University of Missouri fires instructor after student run-ins

Reporting from Kansas City, Mo. —  The University of Missouri fired an assistant professor on Thursday who had been suspended after run-ins with student journalists during protests last year, including a videotaped confrontation in which she called for “some muscle” to remove a videographer from the Columbia campus.

Top university administrators announced Melissa Click’s dismissal during a conference call. More than 100 state lawmakers had called for the dismissal of the 45-year-old assistant communications professor.

NEWSLETTER: Get the day’s top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >>

A video clip that went viral showed Click calling for “some muscle” to remove a student videographer during protests on Nov. 9 that were spurred by what activists said was administrators’ indifference to racial issues on campus. Click was later charged with misdemeanor assault, but a Columbia prosecutor ultimately agreed to drop the case if Click completed community service.

More recently, police body camera footage from the October homecoming parade shows Click telling police to get their hands off students and cursing at an officer who grabbed her. Demonstrators had blocked then-University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe’s vehicle, and the video shows Click telling police to “get your hands off the children” and cursing at an officer who grabbed her shoulder.

As Columbia police pushed protesters onto the sidewalk, Click hugged students and spoke with them before stepping between Missouri graduate student Jonathan Butler, who later went on a hunger strike, and an officer.

Click, who was suspended last month, has said she regretted her actions.

Interim Chancellor Hank Foley said earlier this month that the homecoming parade footage showed a “pattern of misconduct.”

“Her conduct and behavior are appalling, and I am not only disappointed, I am angry, that a member of our faculty acted this way,” he said.