Nov.

8, 2015

Contact: John Fougere

Office: (573) 882-0601
Email:
fougerej@umsystem.edu

Statement from University of Missouri System

President Tim Wolfe
It is clear to all of us that change is needed, and we appreciate the thoughtfulness
and passion which have gone into the sharing of concerns. My administration has
been meeting around the clock and has been doing a tremendous amount of
reflection on how to address these complex matters.
Clearly, we are open to listening to all sides, and are confident that we can come
together to improve the student experience on our campuses. We want to find the
best way to get everyone around the table and create the safe space for a
meaningful conversation that promotes change. We will share next steps as soon as
they are confirmed.
In conjunction with campus representatives, the university began work on a
systemwide diversity and inclusion strategy, plan and metrics for the University of
Missouri System as part of my strategic goals (see 1.4.i of the System Strategic
Plan) as approved by the Board of Curators in summer 2015.
Our due date for announcing the strategy was April 2016, having allowed for
multiple stakeholders (e.g., faculty, staff, students, consultants) across the system
to provide input into the plan.
The majority of items listed on the Concerned Student 1950 List of Demands were
already included in the draft of the strategy. While the student list provides more
detail and more specific metrics than had been established in the UM System plan,
we had anticipated providing specificity and detail to the plan over the coming
months.
In the meantime, I am dedicated to ongoing dialogue to address these very
complex, societal issues as they affect our campus community.
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