to have good communication with faculty, students and other groups. But Nitzschke said he believes in a separation of powers. He opposes giving students or employees voting power on a governing board. "I truly see that as a conflict of interest if that becomes true," he said.

Nitzschke said putting faculty on the governing boards also could lead to other employee groups such as clerical and professional staff wanting a voice on the board. That, in turn, could mean a future expansion of the boards, he said.

"I think we have a good system at Southeast without having them on the board," Nitzschke said.