The Griffon News

MOHELA proposal supported

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder visited Western Sept. 18 to promote Gov. Matt Blunt’s Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative and the benefits Western would receive. Missouri Western stands to gain $30 million from the sale of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority to go towards upgrading and renovating Agenstein Hall. Linder visited Western to ask all students, faculty and staff to become evangelists for the cause.

On Sept. 8, Attorney General Jay Nixon succeeded in postponing a final vote by MOHELA’s board to sell its assets. Nixon warned that the vote would be a breech of legal duties and a conflict of interest.

During the press conference on campus, Linder said Nixon’s allegations were without merit and that Nixon has “behaved in the manor of a schoolyard bully.” Linder mentions that one board member does have a conflict of interest but has always abstained throughout voting.

The final vote is scheduled for Sept. 27. While at Western, Kinder said for Nixon to “stop standing in the school house door so we can start.”

Kinder called for all persons to call on Nixon to write, e-mail, send postcards, etc to Nixon in support of the Initiative.

Shields supported Kinder and said it’s not just about discussion but also action.

“Now is the time to hold up the MOHELA board and support the decision,” Shields said. “You can make a difference.”

Since Linder’s visit, changes and controversy have occurred. Blunt’s original plan was amended Sept. 19 to prevent any funds received from MOHELA from being spent on human embryonic stem cell research. After this, three of the seven MOHELA board members resigned. Blunt has been appointing replacements. The vote is still scheduled for Sept. 27 but there are possibilities of another postponement.

Faculty, students and staff attended the press conference, including President James Scanlon, Sen. Charlie Shields, SGA President Natalie Bailey, and Janet Leachman, president of the Board of Governors.