Professor’s group faults firing of MU assistant professor Melissa Click

COLUMBIA, Mo. – An investigation from a national professor’s group has found that the University of Missouri bowed to political pressure when it fired an assistant professor over her role last year in a race-related student protest.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that the report from the American Association of University Professors on Melissa Clicks’ firing was released just after 11 p.m. Wednesday. An association committee will recommend in June whether the university should be put on a censure list.

The three-member investigating committee of professors who reviewed Click’s termination determined that normal processes for disciplining faculty weren’t used.

They said that “endangered” academic freedom.

University system officials have insisted that Click was treated fairly after her run-ins with student journalists and the police during protests last fall drew widespread attention.

This story was originally published May 19, 2016 at 10:51 AM with the headline "Professor’s group faults firing of MU assistant professor Melissa Click."