All because he wouldn't act like he cared and denounce racist acts happening to blacks on HIS CAMPUS on HIS WATCH. Had he done 1 minute of lip service to address those acts this wouldn't even be a story. And when the poop hit the fan instead of still coming out to denounce those acts and "fight for equality" he simply resigned. He did it to himself.

 

Exactly. In the face of multiple acts of racism on his campus, he decided on his own free will that the proper course of action was to do and say nothing and hope it passed. It didn't. That's on him and him alone...

My only concern is the reason behind the president resigning. It's like the empty gesture IMO of SC taking down the flag. What? It took 9 deaths in a church? It felt completely empty to me.

 

This COULD be the same. If the president is a loser that's fine. My concern is the "why."

 

Was it because the football team got involved?

Was it because they were going to have to write a $1M check?

Was it because the football coach got involved?

 

Here's my guess : it was NOT because of the hunger strike or the 1950 group. They didn't do it IMO because they suddenly saw the light about the plight of minorities.

 

That's my issue. Will anything really change?

 

Will the board of directors hire a new president with these issues in mind? If so, mission accomplished...

Will the board of directors hire a new president with these issues in mind? If so, mission accomplished...

 

Too easy to pay lip service. I do not expect real change. I expect platitudes.

Too easy to pay lip service. I do not expect real change. I expect platitudes.

 

So you expect the next president to ignore racism in light of what just happened? I highly doubt that...

So you expect the next president to ignore racism in light of what just happened? I highly doubt that...

 

As I said , I expect a lot of words.

As I said , I expect a lot of words.

 

As opposed the the few words it would have taken for the president to save his job. He wasn't in touch with what was happening on his campus. That tells me he wasn't fit for the job...

As opposed the the few words it would have taken for the president to save his job. He wasn't in touch with what was happening on his campus. That tells me he wasn't fit for the job...

 

Not opposed to that. Sounds like the guy was unfit.

 

I just don't see a new president coming in and making real change. Yes, he/she will say a lot about it but people aren't changing their attitudes. The president is changing Johnny Frat Boy's perception of blacks. He/she is not changing the state of Missouri's perception about blacks.

 

So, yes, Mizzou can say "hey, we made a change."

 

They won't say what the real reason was though. That's my biggest issue. It wasn't for the right reason. 99% sure it was about money and perception.

After reading a few more reports , this wasn't just about racism. This president just didn't have support from anyone on a whole host of issues. This wasn't just one thing. He lost support across campus because of a whole host of issues. No one issue was really that gigantic or had any major incidents. But when they all came to a boil and joined together that is what led to this.

After reading a few more reports , this wasn't just about racism. This president just didn't have support from anyone on a whole host of issues. This wasn't just one thing. He lost support across campus because of a whole host of issues. No one issue was really that gigantic or had any major incidents. But when they all came to a boil and joined together that is what led to this.

 

I figured this was probably the case.

After reading a few more reports , this wasn't just about racism. This president just didn't have support from anyone on a whole host of issues. This wasn't just one thing. He lost support across campus because of a whole host of issues. No one issue was really that gigantic or had any major incidents. But when they all came to a boil and joined together that is what led to this.

What were the incidents if you don't mind me asking. Just trying to be more informed.

What were the incidents if you don't mind me asking. Just trying to be more informed.

 

From the race angle there was the student who had racial things said to him and then when no actions were taken place , 11 students swarmed or protested the president's car at the homecoming parade. There was a report that the car bumped into two students.

 

There were issues surrounding graduate students health care.

 

Then there were mass debates between pro-life and pro-choice groups on planned parenthood.

 

Like I said none of the issues were major or had major incident. But the president didn't seem open to dialogue on any of the issues. So groups with different issues all banned together.

After reading a few more reports , this wasn't just about racism. This president just didn't have support from anyone on a whole host of issues. This wasn't just one thing. He lost support across campus because of a whole host of issues. No one issue was really that gigantic or had any major incidents. But when they all came to a boil and joined together that is what led to this.

 

That just reinforces my belief. This wasn't wholly about racial issues. This was just a good reason to get him out.

That's my issue. Will anything really change?

 

I don't know, but I would say the chance of making a change is substantially higher with a new president than the old one. Maybe UM tries to bury it by letting everything die down, then hiring a fundraiser who makes a couple of slick points and moves on. Maybe they hire someone who is going to seize the issue and try to help.

 

It's an issue where there aren't any easy answers or obvious solutions, but a lot of other places have made good faith efforts. At least part of the students' lists of demands were increasing the percentage of minority students admitted and increasing the percentage of minority student retention. A college president would be in a unique position to make demonstrable improvements in those categories. I was listening to an interview recently with a dean at a local university who was having a lot of success with a program that helped the success/retention rate of minority students.

 

Changing the opinions and perceptions of the entire student body is a lot more difficult, but like with sexual assault a lot of universities have been making a much more concerted effort to change their cultures, some earnestly and some with lip service (and universities are absolutely notorious for lip service, especially when the only thing holding them to account is tuition money, so maybe this case will be different). I think someone who took it seriously could do something. At the very least, I think a lot of the perceptions of the student body would change if minority students felt they had a voice within the administration.

I don't know, but I would say the chance of making a change is substantially higher with a new president than the old one. Maybe UM tries to bury it by letting everything die down, then hiring a fundraiser who makes a couple of slick points and moves on. Maybe they hire someone who is going to seize the issue and try to help.

 

It's an issue where there aren't any easy answers or obvious solutions, but a lot of other places have made good faith efforts. At least part of the students' lists of demands were increasing the percentage of minority students admitted and increasing the percentage of minority student retention. A college president would be in a unique position to make demonstrable improvements in those categories. I was listening to an interview recently with a dean at a local university who was having a lot of success with a program that helped the success/retention rate of minority students.

 

Changing the opinions and perceptions of the entire student body is a lot more difficult, but like with sexual assault a lot of universities have been making a much more concerted effort to change their cultures, some earnestly and some with lip service (and universities are absolutely notorious for lip service, especially when the only thing holding them to account is tuition money, so maybe this case will be different). I think someone who took it seriously could do something. At the very least, I think a lot of the perceptions of the student body would change if minority students felt they had a voice within the administration.

 

Again, no argument on the necessity of the move. I'm just cynical as to true motive and likelihood of actual results.

If that President steps down or is fired, that opens up a can of worms that I don't think anybody wants opened.

 

If he didn't give these issues the proper amount of attention, then he needs to apologize for it, fall on his sword, and make the students believe that he acknowledges the situation and will do something to change them. Firing the President does absolutely NOTHING to remedy the situation.

 

This I completely agree with.