Posted on 05/22/2016 8:56:24 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
The AAUP has dealt a blow to the University of Missouri by concluding that the firing of Melissa Click violated her rights.
The American Association of University Professors said the university’s board of curators, which voted by a 4-2 decision to fire Click after months of controversy regarding her conduct during student protests, “violated basic standards of academic due process.”
Click became a household name after a video surfaced showing her blocking a student videographer from filming near a tent city set up on the Missouri campus in November. For more than a week, the tent city had been home to members of Concerned Student 1950, a group seeking “the liberation of all black collegiate students.”
The original video shows a human wall composed of students, faculty, and alumni formed around the camp to keep the media from advancing. When videographer Mark Schierbecker approached Click, the communications professor grabbed Schierbecker’s camera and told him he needed to leave, saying, “I need some muscle over here!”
Another video later surfaced showing Click berating members of the Columbia Police Department. She joined members of Concerned Student 1950 to block former UM System President Tim Wolfe’s car at the University’s homecoming parade, and when told to leave, responded to the police with, “Get your fucking hands off me!”
Neither Click nor the AAUP attempt to defend her actions, which Click has publicly apologized for more than once, but the AAUP finding suggests the board “set a dangerous precedent that threatens the security of position and, consequently, the academic freedom of all faculty members at the University of Missouri.”
Will Creeley of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education said he agrees.
“FIRE is concerned any time a university doesn’t follow published procedure,” he said. He believes, however dismal the University of Missouri’s reputation, the administration has a chance to redeem itself.
Creeley also agrees with the AAUP’s findings, that the Missouri State Legislature, which questioned Melissa Click’s research on 50 Shades of Grey and Lady Gaga, played a role in her firing. Over 100 Republicans issued a joint letter demanding her dismissal, and the Legislature also denied MU a statewide funding increase after the University did not take action regarding Click.
Click has not publicly commented on the AAUP’s findings, but said in an earlier statement endorsing the investigation that she was fired “for standing with students who have drawn attention to the issue of overt racism… The board of curators is using me as a scapegoat to distract from larger campus issues.”
Interim Chancellor Hank Foley declined to comment on the matter. Members of the board of curators, however, issued a statement saying they continue to stand behind their actions.
According to the statement, “The Board respectfully disagrees with the AAUP’s conclusion that academic freedom is threatened. The University will continue to hold our faculty in high regard and to respect the policies and procedures in place to ensure academic freedom and due process.”
The AAUP is like most faculty “senates”, a joke that no one pays attention to.
And what part of AAUP’s conclusion/report are binding?
Answer? Try NONE!
There is no requirement for a university to keep on staff a crazed faculty member who is physically and emotionally abusive.
Just guessing, she may end up getting a cash settlement from this finding, but I doubt if she ever gets her job back at Mizzou. Too many people know her now as an intolerant whack job.
Another video later surfaced showing Click berating members of the Columbia Police Department. She joined members of Concerned Student 1950 to block former UM System President Tim Wolfe’s car at the University’s homecoming parade, and when told to leave, responded to the police with, “Get your fucking hands off me!”
Even as bad as she appears to be, the university should have followed their procedures for firing her.
I don’t see an issue with “academic freedom”...These “professors” can go on teaching whatever BS they want without any discretion, it seems...But when you go outside the “hallowed” classroom and start your BS, you will catch it from the informed public...
Stay in your coveted little “safe space” and you will probably keep your job....
Actually appears that they want "liberated" from responsibility for their actions.
I think that before too long states are going to pass laws that make booting out the “Clicks” in the system much easier, even compulsory. The whole “academic freedom” movement was really all about letting “social justice warriors” run amok on the taxpayers dine without any accountability. Enough.
Screw Any alleged contract of Click’s
She showed malicious intent to deny people their CONSTITUTIONAL rights
She should have been kicked to the curb MUCH earlier
Isn’t the UoMo over already?
Too bad.
Not as any MO taxpayer has a penny left in his/her pocket. Once they have drained the MO taxpayers and gotten all they can beg from the Feds, then maybe they will go bottoms up.
I was going to link a video of her abusive behavior, but I am terrible about getting distracted and clicking on links. I followed a link to this video, which is much more fun to watch.
Yep...That’s exactly what I was talking about...
Carry on all you want in the classroom, but when you get rowdy in public, there are consequences....
University should sue Click for damage to their repaint and enrollment.
Oops... reputation
Stupid swype
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