#1) Unrest at the University of Missouri

In November 2015, the University of Missouri’s Columbia campus was host to the largest student protest in decades.

The uprising led to months of turmoil both on campus and within the system’s administration.

Many Lawmakers were unsatisfied with the response by UM system leadership and called for millions to be cut from its budget.

The House appropriations committee submitted a higher education budget that included $7.6 million in cuts to the university system and another $1 million from the MU campus.

Republican representative Caleb Rowden, Columbia, proposed multiple amendments to replace the funds, but they were voted down.

When the higher education budget was passed by the state senate, much of the funding was returned including the Governor’s proposed six percent performance funding increase.

The following graph represents how our local lawmakers voted for the budget cuts to the University of Missouri

Sen. Kurt Schaefer – Boone (R) NO
Sen. Mike Kehoe – Cole (R) NO Rep. Caleb Rowden – Boone (R) NO Rep. Caleb Jones – Boone (R) n/a Rep. Chuck Basye – Boone (R) n/a Rep. Jay Barnes – Cole (R) n/a Rep. Kip Kendrick – Boone (D) n/a Rep. Stephen Webber – Boone (D) n/a