JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — State lawmakers voted Wednesday to keep that same power from university students.

The Missouri Senate backed Gov. Matt Blunt’s summer veto of a bill that would’ve given voting privileges to student members of the University of Missouri’s Board of Curators in a partisan 16-17 vote.

The bill aimed at MU had broader implications in that other universities could’ve followed suit.

“It solidifies that person’s position on the board,” said Harold Callaway, who served as a student governor of Missouri Western State University’s Board of Governors from March 2006 to April 2008. “Then why have a student board member in the first place?”

The finance and economics major in 2007 testified on a similar bill in Jefferson City, Mo., that would’ve applied to all state colleges and universities. But lawmakers pared down the proposal to the 2008 version in SB 873, which only would give the voting rights to a student if Missouri loses a congressional district based on the 2010 census. Unlike Missouri Western governors, MU curators represent the different districts.

The measure passed out of the Senate and House of Representatives this year, but the concept became highly controversial among the higher education community, Mr. Blunt said of the veto.

Existing board members contended students didn’t have the knowledge or experience to vote on matters before the board.

“By that argument, no one should vote in their first two weeks on the Senate,” said Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, the bill sponsor who called for a legislative override. “I find it condescending.”

Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, who was one of only two senators to oppose the bill when they considered it in April, voted against the override, as well.

Mr. Lager said students provided useful input, but that any business’ board of directors should be made up of people who will make decisions based on the long-term best interest of the company.

“It’s always better to have (curators) that don’t get wrapped up in the day-to-day operations,” said Mr. Lager, whose district includes Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, his hometown.

But Mr. Lager warned that Wednesday’s 16-17 vote had little to do with the curators bill.

“This is about the veto of the governor. This shows he still has a lot of support in this body,” he said.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, initially voted in favor of the bill, but voted against the override.

“I still think ultimately that students are capable of making votes — this just didn’t rise to the level of vetoing the governor,” he said.

Senators needed a two-thirds majority and subsequent approval from the House of Representatives to nullify the governor’s action.

“I think this issue will definitely be back,” Mr. Shields said.

The House of Representatives passed SB 873 on May 16, the last day of the regular session. Voting in favor were: Rep. Jim Whorton, D-Trenton; Rep. Ed Wildberger, D-St. Joseph and Rep. Dr. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph.

Republican Reps. John Quinn, of Chillicothe, and Jim Guest, R-King City, voted against it. Rep. Martin Rucker, D-St. Joseph, voted present.

Alyson E. Raletz can be reached at alysonraletz@npgco.com.