Just a week after a closed door meeting regarding new Missouri State University President “Biff” Williams and the federal lawsuit he is named in, MSU’s Faculty Senate is considering a potential “no confidence” vote.
University officials say next Thursday, November 21, the group will make a decision regarding a motion for the “no confidence” vote that was introduced during a meeting with the MSU Board of Governors Thursday night.
If it were to pass, it would lead to Williams’ resignation.
During the meeting, President Williams expressed remorse for his actions, and apologized to members of the Senate for the negative attention it has brought to the university.
Williams, who was hired by the university in March, was named in a federal lawsuit earlier this month by three former colleagues from his time as the President of Utah Tech University.
Allegations against him include discrimination, retaliation, and other actions against the three by Williams and others regarding the implementation of Title VII and Title IX, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and other factors.
Williams is also accused of an obscene prank in which he arranged vegetables on the front porch of a colleague in the shape of a penis after the co-worker had recently had a vasectomy.
He has taken responsibility for the display, calling it a “mindless prank”, but has denied the other allegations in the case.