District 32 Missouri Senator Gary Nodler, has introduced Senate Bill 0768 that would “articulate new qualifications for the board of governors of Missouri Southern.”

The proposed bill would replace the college Board of Regents with a Board of Governors.

The new board would include seven voting members and one none voting.

The Board of Governors will include five members from the local area and two from outside. The bill would also allow for the increase of representation from the counties with the closest relationship to the University.

“The language concerning state-wide board of editors restricts the number of governors from any one county to only two, that is problematic,” Nodler said.

“The historic region of Missouri Southern is Jasper County, so if you can’t have more than two people from anyone county, and since this region is essentially one county, we have to change the law.” The work force development region would be the region used to determine county requirements for representation at the University.

This bill would also grandfather current board members in regard to the county residency requirement.

Current members of the Board of Regents who are fulfilling unexpired terms of other members may be reappointed without it counting against the number limit from the county they represent.

The bill had its second reading Jan. 8, where it was referred to an Education Committee.