Blog Post #11: Last Week's Events at Mizzou

Last Monday, students at the University of Missouri wrapped up a historic day of protests, including the resignations of Systems President Tim Wolfe and Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin.

Students of all races locked arm-in-arm in a display of unity at a prayer vigil on Monday night led by Concerned Student 1950, the group of student activists named for the year black students were first admitted at Mizzou. The students showed their solidarity by the campsite where graduate student Jonathan Butler risked his life on a week-long hunger strike to demand the resignation of Tim Wolfe.

While the students of this campus are well-aware they have just made history in the span of just several days, their pain is clearly evident. Many national news outlets have captured many emotional moments that stem from this racially charged campus environment. Not to mention, this tension existed long before national news outlets like CNN or ESPN showed up.

Tim Wolfe may be gone, but it's clear that the battle for racial justice has only just begun.

When Wolfe choked up as he announced his resignation, the university may have turned the page, but the chapter of racial tension on campus is far from over. It's going to require changing the culture of the school from within.

For one, students could spend less time looking and posting on social media sites such as Yik Yak. Even though the media has left and Butler is getting better, there are still going to be times where black students are walking down the street and get funny looks from others.

To start, the university needs to address the proposed policy changes of Concerned Student 1950 and the MU Graduate Students. This includes adding more black faculty and staff, implementing a mandatory diversity curriculum and training and increasing funding for social justice centers and mental health facilities.

But for most students, the real first step will come when a new university system president and chancellor. Obviously, these two leaders will need to acknowledge the problems on campus.