Gonzaga University, a Jesuit institution in Spokane, Washington, has, for some reason, decided to hire Melissa Click, disgraced communications junior professor at the University of Missouri. Most AT readers remember well her actions during the racial agitation at that Campus:

University of Missouri communications assistant professor Melissa Click communicated her displeasure with student journalists who were videoing her leading a demonstration on campus.  They captured on video her enraged face and uplifted arms as she called out, "I need some muscle over here" to remove the non-protesting students.  

Her academic work is not at all impressive. As I wrote after examining her list of publications:

A brief examination of her published work shows that she is highly political.  Incidentally, she has been an assistant professor at MU for 7 years now, according to the Missourian.  As a recovering academic, I can report that this is a very long time to remain at the bottom of the hierarchy of professors.  Most institutions have an up-or-out system, and spending 7 years at the bottom rung of the tenure track is not an encouraging sign.

Click’s “research” seems to involve indulging in a lot of popular culture and writing up her thoughts.  For example, on Twilight, a favorite topic, she “problematizes” the abstinence and romance messages of the popular series.

But for the academics to Gonzaga, apparently this oeuvre was impressive. The Kansas City Star report At Gonzaga, Click is listed as a lecturer on the faculty page of the university’s website.

Elisabeth Mermann-Jozwiak, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Gonzaga, said in a written statement that Gonzaga officials knew of Click’s recent history and were confident in welcoming her to the university. Click was hired for a one-year, non-tenure track position as a lecturer in the university’s communication studies department.

“Dr. Click was hired through an extensive national search process that revealed her to be the most qualified and experienced candidate for the position,” the statement read in part. “Dr. Click has excellent recommendations for both her teaching and scholarship, which includes an extensive record of publication. We are confident she has learned much from her experiences at the University of Missouri and believe she will uphold the rigorous standards of academic excellence demanded of Gonzaga faculty and students.”

At Columbia, Click found herself at the center of controversy that continued to generate fallout for the university for months.

How can any student journalist at Gonzaga feel it is a safe space?

Academia, in particular the liberal arts, has been so corrupted that thuggery is tolerated as long as it is conforms to the leftist biases of the faculty. The University of Missouri has experienced tremendous damage from the racial incidents that took place there, with applications and donations plummeting to the extent that dormitories have been closed.

Gonzaga may not realize the door it has opened.