University of Missouri fails to meet request for forum

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Missouri has not yet met a state lawmaker's request for a public discussion about a proposal to close the university's medical school and connecting hospital in Columbia and build a new facility in Kansas City.

On Oct. 20, Rep. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, sent a letter to the University of Missouri curators asking them to hold a public forum within 30 days -- a timeframe that expired Wednesday.

Graham said Thursday that the university has not yet committed to holding a forum on the future of the Columbia campus' medical school.

Graham's request was in response to reports that Kansas City-area organizations, including the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, supported a plan to close the Columbia and Kansas City medical schools and build a new medical school in Kansas City to promote life sciences research.

University of Missouri Board of Curators president Connie Silverstein has said there is no likelihood of a medical school move to Kansas City.

Graham said he has had only brief conversations with University president Elson Floyd and university governmental relations staff about what the format might be for the forum.

"I don't know why we weren't able to get together on something," Graham said. "Maybe 30 days is too fast at university speed, but I certainly thought it was a reasonable request."

The university has no information about when a forum might be held, spokesman Joe Moore said. The curators have directed Floyd to discuss the forum with Graham, Moore said, and the two are scheduled to meet Dec. 3.

Graham said if he and the university can't agree on a forum, he might try to organize his own meeting and ask university representatives to attend.