Two hours after passage of the Southwest Missouri State University name change in the state House Tuesday, SMSU President John Keiser said he did not want to duplicate the professional programs of the University of Missouri System.
“We don’t want any of those things, which is why we agreed to have them written in the bill,” he said. “It would cost too much, given our priorities and the state’s priorities.”
Keiser said the name change would have long-term benefits for all involved.
“We would not be competing with but rather cooperating with UM in order to provide more opportunities for students,” he said. “What we are is significantly different from the University of Missouri.”
Elson Floyd, president of the UM System, was out of the office and unavailable for comment Tuesday.
UM System spokesman Joe Moore said the vote allows UM to move on to other pieces of legislation .
“The legislature has spoken on the issue,” Moore said. “We hope we will now be able to focus on the major challenges facing higher education, one of the most pressing being adequate funding.”
MU Chancellor Brady Deaton was not available for comment but had told the MU News Bureau earlier that he stood by comments he made at a news conference last week. Deaton said the name change would not affect MU’s flagship status; however, he also said MU’s funding and position could be affected if people interpret the name change as a challenge to MU’s status.
“The main issue is that it’s at a time when the state can barely afford to fund one flagship university, so to suggest that they’re undertaking another mission with another university that could require more resources sends a signal that we think is inappropriate,” Deaton said in remarks printed in the Feb. 24 Missourian .
Legislation for the SMSU name change has been passed around since the late 1980s. More than two weeks ago, the language of Senate Bill 98 was perfected after a 14-hour filibuster. The bill, which is now House Bill 285, would also change the “college” to “university” for Harris-Stowe State College and Missouri Western State College and drop the “Joplin” in Missouri Southern State-Joplin. Supporters of the bill said it would recognize SMSU’s growth over its 100-year history.
Opponents of the bill, such as Jim Sterling, MU journalism professor and former UM curator, argue the change would take funding away from other state universities. In a statement released Tuesday, Sterling, who is also a new member of MU’s Faculty Council, congratulated the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Norma Champion, R-Springfield, and Rep. B.J. Marsh, R-Springfield, but went on to criticize the legislature.
“That said, I have less respect for the legislature as a whole, who has not just renamed a campus, but has, without discussion of the consequences, created an entire new system of higher education in this sadly underfunded state,” he said. “That will not come without a price, which all colleges and universities will all be paying for in the near future.”
Chris Curtis, SMSU student body president, said many Springfield residents are happy with the change.
“Faculty, staff, administration – the whole community is more than ecstatic to have this accomplished and really put past us,” Curtis said.
Mike Barnett, director of political activities for SMSU’s Student Government Association, echoed Keiser’s comments about the bill’s provisions. He said it was never SMSU’s goal to be a research university.
“The role we fit in now is the role we want to keep,” Barnett said. “Everyone’s goal here is to do what we’re doing the best we can and not to become another MU.”
Barnett said the name change would attract more students.
“The main thing it’ll do is help us recruit talented students from an outside area, outside the state of Missouri,” he said. “Students don’t give a second look to a bi-directional university.”
MU student Greg Chase spoke before the House Higher Education Committee last week regarding the name change. Chase, a vocal opponent of the SMSU name change, angered a lawmaker with his remarks. He, too, congratulated Sen. Champion and Rep. Marsh on Tuesday but said the name change would falsely advertise SMSU’s status.
“When you look at all these other ‘States,’ it is the land grant research institutions of that state,” he said. “Now, when we have students looking at Missouri for their education, they’re going to see Missouri State University and think it’s exactly the same as their ‘State.’ It’s going to be a dose of reality that it’s not (the same).”