Group urges reinstatement of suspended Missouri professor

A national association is calling for the reinstatement of a suspended University of Missouri assistant professor who was involved in a run-in with two student journalists during campus protests.

The American Association of University Professors sent a letter Tuesday to the Columbia campus’ interim chancellor, Hank Foley. The group’ associate secretary, Hans-Joerg Tiede, wrote that the campus denied academic due process when Melissa Click was suspended last week.

Click had a confrontation with a student photographer and a student videographer during November protests at the Columbia campus over what some saw as university leadership’s indifference to racial issues. Click called for “some muscle” to help remove the videographer from the protest area on the campus. She later said publicly that she regretted her actions.