Brad Tregnago of KSSZ contributed to this story

State Rep. Courtney Allen Curtis (D-Ferguson) says interim chancellor Hank Foley and others have not done enough to address racial issues on campus since protests last year. Curtis thinks Mizzou needs to look outside the current administration for its next chancellor. Foley says he’s interested in the permanent position.

Representative Courtney Allen Curtis (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

“One of the traditions at Mizzou is to walk through the columns,” says Curtis. “It could very easily be done that one of the traditions was that we don’t have a campus that tolerates hate.”

Curtis says the current administration listens to complaints, then waits until people stop paying attention to the problems.

“That just shows what’s wrong with the culture of the University of Missouri-Columbia,” says Curtis. “It’s one of where we listen, but we don’t act. Right now to act six months to a year later, that just shows that we’re tone deaf.”

In an earlier interview with Missourinet, State Rep. David Wood (R-Versailles) says the University of Missouri Board of Curators and incoming System President Dr. Mun Choi should consider Foley for the permanent position.
“I think he’s done a very good job in this interim position. He’s been very straightforward, his answers have been very honest with the legislature. Not always popular, but very honest and straightforward and I think we can appreciate that,” Wood says. “So, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other candidates that would do an equally good job, but this is a proven candidate that’s here.”

Interim System President Mike Middleton says one of Choi’s early priorities is to establish permanent leadership Mizzou. The university is conducting a nationwide search for the chancellor position. The system will assemble a search committee that will recommend finalists to Choi.