MU president and chancellor step down amid pressure to resign

Recent pressure connected to his handling of student complaints about racism and discrimination resulted yesterday in the resignation of the president of the University of Missouri system effective immediately. Just hours after his resignation, Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin announced he would step down as well, transitioning to a new research role in January.

President Tim Wolfe made the announcement – described by The Associated Press as simultaneously apologetic, clumsy and defiant – at the start of what had been expected to be a lengthy closed-door meeting of the school’s governing board.

The race complaints came to a head over the weekend for the school just 120 miles west of Ferguson, when at least 30 black football players announced they would not participate in team activities until Wolfe stepped down. On Sunday, head football coach Gary Pinkel expressed solidarity with his players via Twitter.

Read more from The Associated Press.