football team walks out, University of Missouri president quits

University of Missouri System president Tim Wolfe stepped down as faculty threatened to walk out and the school's football team went on strike in a show of support for students who say he's done too little to combat racism on Mizzou's campus.

Wolfe made the stunning announcement at the start of a special Board of Curators meeting Monday morning to address the growing crisis at the Show Me state's flagship university. The board voted in favor of accepting his resignation.

“I am resigning as president of the University Missouri system,” said Wolfe, who choked up as he announced he was stepping down. “My motivation in making this decision comes from a love of Columbia where I grew up and the state of Missouri. I thought and prayed over this decision. It is the right thing to do … The frustration and anger I see is real, and I don’t doubt it for a second.”

The situation had become so emotional on campus, the first land-grant university west of the Mississippi, that many members of the football team had even announced they would boycott team activities. After Wolfe's announcement, the university's athletic department said in a statement that the football team would return to the practice field Tuesday to prepare for its game on Saturday against BYU.

Before Wolfe's resignation, a faculty group issued a statement announcing plans for a walkout.