University of Missouri Denies Click’s Appeal

COLUMBIA, Mo. (CN) - The University of Missouri's Board of Curators rejected an appeal by Melissa Click, who was fired after a viral video captured her asking for "muscle" to remove student journalists from covering a public protest on campus.

The unanimous decision means Click has no further recourse through the university to get her job back. She had been on paid suspension pending her appeal since she was fired in February.

"We consider this matter now closed and are moving forward as a university and as a community," Board Chairwoman Pamela Henrickson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Click had claimed the board's decision to fire her was disproportionate to her actions.

Click ordered some "muscle" to intimidate a student journalist covering a protest on public property on Nov. 9 last year, as students gathered to celebrate the ouster of several university officials after several racial incidents on campus.

The video quickly went viral and a second video surfaced in February showing Click cursing at police officers during a protest at the University's Homecoming Parade.

More than 100 Missouri Republican lawmakers wrote a letter demanding Click's termination after the videos surfaced.

Click claims the matter isn't over in a statement released by Click's public relations firm.

"I am not surprised, but am certainly dissatisfied with the University of Missouri Board of Curators' denial of my appeal and termination of my employment," Click said. "I will continue to fight the Board of Curators' decision."

Among Click's research projects were "50 Shades of Grey" readers and the impact of social media in fans' relationship with Lady Gaga during her career at the University of Missouri.

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