Lawmakers meet with Mizzou alumni

The University of Missouri’s future and some of the recent past made up the dialogue tonight, as state lawmakers met with members of the Mizzou Alumni Association.

The gathering of the Boone County Alumni Chapter and many of the area’s legislators was held at the Grand Cru restaurant in Columbia.

Democratic Representative Stephen Webber was first to speak to the crowd of around 80 people. He talked about the importance of keeping Mizzou financially strong, especially for the university’s research reactor.

Republican Representative Caleb Rowden called the series of events that brought national media attention to the Columbia campus “a perfect storm.” He said he has complete confidence in the current leadership on campus including Chancellor Hank Foley.

Chancellor Foley said, “It’s absolutely crucial that we all talk and find informal ways of talking about the issues. The university is a big place, very important to the state, very important to the region. We’ve got a lot of issues, we know that. We’re doing a lot of great things at Mizzou, as well though. And, it’s important to re-emphasize those.”

One of those issues the chancellor mentioned is, undoubtedly, the continuing controversy surrounding Assistant Professor Melissa Click. For her behavior during the November protests, Representative Caleb Jones does not beat around the bush on how he feels about the issue. He says, “I think we should fire her. I think she violated the U.S. Constitution. I think she criminally assaulted a student. So, I think that anytime you task someone to take care of youth and educate (the youth) and turn them into young adults, and you violate that trust and the institution that the University of Missouri is…you shouldn’t be able to work there again.” But, Representative Jones did say individual personnel issues should have no effect on the university’s funding.

Funding for the university could be determined by lawmakers as soon as February.