The University of Missouri’s School of Journalism were voting Tuesday to determine if a courtesy appointment for Melissa Click, an assistant professor at the university’s Department of Communication, should be revoked.
The journalism school’s executive committee met Tuesday morning to discuss the vote and prepare a statement on Click’s actions.
In a viral video, Click can be seen asking for assistance and for “muscle” to remove Mark Schierbecker, who filmed a confrontation between freelance photographer Tim Tai and protesters near the Concerned Student 1950 camp on the Mel Carnahan Quadrangle.
View the altercation below.
Click has been teaching at MU since 2008, having served as a resident instructor and visiting instructor between 2003 and 2008.
As of Tuesday morning, an email vote was being conducted among doctoral faculty and members of the journalism school’s Promotion and Tenure Committee. A simple majority from the group is needed to revoke a courtesy appointment.
Esther Thorson is an associate dean for graduate studies for the journalism school. She said the vote was close, but some individuals are concerned about fairness.
“The discussion has not concluded and no decision has yet been made about the courtesy appointment,” Thorson told the Columbia Missourian.
She said an in-person faculty meeting will likely occur Tuesday night.
