2015 University of Missouri protestsLocationColumbia, MissouriMethodsOccupationsOnline activismHunger strikeBoycottReverse racismLead figures
Payton Head, student government president
Jonathan Butler, hunger striker[1]
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/09/us/jonathan-... Timothy Wolfe, president of University of Missouri System
R. Bowen Loftin, chancellor of University of Missouri-Columbia
In 2015, a series of protests at the University of Missouri related to race, workplace benefits, and leadership resulted in the resignations of the president of the University of Missouri System and the chancellor of the flagship Columbia campus. The moves came after a series of events that included a hunger strike by a student and a boycott by the football team. The movement is primarily led by a student group named Concerned Student 1950.
Contents
BackgroundProtestsLoss of health insurance for grad studentsResignationsReactionsMelissa Click incidentKKK hoaxRelated protestsAppointment of interim presidentPoliticiansTurning away reporters at campus meetingReferences
BackgroundEdit
In 2010, two white students were arrested for dropping cotton balls in front of the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center,[2] and in 2011 a student was given probation for racially charged graffiti in a student dormitory.[3] The events led to the creation of a diversity initiative called "One Mizzou" under MU chancellor Brady Deaton. This initiative was discontinued in 2015 owing to concerns that it had lost its meaning.[4][5]
University of Missouri student Jonathan Butler at a Planned Parenthood rally at the University of Missouri in September 2015.
On September 12, 2015, a Facebook post[6] by the student government president Payton Head complained of bigotry and anti-gay sentiment around the college campus, which gained widespread attention.[7][8] He claimed that in an incident off campus, unidentified people in the back of a passing pickup truck directed racial slurs at him. "For those of you who wonder why I'm always talking about the importance of inclusion and respect, it's because I've experienced moments like this multiple times at THIS university, making me not feel included here."[6] Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin called the incident "totally unacceptable" on September 17.[7][8]
ProtestsEdit
A Concerned Student protester in the commons area, November 11.
The first student protests occurred on September 24, at an event called "Racism Lives Here," where protesters claimed nothing had been done to address Head's concerns. On October 1, a second "Racism Lives Here" event was held with 40–50 participants.[9][10]
An incident involving a drunken student on October 4 gave rise to more racial tensions. While an African-American student group, the Legion of Black Collegians, was preparing for Homecomingactivities, a white student walked on stage and was asked to leave. Supposedly, while departing the premises the student said, "these *****s are getting aggressive with me", according to the LBC.[11] This prompted chancellor Loftin, traveling outside the US, to record a video message in response and to release a statement that said, "Racism and all prejudice is heinous, insidious and damaging to Mizzou... That is why all of us must commit to changing the culture at this university."[12] Later that month, the student group "Concerned Student 1950" was created, referring to the first year the University of Missouri admitted black students.
On October 24,[13] a police officer responding to a property damage complaint reported that an unknown vandal had smeared feces in the shape of a swastika on a bathroom wall in a dorm on campus.[13][14] The university's Department of Residential Life filed photographs of the fecal smear in a hate crime incident report, and the residential life director emailed a number of people on campus, including a Hillel organization, to request information about anti-Semitic activity on campus.[15] The investigator in the university's Title IX office, noted in an email that the swastika may have been "meant to offend and threaten a larger population of our campus community in addition to Jewish students".[15]
On November 3, student Jonathan Butler launched a hunger strike, vowing not to eat until the president resigned.[16] One of Butler's stated reasons for this was that Wolfe's car had hit him during a protest against Wolfe at the school's homecoming parade.[17] As students confronted the president by linking arms in front of his vehicle, video showed Butler advancing towards the vehicle and making minimal contact. No police charges were filed in connection to the incident.[18][19]
His statement said, "Mr. Wolfe had ample opportunity to create policies and reform that could shift the culture of Mizzou in a positive direction but in each scenario he failed to do so." Butler later cited his participation in the Ferguson protests against the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown as a major influence for his action.[20]
On November 7, with hundreds of prospective students flooding Mizzou's campus for the university's recruiting day, student protesters intervened with a "mock tour" where they recited racist incidents that occurred at MU beginning in 2010 with the dispersion of cotton balls on the lawn of the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center along with more recent events such as the use of racial epithets against two young women of color outside of the MU Student Recreation Complex.[21]
On November 8, black football players announced they would not practice or play until Wolfe resigned, potentially costing the university a $1 million fine if they had to forfeit an upcoming game against Brigham Young University.[22] The South Eastern Conference Football Commissioner issued a statement saying, "I respect Missouri's student-athletes for engaging on issues of importance and am hopeful the concerns at the center of this matter will be resolved in a positive manner."[23] The Mizzou Athletics Department previously indicated that it fully supported the players' actions.[24]
Loss of health insurance for grad studentsEdit
One of Butler's reasons for his hunger strike was "graduate students being robbed of their health insurance".[25] In August 2015, the university had issued a statement to graduate students that said, "The Affordable Care Act prevents employers from giving employees money specifically so they can buy health insurance on the individual market. Graduate teaching and research assistants are classified as employees by the IRS, so they fall under this ruling." With the IRS ruling as a pretext, the University slashed 75% of previously paid healthcare costs.[26][27][28] Conservatives contributed to the confusion by ignoring the University's breach of trust and instead falsely blaming Obamacare and the grad students.[29][30][31]
https://youtu.be/mBZgJ79f064 https://youtu.be/oPo_LK5rYbU ResignationsEdit
Wolfe issued a statement on November 8 implying that he would not step down and that he was "dedicated to ongoing dialogue to address these very complex, societal issues as they affect our campus community".[32]
On November 9, however, Wolfe announced his resignation. Later that day Chancellor Loftin announced he would resign at the end of 2015[33] to take a research role at the University. His departure was hastened by the Board of Curators on November 11, who passed his responsibility to Interim Chancellor Hank Foley. His departure was initially assumed to be related to the protests. However, unlike Wolfe, student protesters had not requested that he step down.[34] His resignation was the congruence of several issues raised by administrators and faculty, who were displeased with his leadership style, dismissal of administrators, and management of several campus incidents of racism and graduate health insurance subsidies that were allowed to lapse under his leadership.[35][36][37]
ReactionsEdit
Melissa Click incidentEdit
Play media
Tim Tai, a student photographer on assignment for ESPN, asserts his First Amendment right to film in a public place, as Greek Life director Janna Basler assaults him. Videographer Mark Schierbecker tries to interview communication professor Melissa Click who grabs his camera. Video by Mark Schierbecker.
https://youtu.be/8PlcALRh6Og https://youtu.be/1S3yMzEee18 https://m.facebook.com/groups/296171163803... https://youtu.be/iSWMJoQZUds
Posted By: Barbara Robinson
Friday, March 18th 2016 at 8:09AM
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