Gary Ward, the Vice-Chancellor of operations, told University of Missouri faculty last week:
A dark cloud is hanging over the institution—we can’t sugarcoat that.
Heat Street’s Political Editor, Jillian Melchior, obtained the exclusive emails from inside the college that revealed the massive damage – in money and reputation. As the class of 2016 prepares to graduate, here’s a summary of the damage done to the once-great university so far.
Read why many are asking themselves – can Mizzou survive?
Finances
Mizzou now has a $32.5 million budget shortfall
In March, the university announced plans to accelerate the scheduled closure of two dorms
Mizzou will cut at least 50 cleaning and maintenance jobs
The university’s library system gets an $894,000 reduction in funding
Six of the eight library positions vacant at the end of this semester won’t be filled
Mizzou will implement a hiring freeze, as well as a moratorium on raises for many staffers
The athletic department at the heart of the race-based protests saw a donation drop of 72%
Student Enrollment
Compared to last year, 1,470 fewer student freshmen had paid their $300 enrollment fees by the May 1 deadline – drop of 25%
This does not include cancellations
Mizzou reported a three-year low in grad-school applications, down 1,140 from two years ago.
Mizzou has not yet responded to our FOIA request for student cancellation numbers
Reputation Damage: Anti-Semitism Downgraded by Faculty as African-American Complaints Supported
The university downplayed allegations of anti-Semitism on campus, even as it vocally responded to incidents reportedly targeting black and other minority students.
Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity called police about a hate crime. Their window had been kicked in and they feared it was because they are Jewish.
Cathy Scroggs, the vice chancellor for student affairs, called it “Perhaps an over reaction by the fraternity, but this is the world we live in right now.”
Just a week after the vandalism at the Jewish fraternity, a swastika was scrawled in feces on the bathroom wall of a dormitory
Another swastika and the word “heil” were found written in a residence hall
A day later, after that graffiti had been scrubbed off, another swastika appeared in the dorm’s stairwell, along with the words, “You’ve been warned”
Mizzou’s chief diversity officer quickly advised Chancellor Loftin against issuing a statement
On Nov. 5, 36 organizations, including the fraternity, the David Horowitz Freedom Center, the Israel Peace Initiative, and the Israel Group, signed a letter to the chancellor, saying they were “very concerned about the safety and well-being of Jewish students at the University of Missouri.”
The letter notes that racist slurs directed at black students received “vigorous condemnation,” including “a recorded message expressing [the chancellor’s] outrage over what had happened.” It adds: “We are dismayed that neither [the chancellor] nor any other MU administrator has yet to publicly address this act of blatant anti-Semitism, which clearly targets Jewish students and causes them to feel threatened and unsafe.”
Rage of Students, Parents and Donors
Here are some of the emails sent to Mizzou:
Grandmother writes that she will “pull every dime” from her granddaughter’s tuition trust “before I allow her to set foot on your campus.” She continues: “What is occurring there is a national and academic disgrace and embarrassment! Absolutely disgusting!”
A black student writes to President Wolfe: “As an African American student, I am embarrassed by some of my fellow students’ behavior and words toward you and I apologize on their behalf. …. I really hope you know that there are some of us who feel you did not deserve this.”
Member of the Missouri 100, an advisory group supporting Mizzou, writes: “From the alumni I talk to there appears to be a backlash building that is not good for future support of the university. One classmate told me that he changed his trust yesterday to delete a gift to MU, others just do not understand the football players ‘striking.’
An MU fan writes asking for a refund for his ticket purchase: “Two good men lost their jobs, extremists are running around the campus, and now I have a label of white privilege. Nothing screams white privilege like sitting in donor seats and parking in donor lots.”
Alum writes: “You have allowed Ms. Click and 200 misinformed students with passion to undo 20 years of progress at MU. …. My wife and I have agreed that MU is NOT a school we would even consider for our three children. … Since when do football players choose the leadership at MU and blackmail a university? MU has developed into the Berkeley of the Midwest.”
A 2015 graduate of the UM law school writes: “I am ashamed to say that I graduated from the University of Missouri. I will be revoking the pledge I made upon graduation, and I will not be making any future monetary donations. I know I am not the only alum who feels this way.”
All our #Mizzou coverage by Jillian Melchior can be read in full in the articles below.
