UM Board of Curators’ investigation leads to termination of professor Click
The University of Missouri Board of Curators released its 24-page investigative report on assistant communications professor Melissa Click Thursday afternoon after announcing her termination.
The curator’s investigation conducted by Bryan Cave, LLP started on Jan. 27 just two days after the city prosecutor filed assault charges against the professor. Click was featured in a video that went viral confronting a student journalist during the campus protest last fall.
The investigation included more than 50 pieces of evidence including the viral videos and statements from Click and other MU faculty members. The law firm also interviewed 21 people including two with Click and members of Concerned Student 19-50.
On Feb. 12 Click received a copy of the completed reported and responded to curators with a 5-page letter a week letter.
In that letter, Click said she shouldn’t be judged by her actions in the videos and the board needed a fuller picture of the context of the environment.
The report cites Click leading a chant against student journalist Tim Tai and encouraging student protests to join her by shouting “I can’t hear you!”
Later in the same video Click is met by student journalist Mark Shierbecker. In Click’s first interview with investigators she states she didn’t believe Shierbecker was a member of the media and believed he may have been armed with a gun.
Click also said her call for “muscle” against Shierbecker was something she thought was “protocol” in the camp area for large men to diffuse a heated situation.
Only one person investigators interviewed said they actually saw the confrontations with Click and the student journalists. Members of Concerned Student 1950 who were interviewed said she was just trying to protect them.
The Board of Curators said Click’s actions violated several university policies including defending the right of free speech and respecting students.
You can read the entire investigative reporthere.
