Page 48 - ATA 13 NOV 2015

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U.S. NEWSFriday 13 November 2015

Black administrator named Missouri System’s interim head

SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated Press One of the University of Mis-

ALAN SCHER ZAGIER COLUMBIA, Missouri (AP) — souri’s first black law school

Interim University of Missouri System President Michael
Middleton speaks at his introductory press conference in
University Hall Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015, on the University of
Missouri campus in Columbia, Mo. Middleton was the first
black student admitted to the MU School of Law, helped co-
found the Legion of Black Collegians and was an MU Professor.

(Justin L. Stewart/via AP)

graduates was appointed inspired the protests that
Thursday to lead the four- helped force Monday’s
campus system through a abrupt resignation of Presi-
tumultuous period of ra- dent Tim Wolfe and anoth-
cial unrest, drawing praise er top administrator.
from students who said Middleton takes over as
he’s well-equipped to con- black student groups, call-
front the problems they felt ing for change over the
his predecessor largely ig- administration’s handling
nored. of racial issues, were giv-
Michael Middleton, 68, has en a boost last weekend
spent 30 years at the uni- when 30 black football
versity — as an undergrad- players vowed not to take
uate, law student, faculty part in team activities until
member and finally, ad- Wolfe was gone.
ministrator. At a news con- Middleton said the univer-
ference announcing his sity “has faced its share
appointment as the univer- of troubling incidents and
sity system’s interim presi- we recognize that we
dent, he vowed to take on must move forward as a
the racial problems that community.q