Mo. Rev. Stat. § 174.250: Missouri Western State University — established, when — district.

1. If the facilities of the present Missouri Western Junior College are made available, there shall be established in St. Joseph, Missouri, a state college, which shall make available those third- and fourth-year college level courses that lead to a baccalaureate degree.

2. This state college shall in the year 1967, or at such a time as the present Missouri Western Junior College has acquired a campus for a third- and fourth-year college which meets the requirements established by the board of curators of Missouri University and its enrollment trends constitute sufficient justification for the operation of a four-year college in the opinion of the board, whichever occurs later, become an independent two-year state senior college, to be known as the "Missouri Western State University". Its district shall be Buchanan County and counties contiguous to Buchanan County.