By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – The student representative on the University of Missouri's Board of Curators is getting a shorter term than she expected.
Maria Curtis, a graduate student at the University of Missouri St. Louis, was appointed to the board by Governor Matt Blunt in July of last year.
State statute says the student's term is for two years.
But the governor's office says Curtis' term officially ended December 31. Spokesman Spence Jackson says to comply with state law the terms are supposed to begin and end at specific times.
"What happened with previous administrations is that they weren't following the statute, so they were applying two years from the date the person was sworn in assumed their responsibilities, so we've had to correct a lot of them," Jackson said.
Jackson says Curtis was made aware that her term on the Board of Curators would be shorter, but Curtis says she expected to serve for two years.
"I was familiar with the statute which states that the term of the student representative to the Board of Curators is two years long, so that was the impression that I was under," she said.
Jackson says the governor is hoping to get recommendations and make the appointment of a new representative soon. Curtis will remain in the position in the meantime.
Curtis says she is pleased to know the next representative also will be from the UM-St. Louis. The student representative post alternate between the UM's four campus system.