University of Missouri President Abruptly Resigns Following Racial
Unrest
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=104432
General Information
Source:
Creator:
NBC Nightly News
Resource Type:
Lester Holt/Jacob Rascon Copyright:
Event Date:
Air/Publish Date:
11/09/2015
11/09/2015
Copyright Date:
Clip Length
Video News Report
NBCUniversal Media,
LLC.
2015
00:02:47
Description
University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe resigns after a semester plagued with incidents of racial
harassment and protests. The tipping point for Wolfe's resignation was the football team's announcement
that it would boycott all practices and games until he stepped down.
Keywords
Racism, University of Missouri, University President, Tim Wolfe, Resign, Harassment, Racial
Harassment, Incidents, Protest, Jonathan Butler, Protestors, Hunger Strike, Football, Sports, "Mizzou",
Boycott, Games, Football Games, Practices, Team, Concerned Students 1950, Student Body, Students,
Call to Action, African Americans, Black, College, Population, Demographics, R Bowen Loftin,
Chancellor, Diversity, Faculty, Staff, Higher Education, Minority, Minorities, Race, Ethics
Citation
MLA
© 2008-2016 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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"University of Missouri President Abruptly Resigns Following Racial Unrest." Jacob Rascon,
correspondent. NBC Nightly News. NBCUniversal Media. 9 Nov. 2015. NBC Learn. Web. 20 January
2016
APA
Rascon, J. (Reporter), & Holt, L. (Anchor). 2015, November 9. University of Missouri President Abruptly
Resigns Following Racial Unrest. [Television series episode]. NBC Nightly News. Retrieved from
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=104432
CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE
"University of Missouri President Abruptly Resigns Following Racial Unrest" NBC Nightly News, New
York, NY: NBC Universal, 11/09/2015. Accessed Wed Jan 20 2016 from NBC Learn:
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=104432
Transcript
University of Missouri President Abruptly Resigns Following Racial Unrest
LESTER HOLT, anchor:
Good evening. For months it simmered largely unnoticed outside the university community but now the
whole country is awakening to the racial tensions and growing revolt that boiled over today at the
University of Missouri. A hunger strike, a threatened walkout by members of the football team, and
protests from students and faculty alike leading up to today's abrupt resignation of the university's
president accused by black student groups of indifference to a series of reported racist acts on the
overwhelmingly white campus. And now there's late word that chancellor won't be far behind. NBC's
Jacob Rascon tells us more.
JACOB RASCON, reporting:
After two months of anger and unrest on campus, an announcement as sudden as it was stunning.
TIM WOLFE (University of Missouri Former President): I'm resigning as president of the University of
Missouri system.
RASCON: And hours later the chancellor announced he will be stepping down at the end of the year.
Students say this semester has been plagued with incidents of racial harassment.
WOMAN: I think there has been a lot of racial tensions and I'm glad that something has finally been
done.
RASCON: In September the black student body president said a group of white students had shouted the
N-word at him. Other students reported a swastika left on a dorm wall. And the university's response was
lacking, even infuriating, they said. They could hardly believe the news, enough to bring some to tears.
Enough for protest leader Jonathan Butler to end his hunger strike after eight days, appearing weak and
unsteady-JONATHAN BUTLER: Our humanity is worth fighting for. I mean that's what we're saying in this
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moment that we're worth fighting for.
RASCON: They celebrate not because it is the end of a journey they hope it is a new beginning. The
anger is fueled by racial tension across the country, including last year's riots in Ferguson, less than two
hours away. The tipping point came over the weekend. A photograph worth 1,000 protests. The football
team backed by their coaching staff refusing to play until the president was out. Now, back in the game.
WOLFE: Please, please, use this resignation to heal, not to hate. And let's move forward together for a
brighter tomorrow.
RASCON: President Wolfe's resignation is effective immediately and the search is on for an interim
president. This, as the university's governing board announced a series of new diversity initiatives,
including hiring a first ever diversity officer and a more diverse faculty and staff. Lester.
HOLT: All right. Jacob Rascon, thank you.
© 2008-2016 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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