The Chain of Events That Lead To A President's Resignation

The beginning of this year at the University of Missouri was one that was unforgettable due to the array of events that led up to the resignation of the University’s System President, Tim Wolfe in November. The racial controversy actually began in 2010 when two white students spread cotton balls out side of the University’s Black Culture Center. Though they might have claimed that it was a harmless joke the University took it as much more than that. Picking up in the beginning of this year Payton Head, the President of the University’s Student Government cast his fed up emotions on social media about the subject of discrimination in all forms, after being verbally attacked with racial slurs by people in the back of a pick up truck, claiming that he has been discriminated at the university more than once and often did not feel safe or included.

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            The University officials shorty after released a statement saying that these actions were not acceptable but never seemed to take any action after that, leading to multiple student protests like the “Racism Lives Here” rally. After further racist occurrences between students the University Chancellor ordered for all students and faculty to attend diversity and inclusion conferences which was acknowledged as a “step in the right direction” but the chancellor did catch heat for not acknowledging the work of the black students that worked extremely hard at the diversity programs. During one of the student protests, that continued to take place, President Wolfe’s car was surrounded with protesters which lead to him accidentally nudge one of them with his car- sending the protesters anger go up in flames with accusations such as the President laughing at the protesters and smiling through out the protest. A student group Concerned Student 1950 issued a list of demands including an apology and that president Wolfe step down from his position. Contrary to what the group requested Wolfe did not step down and other controversial attacks continued on campus. A month later, strikes continued, including student wide hunger strikes and football players and coaches refusing to play; which finally lead us to November 9^th, the day Tim Wolfe finally announced his resignation.

To read further about the events leading up to President Wolfe’s resignation, read here