With the threat that the University of Missouri football team would not play as long as he was in charge, school president Tim Wolfe stepped down as criticism of his handling of race issues at the school continued.
The announcement, made by Wolfe at a special meeting of the university system’s governing body, came in the wake of the weekend’s announcement by at least 30 black football players who said they would not participate in team activities until Wolfe was removed or stepped down.
“I take full responsibility for the actions that have occurred,” Wolfe said, adding that his resignation was effective immediately. “I have asked everybody to use my resignation to heal. Let’s focus in changing what we can change today and in the future, not what we can’t change in the past.”
The football team’s decision came in the wake of graduate student Jonathan Butler having begun a hunger strike last Monday, saying Wolfe should step down after failing to respond to student concerns about racial tension. Butler, appearing on CNN in the wake of Wolfe’s resignation, said his hunger strike was over.
The athletes had the support up the chain. Coach Gary Pinkel tweeted his support of his athletes and athletic director Mack Rhoades said “it was clear” the players involved “do not plan to return to practice until Jonathan resumes eating.”
Black student groups on the campus have complained for months about racial slurs and other slights on the campus. Black protesters blocked Wolfe’s car during the Oct. 10 homecoming parade, and he did not get out to talk to them.
The students say there has been an increase in “tension and inequality with no systemic support” since last year’s fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old by a white police officer in Ferguson.
