Plan to change SMSU name gathering steam

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- During the years Southwest Missouri State University has sought unique status among the state's public higher education institutions by asking lawmakers to drop the compass-point designation from the school's name, it has always fallen short of the goal.

With Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, becoming the first lawmaker from outside the Springfield area to take a prominent role in the effort and throwing the clout of his leadership position behind it, the situation could be different this time.

Even more significant is that Senate Minority Floor Leader Ken Jacob, who has blocked the measure in recent years, indicated during a Tuesday hearing on the bill that he is softening his opposition. However, Jacob, D-Columbia, said he is still concerned the change would lead to the costly duplication of educational programs provided by the University of Missouri system.

Kinder's bill, which would rename Southwest as Missouri State University, was heard by the Senate Pensions and General Laws Committee. Kinder said opponents view the issue as a zero-sum game and assume other institutions must lose for Southwest to gain.

"I think that is fundamentally flawed reasoning," he said.

The bill would replace the school's regionally dominated board of governors with one including members from throughout the state.

Jacob said a statewide governing structure makes sense, but he foresees it putting the school in conflict with the University of Missouri Board of Curators, which also has members from throughout the state.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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