SEMO REGENTS MEET TO START SEARCH FOR NEW PRESIDENT

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents began its search for a new school president with a closed-door meeting Monday that may have violated the state's Open Meetings Law.

The regents told reporters after the meeting that they would begin the search by hiring a consulting firm, possibly within the next two to three weeks.

But Jean Maneke, a lawyer with the Missouri Press Association's legal hotline, said the issue of whether to hire a consultant should have been discussed in open session.

Regents and board attorney Joe Russell defended the decision to close the 3 1/2-hour meeting. They pointed out that the board also discussed hiring an interim president.

Russell said it would have been hard to separate one item of discussion from another.

"Given the circumstances, I don't think there was anything improper about it," he said after the meeting. "We try very hard to be sure we comply with the law."

State law allows closed meetings on certain items such as hiring employees. But Maneke said a consultant isn't an employee. She said the board could legally hold closed meetings to discuss specific individuals that might be considered for interim president. She said once the discussion moved beyond the issue of an interim president, the regents should have opened the meeting.

"I think boards have to be real careful that they have good reasons to close a meeting," Maneke said.

The Southeast Missourian contacted Maneke at her Kansas City office.

Regent Don Dickerson said the Open Meetings Law is subject to differing legal interpretations, and it is a matter of judgment whether some of what was discussed Monday should have been handled in open session.

Dickerson said it wasn't clear until after the closed meeting started that discussion would center on hiring a consultant.

He said the regents disclosed the decisions that were made and will keep the public informed as the search proceeds.

Dr. Kala Stroup, Southeast's president, will be leaving at the end of August to take a job as Missouri commissioner of higher education.

Stroup, Russell and Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president, also attended the special meeting. Regent Patricia Washington of St. Louis participated by speaker phone.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the regents invited reporters in to ask questions. The board also issued a one-page statement.

The regents said they don't need to decide immediately about an interim president since Stroup will remain on the job for the next two months.

The regents said a campuswide advisory committee will be appointed to assist with the search, and the position will be advertised in the Chronicle of Higher Education and other publications.