Univ. of Missouri fires instructor after student run-ins

Mike Price wanted to be clear with lawmakers Wednesday: cutting assistant communications professor Melissa Click’s salary from Mizzou’s budget “would not be a enforceable hammer”.

“The board believes that Dr. Click’s conduct was not compatible with university policies and did not meet expectations for a university faculty member”, it said in a statement.

The committee substitute does not make the reductions only about Dr. Melissa Click and her actions.

Click apologized, and many professors defended her and the principle of academic freedom, but the earlier image of her became a symbol for others of attempts to muzzle freedom of speech, and of a public university system in chaos. “Her conduct and behavior are appalling, and I am not only disappointed, I am angry, that a member of our faculty acted this way”, said interim chancellor Hank Foley in a statement the day after the second video surfaced.

“…these have been extraordinary times in our university’s history”, Foley said.

Click was suspended after she confronted a student videographer during protests in November on the Columbia campus and called for “some muscle” to move him away from the protesters. She pleaded not guilty to the assault charge and reached a deal with prosecutors to avoid prosecution in exchange for community service and staying out of trouble for a year.

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The Board says that there was no pressure from Missouri state legislators to fire the professor.

The board respects Dr. Click’s right to express her views and does not base this decision on her support for students engaged in protest or their views.

The board voted 4-2 in favor of terminating Click.

Though Click’s call for “muscle” was ultimately what propelled her into infamy, the school cited several incidents-including Click helping to block a vehicle in the October Homecoming parade, as well as a confrontation with a different student photographer just before the “muscle” comment-in its justification for firing her. “The University of Missouri has been a necessary component of moving this economy forward in a globalized economy that we are facing”, said Kendrick. The board will continue to engage in productive and meaningful conversations with student and campus leaders to facilitate communication, transparency and to address issues brought to the forefront. I can assure you-as Board Chairwoman Henrickson noted-that there has been fairness in this process and investigation.