Senator calls for great UM system oversight

Sen. Kurt Schaefer wants the state government to have more control over the University of Missouri system.

Today, the Republican from Columbia filed a resolution to create a “University of Missouri System Review Commission.”

The proposed group would consist of four senators and four representatives chosen by general assembly leadership.

The commission would be responsible for evaluating the university’s rules and regulations, administration, campus structure, degree programs and diversity.

“My goal in filing this resolution is to provide an objective evaluation of the university’s structure, accountability, and transparency,” Schaefer said. “This step is necessary to ensure the long-term survival and growth of this capable institution, and to earn back the trust and respect that has been lost through a series of recent poor decisions.”

A report of recommendations would be filed by the end of the calendar year. Lawmakers would then see how well they were implemented, and lawmakers would use that information during the next year’s state appropriations.