Kinder urges letters in support of MOHELA plan

By TJ GREANEY

Southeast Missourian

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder urged those in university leadership positions Saturday to support the sale of half of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority's loan portfolio to the Missouri Development Finance Board.

Speaking at Southeast Missouri State University, Kinder said that support could be best demonstrated by sending e-mails and letters to members of MOHELA's board, the body that will take a final vote on the issue Sept. 27.

"They need positive reinforcement," Kinder told members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, Student Alumni Association and Student Government. "They need to hear from rank-and-file citizens, from students, teachers and alumni."

The transfer of funds, called the Lewis and Clark Initiative, is expected to generate $350 million for capital improvements to state universities and life-science projects.

Locally, $17.2 million would go to Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus for the visual and performing arts. The project is now about 60 percent complete, officials said. Another $4.5 million would go to the university's business incubator for life sciences on its proposed 410-acre Technology Park campus near Interstate 55.

But the allocation of these funds is still in limbo. On Sept. 8, MOHELA's board met in Chesterfield and moved to delay a vote after two hours of heated discussion. Some board members still fear they could face lawsuits if the sale goes through. Accusations of conflicts of interest are still swirling around several board members.

The primary opposition to the sale is Attorney General Jay Nixon, who has said the plan harnesses "students to the wheel to generate cash flow to fund capital improvements." Nixon has also called the proposed sale illegal.

Saturday, Kinder called into question Nixon's position on the issue. "He is the only lawyer who has looked at this and seen anything wrong with it," he said.

Calling Nixon "the sole threat to this going through," Kinder said Nixon's opposition was politically motivated and likened it to "standing in the schoolhouse door."

Kinder said the urgency of pushing the sale through is not just rhetoric. "Every day we don't move forward with this costs another $70,000," he said.

Some Southeast students present said they could appreciate the urgency. Stephanie Moore, a junior who serves in student government, said she plans to write a letter to MOHELA board members in support of the sale.

"This is a very important initiative, and it's important that it passes," Moore said. "I do have loans from MOHELA and so do a lot of other students who don't have the money to go to college."

University president Dr. Kenneth Dobbins said he believes the new MOHELA will benefit from bigger loan volume. He said the University of Missouri and University of Missouri at Kansas City are prepared to increase their use of MOHELA loans.

Kinder touted the fact that Missouri promises to add $25 million for scholarships each year. This move, he said, should deflect any criticism that the state is "favoring buildings over students."

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245