University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe resigned on Monday after continued student protests for his handling of racist incidents across campus.
"I take full responsibility for this frustration and I take full responsibility for the inaction that has occurred, President Wolfe said during a news conference. “Use my resignation to heal and make the changes necessary.”
The decision comes after several faculty and staff members planned to stage a walk out on campus joining the growing number of student protests across campus.
"We, the concerned faculty of the University of Missouri, stand in solidarity with the Mizzou student activists who are advocating for racial justice on our campus and urge all MU faculty to demonstrate their support by walking out on Monday November 9 and Tuesday November 10, 2015 along with other allies such as the Forum on Graduate Rights," a statement from the Concerned Faculty group said.
Jonathan Butler, a graduate student whose staged a hunger strike calling for the resignation, struggled to find words to express his emotions during an interview with CNN.
“Just wow, I’m sorry, I just finished crying because this moment means so much to so many people. To see their stance on inequality on campus is huge. My body just became a little more faint. This is big but not for the university or the school system but for the nation."
The Missouri Tigers football team also planned to boycott all team activities until President Wolfe resigned. The school would have reportedly lost $1 million if the team did not suit up against the BYU Cougars on Saturday.
