Less than a day after a vote on “no confidence” by the Missouri State Faculty Senate against new MSU President “Biff” Williams, the university’s Board of Governors has decided to keep him on as president.
Williams is at the front of a federal lawsuit that was filed by three former co-workers while he was President at Utah Tech University.
The lawsuit alleges that Williams, along with several others, committed violations against Title IX, including putting vegetables in inappropriate manner as a joke against another co-worker, and signed a note blaming it on the three.
The MSU Board of Governors reported that Williams’ did not disclose the allegations during the hiring process.
On Thursday, the Faculty Senate voted 36-12 in favor of a vote of “no confidence” against President Williams.
However, the Board of Governors, in a statement released Friday afternoon, decided to stand by Williams, who was hired in the spring of this year.
After careful consideration, we believe President Williams continues to be the right person to lead Missouri State. We have voted unanimously to support and continue his employment as president of the university.
We have confidence in his ability to lead Missouri State, and we are committed to working alongside him to ensure the university is a safe and welcoming environment for all students, faculty and staff. President Williams is working with the Board on actions that he will take as part of his commitment to strengthening relationships across our campus community.
The university is focused on reinforcing a campus culture that properly respects and values every person on our campus. We hope you share our confidence in the future of Missouri State, and we very much look forward to our continued journey together.