You are terminated.
Posted on 02/25/2016 12:17:35 PM PST by abb
Assistant Professor Melissa Click, captured on video calling for “some muscle†to remove reporters from a campus protest site, was fired Wednesday by the University of Missouri Board of Curators, Chairwoman Pam Henrickson said in a prepared statement.
The board voted 4-2 in favor of termination during a closed session in Kansas City, with Henrickson and curator John Phillips opposing the move, UM System spokesman John Fougere wrote in an email Thursday. Curators David Steelman, Donald Cupps, Maurice Graham and Phil Snowden voted in favor of firing Click.
Click did not respond to a message seeking comment Thursday. The board earlier voted to suspend Click with pay on Jan. 27.
“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,†Henrickson said in the prepared statement. “However, Dr. Click was not entitled to interfere with the rights of others, to confront members of law enforcement or to encourage potential physical intimidation against a student.â€
The statement from Henrickson cited Click’s behavior at the Homecoming parade, when she cursed at a police officer who was moving protesters out of the street, and on Nov. 9 at Concerned Student 1950’s protest site on the Carnahan Quadrangle. Her actions at the protest site, Henrickson said, “when she interfered with members of the media and students who were exercising their rights in a public space and called for intimidation against one of our students, we believe demands serious action.â€
The investigators hired by the curators reviewed videos, documents and conducted more than 20 interviews, Henrickson said.
“She has the right to appeal her termination,†Henrickson said. “The board went to significant lengths to ensure fairness and due process.â€
Interim MU Chancellor Hank Foley released a statement Thursday admitting the process the curators used to fire Click was "not typical."
"These have been extraordinary times in our university’s history, and I am in complete agreement with the board that the termination of Dr. Click is in the best interest of our university," Foley said. "Her actions in October and November are those that directly violate the core values of our university."
Foley said the process and investigation that led to Click's termination had been fair.
Click’s employment has become a political liability for the university. The House Budget Committee will consider a spending bill next week that cuts $402,000 from the Columbia campus budget — the amount of Click’s salary as well as that of her department chair and the dean of the College of Arts and Science — and $7.6 million from the UM System’s administrative budget.
State Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, wrote to members of the Downtown Community Improvement District board that Click is a symbol that is hurting the university.
“Everybody that I talked to said it would be a step in the right direction and would show some leadership,†Basye said Thursday. “I firmly believe she should have been terminated after the first video.â€
Click “is a flashpoint that allows us to potentially begin to move away from a backward-looking dialogue to a more forward-facing dialogue,†state Rep. Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, said Thursday before the announcement. “I think it would help†if she were fired, he said.
The curators’ earlier decision to suspend Click has been criticized by the MU Faculty Council and the American Association of University Professors.
If she stays hidden in the back, possibly.
Book deal as we speak. Perhaps she could tour with Cindy Sheehan.
You are terminated.
Maybe if she got implants she could get a job at Hooter/s?
(/snix)
I apologize. I should have posted a “trigger warning” with that.
Until you consider that:
In most private businesses, Click's actions would have led to her being walked from her office by security on the very first day she tried to return to work, along with disciplinary actions resulting in the abrogation of any obligation to termination benefits because her actions constituted actual crimes.
She will almost certainly get some separation benefits that we'll never hear about. In a private university she would not even be disciplined.
Carrot Top stand-in?
Naw, they would never hire anyone that tough to negotiate with Iran or North Korea.
Only if the government paid for the implants. She'll be the newest incarnation of Sandra Fluke, except for free cosmetic surgery on demand instead of birth control.
Exactly. In addition to salary eliminations for Click and the dean of her whatever, the budget funding for the school’s admin cost was going to be cut $7.6 million. That’s no chicken feed.
Yes, you’re probably right!
I think Cindy Sheehan is too busy going door-to-door for Trump’s campaign.
LOL good post.
Poor Sandy. She got tripped up by the “jungle primary” law in California. Even a million bucks of her in-laws dough couldn’t beat another Democrat.
Liberals will have to mandate that everyone who’s not a B-cup either gets implants or breast reduction surgery to “level the playing field.” C-cup is too high because it would sexualize women.
LOL....well, she could get both....boobs and b/c.
That’s a man, baby...Carrot Top.
Statement from University of Missouri leadership
Pam Henrickson, chair of the University of Missouri Board of Curators, released the following statement today:
Last week, the Board of Curators received the investigative report detailing the relevant facts surrounding recent conduct by MU assistant professor, Dr. Melissa Click. On January 27, the board authorized an investigation so it could determine whether additional discipline for Dr. Click was appropriate.
Investigators reviewed relevant documents, materials and video recordings, as well as interviewed more than 20 witnesses. Dr. Click was interviewed twice and was represented by counsel on both occasions. When Dr. Click identified witnesses that she thought were relevant, the investigators interviewed - or attempted to interview - each of those witnesses and included their information in the report.
On February 12, Dr. Click was provided a complete copy of the report of the investigation, which included all documents, videos and witness statements gathered during the investigation and was offered the opportunity to submit a written response. Her response was received on February 19, after which the board received the report from investigators, including Dr. Click’s response.
After reviewing the report and Dr. Click’s response, and, after extensive discussion, the board voted last night in executive session to terminate the employment of Dr. Click. She has the right to appeal her termination. The board went to significant lengths to ensure fairness and due process for Dr. Click.
The board believes that Dr. Click’s conduct was not compatible with university policies and did not meet expectations for a university faculty member. The circumstances surrounding Dr. Click’s behavior, both at a protest in October when she tried to interfere with police officers who were carrying out their duties, and at a rally in November, when she interfered with members of the media and students who were exercising their rights in a public space and called for intimidation against one of our students, we believe demands serious action.
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. However, Dr. Click was not entitled to interfere with the rights of others, to confront members of law enforcement or to encourage potential physical intimidation against a student.
Together as a university community, we must move forward from the events of the fall. 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.
Statement from University of Missouri-Columbia Interim Chancellor Hank Foley:
The process the Board of Curators used to reach a determination about Dr. Click’s employment at the university is not typical—but these have been extraordinary times in our university’s history, and I am in complete agreement with the board that the termination of Dr. Click is in the best interest of our university. Her actions in October and November are those that directly violate the core values of our university. I can assure you—as Board Chairwoman Henrickson noted—that there has been fairness in this process and investigation.
Finally, I personally would like to reiterate my commitment to ensuring a university community where we ALL feel valued and heard. Work is already underway—with much more to come. In the meantime, I, too, look forward to meaningful conversations ahead.
Timeline
October 10, 2015 – Dr. Click blocks Homecoming parade and gets into confrontation with CPD
November 9, 2015 – Click attempts to exclude people from public spaces on Carnahan Quadrangle; attempts to prohibit Tim Tai and other media from covering event; knocks MU student Mark Schierbecker’s camera ajar and calls for “muscle†to remove him from area
January 25, 2016 – City Prosecutor brings charge against Click for assaulting Schierbecker
January 27, 2016 – Board of Curators suspends Click and orders investigation to determine whether additional discipline is appropriate
January 28, 2016 – Bryan Cave law firm commences investigation
February 4, 2016 – Board of Curators schedules a meeting for February 24, 2016
February 12, 2016 – Bryan Cave completes investigation and provides investigative report to Click for response
February 19, 2016 – Click provides response to investigative report
February 20, 2016 – Investigative report and Click’s response provided to board of curators
February 22, 2016 – Public Notice of board meeting for February 24, 2016
February 24, 2016 – Board meeting and vote
February 25, 2016 – Announcement
To access the complete investigative report and accompanying files, please visit the following links:
• Report to the UM Board of Curators (PDF, 296 KB) http://umurl.us/VS4g
• Exhibits 1-31 (PDF, 1.5 MB) http://umurl.us/MmzL
• Exhibits 32-52 (PDF, 808 KB) http://umurl.us/zmsta
• Click response to report (PDF, 260 KB) http://umurl.us/sLr
• Letter to Click from UM Board of Curators (PDF, 504 KB) http://umurl.us/LD2P
State legislatures need to pass laws to remove current university and ministrations and to instil new ones packed with outsiders and only with people who hail from the hard sciences. They need to drastically reduce the degrees offered as well. They need to teach a few things well, not many things poorly.
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