Missouri AAUP

END OF SESSION WRAPUP: As many of you know, very few bills passed this year's session of the General Assembly.  Election year politics--compounded by razor thin majorities in the two houses and perhaps by the impending effects of term limits--made for a session in which few bills were successful.  The remainder of this page will give you some indication of the narrative of legislation in which Missouri AAUP was interested.

With term limits, AAUP's voice on behalf of the profession and the quality of higher education will only become more and more important.  To this end we encourage you to be politically engaged and politically active, both in this election year and in leading and supporting those who are elected.

We plan to continue the development of our legislative program.  We will continue to engage the monitoring and persuasive services of Vision Communications.  We are working with the Missouri Association of Faculty Senates to sponsor a day in Jefferson City during which we would meet with legislators and others on behalf of the visibility of higher education.

Legislative Updatesand Calls for Action
 

March 11 Update from Vision Communications' Brian Treece

Call Your Senators: SCS SB 584 Reported to Floor!

March 10 Update from Vision Communications' Brian Treece

AAUP Priority Legislation
(Bill Summaries and Texts; Current Status and Actions)

SCS SB 584 (to be managed by Sen. Bentley): Omnibus Education Bill now contains SB796 and its provisions for Faculty Board Representation.  The bill has been reported to the Senate Floor and is 37th on the Calendar for Senate Bills for Perfection.

Sen. Ken Jacob's SB796 to place Faculty Members on the Governing Boards: combined with several other bills, 3/8/2000

Rep. Craig Hosmer'sHB1475 to place Faculty Members on the Governing Boards: Voted "Do Pass" by the House Higher Education Committee, 2/21/2000

Rep. Don Summer's HB1660 to allow new Faculty in MOSERS Colleges and Universities to elect a private pension annuity

Three versions of legislation to allow collective bargaining by state employees: SB547 (Sen. Goode), SB600(Sen. Schneider), and HB1500 (Rep. McLuckie)

• Rep. Ted Farnen's HB1396 to "clean up" provisions related to confidentiality of student governing board representatives-may become a vehicle for faculty representative legislation: Voted "Do Pass" by House Higher Education Committee and Second on House Calendar!
• Sen. Ken Jacob's SB825 to "clean up" provisions related to confidentiality of student governing  board representatives--possible vehicle for faculty board representative legislation: Voted "Do Pass" by Senate Education Committee, 2/23/2000.
• SB875 (Sen. Kinder) Requires that State Colleges and Universities certify fluency of instructors, funding penalties for "each course taught in violation of the rule." SCS voted "Do Pass" by Senate Education Committee, 2/23/2000.
• HB1893 (Rep. Barry)  Establishes procedures encouraging English proficiency in college instructors.  HCS voted "Do Pass" 3/1/2000.

Legislation Assigned to the Senate Education Committee

1999 Session Report from our Lobbyist, Vision Communications

Legislative Updates and Calls for Action

Saturday, March 11, from Brian Treece
The Senate Education Committee has given approval to an omnibus education bill that includes important legislation for university faculty.  Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 584 will now include legislation to create a faculty representative on college and university governing boards.

The following bills were offered and included by the committee in the omnibus bill:
SB 539, sponsored by Sen. Russell.  Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide $80 per pupil for driver's education.
SB 584, sponsored by Sen. Bentley.  Establishes grant program for improving mathematics instruction.
SB 630, sponsored by Sen. Kenney.  Requires DESE to provide statewide assessment tests to districts without charge.
SB 752, sponsored by Sen. Clay.  Relating to qualification and election of school board members in cities not within a county.
SB 777, sponsored by Sen. Steelman.  Creates MO Engineering and Science Academy and summer program for science teachers.
SB 796, sponsored by Sen. Jacob.  Establishes faculty representatives to governing boards of state colleges and universities.
SB 825, sponsored by Sen. Jacob.  Relating to certain representatives on college and university boards.
SB 918, sponsored by Sen. Ehlmann.  Relating to reading ability in elementary school.
SB 927, sponsored by Sen. Stoll.  Relating to special education services.
SB 931, sponsored by Sen. Kinder.  Relating to state funding for the education of certain disabled students.
SB 748, sponsored by Sen. Johnson.  Revises minimum salaries for public school teachers.
The only bill that was rejected for inclusion was SB 981, sponsored by Sen. Jacob, relating to video gaming.

Senator Bentley (R) of Springfield will be the handler of the bill on the floor, and her original bill, 584, will be the number listed for the bill.  SB 584 has been placed on the Senate perfection calendar.

Friday, March 10, from Brian Treece
ENGLISH ONLY
    Legislation has been introduced to require colleges and universities to certify English language fluency of all instructional faculty. Faculty who fail to meet certification standards may not teach, and the educational institution employing such faculty shall have its appropriation reduced by $10,000 for each course taught in violation of the rule. All Missouri citizens shall have standing to sue to enforce.  The bills are SB 875, sponsored by Sen. Peter Kinder (R-Cape Girardeau) and HB 1893, sponsored by Rep. Joan Barry (D-St. Louis County).
    On Wednesday, February 16, 2000, the Senate Education Committee held a hearing on SB 875, which is sponsored by Sen. Kinder (R) from Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  This was the first hearing on the bill since it was filed and introduced.  Senator Kinder offered a substitute for SB 875 to the committee.  Kinder stated that the substitute watered down the draconian measures in SB 875, and is now very similar to HB 1893 sponsored by Rep. Barry (D) of St. Louis.  The difference between the bills, according to Kinder, is that his bill
would cover those currently employed as well as those hired after the effective date.  The purpose of the bill is to guarantee that instructors speak English.  According to Kinder, everyone that pays the increasing costs to attend college should be ensured that he or she would at least be taught in English.  Sen. House (D) of St. Charles, the chairman of the committee, spoke then about the problem of his nephew at the University of Missouri,
and not being able to understand the chemistry professor. Katherine Duckworth of A.S.U.M. and a student at the University of Missouri - Columbia, testified in support of SB 875.  She stated that the problem was not new, and the universities need to be held accountable for ensuring that the instructors speak English.  Duckworth said students
deserve at least this much for the money they are spending on their education.  Sen. Yeckel (R) of St. Louis, inquired if there had been any improvements, and Duckworth responded that the problem still exists. A student from the University of Missouri - Kansas City testified next in support of SB 875.  He stated that the only solution now is to attempt to switch sections to get an instructor that speaks English, but that change costs students another $100.  Danny Glavine (sp?), another student from the University of Missouri - Columbia testified in support of SB 875.  He stated that he holds two jobs to pay for college, and his statistics professor understands English so poorly that he is unable to communicate with the students.
    The Vice-President for academic affairs from the University of Missouri system appeared in opposition to SB 875.  Senator Caskey (D) from Butler, asked if they were placing people in the classroom that are not able to be understood, and the response was that it must be the case.  The witness spoke about the current UM policy and their attempts to improve the situation.  Senator House asked why the problem was so difficult to solve, and the response was that an English proficiency test does not ensure good instructors are hired.  Senators Yeckel and Steelman both expressed concern that this is problem that should have been solved already.  Dr. Brady Deaton, the Provost from the University of Missouri - Columbia, testified in opposition to SB 875.  He stated that he shares the concerns of the students and has implemented measures to respond to the problem.  Senator Stoll (D) of Festus, stated that he spoke with Dr. Pacheo and
believes that the university should and will solve the problem.  Senator House said that he did not want to micro-manage the university but the problem has persisted and has not been solved.  Senator Kenny (R) of Lee’s Summit, expressed his concern that it seems the university only talks about taking measures, but when the publicity dies down, nothing gets
accomplished.

FACULTY CURATOR REPRESENTATION
    A vehicle for Faculty Curator (Farnen's 1396) has been fasttracked on the House Consent Calendar.  Original legislation for faculty representation on the board of curators have both been passed by the Senate Education and  House Higher Education Committees, respectively.  We are looking for other vehicles to amend this legislation.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
    The Senate Labor Committee has approved a bill granting collective bargaining rights for all state employees.  Current conventional wisdom suggests this bill is not going to move forward.

POLITICAL ANALYSIS
    2 vacancies and 1 pregnancy have left Democratic majority with 83 votes--the minimum necessary to pass legislation.  Republicans upset over the Tobacco legislation, have been blocking legislation.  This has slowed the pass of the House floor debate significantly.
 

Tuesday, February 22, from David Gruber
The House Higher Education Committee yesterday approved a substitute for HB1475.  Check "Actions" on HB1475.  An email from Rep. Ted Farnen, chair of the committee tells us that there were two main changes: to reduce the terms of the faculty representative from three to two years and to allow the faculty representative to be excluded from executive sessions by a unanimous vote of voting members.  These compromises are likely to increase prospects for passage of the legislation, as they allay concerns of some legislators who are skeptical of the legislation.

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