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Pressure builds on University of Missouri president to resign amid racial tensions
The university has been working on “a systemwide diversity and inclusion strategy” to be released in April 2016, Wolfe said.
The board of curators called a closed-door meeting at the university and via conference call for mid-morning on Monday, according to its website.
In Columbia last month, activists blocked Wolfe’s car at a homecoming parade and said he bumped one of the protesters with the vehicle.
In a statement on Friday, Wolfe apologized. “My behavior seemed like I did not care,” Wolfe said. “That was not my intention. I was caught off-guard in that moment. Nonetheless, had I gotten out of the car to acknowledge the students and talk with them, perhaps we would not be where we are today.”
The boycott of football activities was announced on Saturday night. The team’s next game is scheduled for Saturday in Kansas City against Brigham Young University.
Racial tensions have dogged other American schools as well recently.
Yale University saw small-scale protests last week after a fraternity turned away black guests at a Halloween party, saying, according to reports at the time, that only white women would be admitted.
Anger over the alleged incident led to a series of meetings between students and top administrators, including Peter Salovey, president of the Ivy League school located in New Haven, Connecticut. He said he was troubled by what he heard about campus life for minority students and the school must create “greater inclusion, healing, mutual respect and understanding.”
In late October, the University of Louisville issued an apology after an outcry over a photograph showing school staff, including school President James Ramsey, during a party donning sombreros and other items associated with Hispanic culture. Ramsey’s office subsequently issued a statement saying the school would initiate diversity training immediately.
At the University of Missouri, head football coach Gary Pinkel has said the team stands together, while the athletics department said players had indicated they would not resume practice until student Jonathan Butler ends his hunger strike.
Source: Reuters
